Sr NLU Research Engineer

Location: Tokyo

Employment Type: Full-time

Cerence AI is a global leader in cutting-edge AI-powered solutions that make in-car experiences safer, more productive, and more enjoyable. We provide the technology behind the world's most popular car brands, enabling drivers and passengers to interact with their vehicles in new and exciting ways. Our focus on innovation and commitment to quality have helped us build a reputation as one of the most trusted and respected companies in automotive industry, and the company is exploring new businesses in non-auto. With a team of talented and passionate people located around the world, we're always pushing the boundaries of what's possible, and we're proud to be at the forefront of in-car AI technology.

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented researcher to join our team in Japan, playing a pivotal role in developing and improving the next generation of natural language understanding (NLU) and artificial intelligence (AI) systems for the automotive and mobility markets. This position will include actively engaging with the rapidly emerging technology of large language models (LLMs). As a Senior Research Engineer, you will be an integral part of our experienced team in Tokyo, dedicated to the development of cutting-edge technology that facilitates intelligent human-machine interactions. Join us in driving the future of automotive innovation through your expertise and collaborative spirit.

Your responsibilities will include data annotation and cleaning, statistical model development and analysis, accuracy improvements, and defect resolution for our Japanese products. As a good team player, you will play a critical role in ensuring that our NLU systems meet the highest standards of performance, accuracy, and reliability. You will also help develop our next-generation, LLM-based AI solutions.

Responsibilities As a key Japanese NLU research and development member for various project’s requests:

· Deep analysis of customer requirements for realizing NLU on features and define interfaces with front-end (with ASR) and back-end (with content provider, Agents or LLM undertaken);

· Module level solution design and implementation

· Acquire and accumulate data needed to train NLU models

· Innovate new tech/ AI tools or use existing tools technology or to develop NLU solutions to meet project’s and product need

· Work with development team and QA teams on deliverables and time schedule

· Native or close-to-native Japanese speaker, plus fluent English to communicate with foreign colleagues of different roles

Qualifications:

· Master’s degree (or above) in Computer Science, Computational Linguistics, or a related AI field, or equivalent work experience

· Experience with Natural Language Understanding (NLU) technology

· Working knowledge of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Agents

· Ability to effectively communicate Japanese market- and language-specific requirements to stakeholders

· Strong programming and scripting proficiency, particularly in Python

· Familiarity with Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) is a plus

· Proficiency in additional human languages is a plus, as it will enable you to work effectively with our global team and better serve our international customers

At Cerence AI, we value leadership and mentorship, and we're looking for someone who can contribute to our culture in these areas. If you have a passion for AI, want to work in an exciting, fast-paced environment, and help us shape the future of in-car AI interaction, please apply to join our team.

Cerence Inc. (Nasdaq: CRNC and www.cerence.com) is the global industry leader in creating unique, moving experiences for the automotive world. Spun out from Nuance in October 2019, Cerence is a new, independent company that has quickly gained traction as a leader in the automotive voice assistant space, working with all of the world’s leading automakers – from Ford and Fiat Chrysler to Daimler, Audi and BMW to Geely and SAIC – to transform how a car feels, responds and learns. Its track record is built on more than 20 years of industry experience and leadership and more than 500 million cars on the road today across more than 70 languages.  

As Cerence looks to the future and continues an ambitious growth agenda, we need someone to join the team and help build the future of voice and AI in cars. This is an exciting opportunity to join Cerence’s passionate, dedicated, global team and be a part of meaningful innovation in a rapidly growing industry. 

Cerence is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and to compliance with all federal, state and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, genetic information and other protected classifications. Cerence Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.

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