Linguistics Expert

Opportunity Overview

Handshake is looking for experienced linguists and computational linguists to support AI research through flexible, part-time contract work. This is not a traditional job - you'll draw on your hands-on experience in linguistic analysis, corpus methods, or computational/NLP tooling to evaluate AI-generated content and provide feedback that helps AI reason like a practicing linguist.

This is an ongoing, project-based opportunity you can take on alongside your current role.

What You'll Do

Use your domain expertise to create expert-level linguistics problems and scenarios grounded in real analytical, corpus, and computational workflows
Review and evaluate AI-generated responses for technical accuracy, analytical rigor, and alignment with how the work is actually done
Provide structured written feedback to help improve AI model performance
Complete tasks at your own pace with no set schedule or minimum hour requirement

Qualifications

Ideal candidates meet all three of the following:

Research experience - publications and demonstrated expertise in a language or linguistic phenomenon that AI models handle poorly
Degree - PhD or MS in Linguistics or Computational Linguistics
Sub-domain depth - demonstrated expertise in one of the following areas:

Morphology, syntax, or phonology, including formal grammars
Corpus methods and low-resource languages
Phonetics (Praat, IPA) and computational/NLP tooling

Candidates who meet at least 2 of the 3 qualifications above are also encouraged to apply.

Additional qualifications (not required, but strengthen your application)

Proficiency with computational/NLP tooling and corpus analysis software
Experience working with low-resource or typologically diverse languages

Required for all applicants

Must have US work authorization
Strong written communication and attention to detail
Ability to explain complex linguistic concepts clearly
Ability to work independently in a remote, asynchronous environment

Degree: Master's