Speech Engineer

Aggregate function:  Commercial
Business Area:  Local Commercial Operations
Posting Country:  Greece
Date Posted:  2 May 2024
Full Time / Part Time:  Full Time
Contract Type:  Permanent

At Vodafone, we’re working hard to build a better future. A more connected, inclusive and sustainable world. As a dynamic global community, it's our human spirit, together with technology, that empowers us to achieve this. 

We challenge and innovate in order to connect people, businesses, and communities across the world. Delighting our customers and earning their loyalty drive us, and we experiment, learn fast and get it done, together.

With us, you can be truly be yourself and belong, share inspiration, embrace new opportunities, thrive, and make a real difference.

Role purpose:

As a Speech Engineer, your primary purpose will be to spearhead the optimization of neural voices in both Greek and English, pushing the boundaries of natural language processing and generation. You will play a pivotal role in advancing our conversational interfaces by creating bespoke Speech-to-Text (STT) models tailored specifically for Greek and English languages.

Key accountabilities and decision ownership:

•    Lead the refinement and enhancement of neural voices, ensuring a seamless and natural conversational experience in both Greek and English.
•    Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate optimized neural voices into various conversational platforms and applications & parameterize speech input & output.
•    Conduct research and development to improve the accuracy and performance of our STT.
•    Develop cutting-edge Speech-to-Text (STT) models for Greek and English, with a focus on accuracy, speed, and adaptability to diverse linguistic nuances.
•    Implement robust testing methodologies to validate the accuracy and reliability of developed STT and TTS models, addressing any identified issues promptly.
 

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

•    Experience with STT/TTS frameworks and tools like Microsoft Azure.
•    Data science knowledge, experience in data manipulation, augmentation, and data mining.
•    WER-oriented results and experience.
•    Strong problem-solving skills and a passion for staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in Speech AI.
•    Stay abreast of language technology advancements and incorporate relevant innovations into the development process.
•    Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the linguistic intricacies of Greek and English, ensuring that conversational interfaces resonate authentically with users in both languages.
 

Must have technical/ professional qualifications:

•    Solid Computational Linguistics background (MSc preferred). 
•    Knowledge of Phonetics and Phonology of, IPA, in both Greek and English. 
•    Coding skills (python) and/or metasyntax annnotation for context-free grammars. 
•    Knowledge of markup languages, such as SSLM.
•    Excellent oral and written communication skills in Greek & English.
•    Experience with Omnichannel dialogue implementation tools.
•    Implementation testing
 

Key performance indicators:

•    Word Error Rate (WER)
•    Touchpoint NPS 
•    Conversation containment rate from Chabot/Voicebot
•    Ensure successful and smooth use cases releases based on priorities 
 

Not a perfect fit?

Worried that you don’t meet all the desired criteria exactly? At Vodafone we are passionate about Inclusion for All and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align exactly with every part of the job description, we encourage you to apply as you may be the right candidate for this role or another role, and our recruitment team can help you see how your skills fit in.

What's in it for you

•   Competitive pay, bonus & remuneration package 
•   Private Health & Medical Insurance  
•   Hybrid way of working: a blend of 60% remote and 40% office-based working, including the option to work up to 20 days from abroad 
•   Remote work equipment to help you create a comfortable, ergonomic workspace at home 
•   Unlimited access to learning resources and trainings 
•   Vodafone Parental Leave: 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave to all employees regardless of gender, sexual orientation or length of service  
•   Spirit of Vodafone Day: one day each quarter dedicated to your personal development 
•   Extra days off: Vodafone Day, Family Day, Volunteering Day 
•   Needless to say, we cater for your communication wherever you are 
•  Office amenities (subject to the office location): such as restaurant, beauty corner, gym and parking 
•  Special employee offers and discounts 

  #LI-Hybrid #Vodafonespirit #Togetherwecan   

Together we can

Vodafone is committed to attracting, developing and retaining the very best people by offering a motivating and inclusive workplace in which talent is truly recognised and rewarded. We are committed to promoting Inclusion for All with the belief that diversity plays an important role in the success of our business. We actively encourage everyone to consider becoming a part of our journey.