Senior Computational Linguist

Reposted 25 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
Austin, TX, USA
In-Office
Senior level
News + Entertainment
The Role
The role involves developing language models for voice systems, analyzing linguistic data, and maintaining existing voice applications at Roku. It requires expertise in linguistics and NLP technologies.
Summary Generated by Built In
Teamwork makes the stream work.
Roku is changing how the world watches TV

Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and we've set our sights on powering every television in the world. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. Our mission is to be the TV streaming platform that connects the entire TV ecosystem. We connect consumers to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers unique capabilities to engage consumers.

From your first day at Roku, you'll make a valuable - and valued - contribution. We're a fast-growing public company where no one is a bystander. We offer you the opportunity to delight millions of TV streamers around the world while gaining meaningful experience across a variety of disciplines.


About the Team 

Roku’s Voice Team aims to develop the best voice system for TV.  We enable users to launch channels, search for movies, TV shows, sports, and music, discover new content, and control their TVs and Smart Home devices with natural spoken requests, including hands-free, in multiple languages.  Our goal is to help people find what they want and make it easier for people to stream.  We accomplish this using state-of-the-art technology and engineering to make it happen, with consideration for the customer as the center of all that we do.


About the Role

We are looking for a top-notch Sr. Computational Linguist who is passionate about using language data and modeling to help our users connect effortlessly to Roku content and functionality.  In this role, you will have the opportunity to analyze data from our users around the world and incorporate your insights into our products.      

You will be joining a talented, high-performance team with a history of delivery.  We are looking for someone who can help us maintain this accelerated pace and continue delivering high quality as we grow.


What you’ll be doing
  • You will develop models to extend voice support to new Roku features and across languages internationally
  • You will collect and analyze spoken and written language data to improve our models, capturing a wide variety of expressions in rule-based or machine-learned systems
  • You will maintain our existing systems, recognize issues and apply the right tools to debug and solve problems

We’re excited if you have
  • Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Linguistics, Computer Science, or related field
  • Proficiency in at least one non-English language, ideally at the native or near non-native competence level, with Spanish or Portuguese preferred
  • At least two years of experience with spoken natural language applications
  • Solid knowledge of core linguistics: semantics, syntax, morphology, phonology, phonetics, discourse, and dialogue
  • Experience with rule-based grammars and machine learning for NLP, including LLM and generative AI
  • Practical experience with cleaning, manipulating, and analyzing large natural language data sets
  • Experience with scripting languages, preferably Python
  • Experience creating and adapting database queries in SQL
  • Experience with version control and collaborative software development
#LI-SB5

Our Hybrid Work Approach

Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are flexible for remote work except for employees whose roles are required to be in the office five days a week or employees who are in offices with a five day in office policy.


Benefits

Roku is committed to offering a diverse range of benefits as part of our compensation package to support our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefits include global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources. Local benefits include statutory and voluntary benefits which may include healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), life, accident, disability, commuter, and retirement options (401(k)/pension). Employees are supported in taking time off, in accordance with local leave policies and other personal needs to support their evolving work and life needs. It's important to note that not every benefit is available in all locations or for every role. For details specific to your location, please consult with your recruiter.


Accommodations

Roku welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and provides reasonable accommodations and adjustments in accordance with applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation at any point in the hiring process, please direct your inquiries to [email protected].


The Roku Culture

Roku is a great place for people who want to work in a fast-paced environment where everyone is focused on the company's success rather than their own. We try to surround ourselves with people who are great at their jobs, who are easy to work with, and who keep their egos in check. We appreciate a sense of humor. We believe a fewer number of very talented folks can do more for less cost than a larger number of less talented teams. We're independent thinkers with big ideas who act boldly, move fast and accomplish extraordinary things through collaboration and trust. In short, at Roku you'll be part of a company that's changing how the world watches TV. 

We have a unique culture that we are proud of. We think of ourselves primarily as problem-solvers, which itself is a two-part idea. We come up with the solution, but the solution isn't real until it is built and delivered to the customer. That penchant for action gives us a pragmatic approach to innovation, one that has served us well since 2002. 

To learn more about Roku, our global footprint, and how we've grown, visit https://www.weareroku.com/factsheet.

By providing your information, you acknowledge that you want Roku to contact you about job roles, that you have read Roku's Applicant Privacy Notice, and understand that Roku will use your information as described in that notice. If you do not wish to receive any communications from Roku regarding this role or similar roles in the future, you may unsubscribe at any time by emailing [email protected].

Skills Required

  • Master's or Ph.D. degree in Linguistics, Computer Science, or related field
  • Proficiency in at least one non-English language
  • At least two years of experience with spoken natural language applications
  • Solid knowledge of core linguistics
  • Experience with rule-based grammars and machine learning for NLP
  • Practical experience with cleaning, manipulating, and analyzing large natural language datasets
  • Experience with scripting languages, preferably Python
  • Experience creating and adapting database queries in SQL
  • Experience with version control and collaborative software development

Roku Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Roku and has not been reviewed or approved by Roku.

  • Fair & Transparent Compensation Pay is positioned as competitive across many roles, with frequent emphasis on strong base and total compensation relative to market expectations. Fair-pay perception appears comparatively stronger than overall satisfaction with the broader rewards package.
  • Healthcare Strength Healthcare coverage is framed as a standout, with sizable employer premium contributions that can reduce employee premiums significantly depending on plan choice. Preventive care and mental-health support are also described as part of the core offering.
  • Leave & Time Off Breadth Time-off offerings are presented as broad, including paid holidays, PTO, and multiple leave categories such as bereavement and family-related leave. Self-managed or “unlimited” PTO is also described for many salaried roles, supporting flexibility in taking time off.

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The Company
HQ: San Jose, CA
2,724 Employees
Year Founded: 2002

What We Do

Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. We connect users to the streaming content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique capabilities to engage consumers. Roku streaming players and Roku TV™ models are available around the world through direct retail sales and licensing arrangements with TV OEMs and service operators.

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