Sign Language Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Job Summary

The Sign Language Specialist is the hands-on practitioner role at the center of Sorenson’s Sign Language Team. You annotate sign language video content in-house, validate AI-generated output for linguistic correctness, contribute signs to the team’s dictionary expansion, and support other Sorenson teams when they need Deaf-led sign-language input.

The team’s scope today is the sign-language varieties used in North America, ASL as the core, plus PSE, SEE, and related styles, and is designed to extend to additional sign-language varieties over time.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Review ASL content for training applicability
• Transcribe ASL content to English
• Annotate sign language video content, adding linguistic labels and metadata to raw video.
• Help build and refine the team’s sign language dictionary.
• Validate AI-generated sign output for linguistic correctness, naturalness, and cultural appropriateness.
• Provide sign-language consultation to other Sorenson teams as needed.

 

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

 

Travel Requirements

Travel Requirements: Less than 25%

 

Education

Minimum 4 Year / Bachelors Degree In ASL Linguistics, Deaf Studies, ASL Studies, Interpreting, Deaf Education, or related fields.

 

Experience

2 Years of substantive professional ASL work (annotation, linguistics, interpreting, Deaf education, or comparable).

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Required
• Bilingual in ASL and English, with the ability to produce and quality-assure professional English transcriptions from ASL source content.
• Working knowledge of ASL linguistics, including familiarity with gloss conventions and non-manual markers.
• Experience producing, translating, or quality-assuring captioned, transcribed, or translated ASL content.
• Comfortable working with computer-based tools, transcription tooling, and AI-augmented workflows; willingness to learn new software.
• Attention to detail, consistency, and willingness to follow and improve standardized conventions.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with peer Specialists, Senior Specialists, the Lead, and engineering teams.
• Proficiency with standard productivity and collaboration tools (Microsoft Office, Confluence, JIRA, or equivalent).
• Positive attitude, team player, strong interpersonal communication skills, and able to work across research, engineering, and business departments.
• Preferred
• American Sign Language as a primary or native language.
• Prior captioning, subtitling, or transcription experience — particularly ASL-to-English work.
• Background as a Deaf bilingual professional or as a graduate of Gallaudet, RIT/NTID, or a comparable ASL/Deaf-focused program.
• Active and informed participant in the Deaf community, with awareness of regional and generational ASL variation.
• Certification as a Deaf Interpreter (CDI) for asynchronous transcription or translation work.
• Familiarity with annotation tools such as ELAN, CVAT, or similar platforms.
• Experience working with AI/ML teams, technology companies, or research groups that generate sign language data.
• Familiarity with PSE, SEE, and other North American signing varieties.

 

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Able to travel up to 5% of the time.
• Able to sit/stand for long periods of time in an office or remote work environment.
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and related tools.
• Regular and predictable attendance required.

 

Come be a part of our mission and make a meaningful and positive impact with the industry leading provider of language services for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing!

Full time Benefits

• Paid Vacation Time and Paid Sick Time and Paid Holidays
• 401k 6% match with immediate vesting
• Nationwide Medical Insurance plans and coverage (Medical, Dental/Orthodontia, Vision)
• TeleDoc
• HSA company match
• 3 Medical plan options including a Low Deductible PPO Medical Plan Offering
• Employee Assistance Program
• Engaged Employee Resource Groups
• Outstanding Learning and Career Development Opportunities

Pay Range: Actual pay may vary up or down depending on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this position may be eligible for incentive compensation.

 

* Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be considered. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role *

 

Company Summary

Our Mission …Leveraging the Power of Language, we connect lives and enrich the human experience.

  Our Vision …To provide global language services that expand opportunities, nurture belonging, and empower the world to connect beyond words.

As one of the world’s leading language services providers, Sorenson combines patented technology with human-centric solutions. We strive to increase accessibility and inclusion through communication solutions for all: call captioning and video relay services, over-video and in-person sign language and spoken language interpreting, translation, real-time captioning, and post-production language services. Sorenson’s impact vision and plan extends to enhancing generational wealth and inclusive workplaces for our employees and the communities we serve.

We achieve great things together working “The Sorenson Way” with our employee values: Customer First, Can-Do Attitude, Collective Action, Growth Mindset, Ownership, and Connect Direct.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity: