9.1213, Jobs: Computational Linguistics, Microsoft NLP

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Thu Sep 3 14:01:20 UTC 1998


LINGUIST List:  Vol-9-1213. Thu Sep 3 1998. ISSN: 1068-4875.

Subject: 9.1213, Jobs: Computational Linguistics, Microsoft NLP

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=================================Directory=================================

1)
Date:  Thu, 03 Sep 1998 11:11:45 +0200
From:  Diego Molla-Aliod <molla at ifi.unizh.ch>
Subject:  Jobs: Two positions in Computational Linguistics

2)
Date:  Wed, 2 Sep 1998 13:23:07 -0700
From:  "Veronica Hicks (Comforce/RhoTech)" <a-vhicks at microsoft.com>
Subject:  Job Postings for Microsoft

-------------------------------- Message 1 -------------------------------

Date:  Thu, 03 Sep 1998 11:11:45 +0200
From:  Diego Molla-Aliod <molla at ifi.unizh.ch>
Subject:  Jobs: Two positions in Computational Linguistics

The Department of Computer Science at the University of Zurich in
Switzerland is soliciting applicants for two full-time positions at the

	SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST

	         or

	  RESEARCH SCIENTIST

level (depending on qualification), with the appointments to begin in Autumn,
1998.

QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates for these positions must have a
Diploma/Masters degree in Computational Linguistics, or in a related
area (computer science, linguistics) with a minor in Computational
Linguistics. In-depth programming skills in Prolog and a good
knowledge of English are required. Skills in LISP, knowledge of
grammar formalisms, or knowledge representation languages would be an
additional asset. A good working knowledge of German is important.

DUTIES:  Extending an experimental answer extraction system working over
UNIX man pages. The project, which has been going on for two years, is
sponsored by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
See http://www.ifi.unizh.ch/CL/hess/nlis.html
    http://www.ifi.unizh.ch/CL/hess/konvens98.html

SITE: The Department of Computer Science has 8 full-time faculty and approx.
70 staff. Detailed information on the Department of Computer Science can be
found at http://www.ifi.unizh.ch/. The University of Zurich is the largest
University in Switzerland, with approximately 20'000 full-time students (cf.
http://www.unizh.ch/). Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland, with
excellent opportunities for urban, suburban or rural lifestyles, with the
Alps, various lakes etc. within easy reach (hiking, skiing etc.). Cf.
http://www.zurichtourism.ch/ .

SALARY:  approx. 60'000 Swiss Francs p.a. (depending on qualifications).

APPLICATIONS: Qualified applicants should send (by e-mail or in hard copy) a
detailed curriculum vitae, a one-page statement of their research interests,
and the names of three references with mail/email addresses and
telephone/fax numbers to

Prof. Dr. Michael Hess
University of Zurich
Department of Computer Science
Computational Linguistics Group
Winterthurerstr. 190
CH-8057 Zurich
Switzerland
Email: hess at ifi.unizh.ch
Tel.:  +41 1 635 43 77
Fax:   +41 1 635 68 09

where further information can be obtained.

DEADLINE: Applicants will be considered on a continuing basis, beginning
immeditately, until the positions are filled.


-------------------------------- Message 2 -------------------------------

Date:  Wed, 2 Sep 1998 13:23:07 -0700
From:  "Veronica Hicks (Comforce/RhoTech)" <a-vhicks at microsoft.com>
Subject:  Job Postings for Microsoft

Would it be possible to post the following jobs available at Microsoft?

Immediate job openings from NLP group at Microsoft:

Computational Linguist: High-level Generation

We are looking for a linguist who can take the outputs of a very
broad-coverage NL analysis system and provide the automatic inputs to a
lower-level text realization component.  Those outputs consist of
discourse-level representations and other knowledge representations
expressed in large semantic networks.  A range of application areas should
be considered, from spoken interaction to monologic text and possibly other
modalities.

Qualifications for this position include some programming experience and a
background in as many as possible of the following areas:
	- document planning and microplanning
	- the analysis of spoken interaction
	- the interface between linguistic and extralinguistic sources of
information
	- large-scale knowledge bases such as WordNet
	- functional linguistics
	- computational linguistics / NLP
	- fluency in English and preferably also other language(s)

	
Computational Linguist: Semantic Knowledge Bases

We are looking for candidates with a background in lexical semantics and in
either database design/implementation or graph manipulation, to work on the
development of a lexical knowledge base (kb) that is represented as a very
large and growing semantic network.  Responsibilities will include:
	- maintaining the kb
	- enhancing search capabilities within the graph
	- identifying areas in the kb where efficiency can be improved	
	- interacting productively with linguists and computer scientists in
the development of the kb
	- carrying out linguistically-motivated experiments, in
collaboration with other members of the group, to explore and subset the
graph.

Qualifications for this position include solid programming experience and a
background in as many as possible of the following areas:
	- distributed databases
	- graph manipulation
	- huge, extremely interconnected networks
	- optimization of graph structures
	- efficient search algorithms that can deal with problems of scale


Ideally, the candidate would also have experience programming on the NT
platform, and an advanced degree in, or experience with, linguistics or NLP.
For information on the knowledge base in question, please go to our web site
at http://www.research.microsoft.com and look for papers about MindNet.


Computational Grammarian for French

For this position, we are looking for candidates with fairly diverse
linguistic interests, including syntax, because the grammarian's
responsibilities will be worked out in cooperation with the existing MS
French NLP team.  These responsibilities can be broadly described as
developing and testing a computational grammar for French, in accordance
with the overall architecture of the Microsoft Natural Language
Understanding system.  There are various stages of this system, ranging from
syntactic through deeply semantic.

The grammarian's qualifications should include experience in linguistic
research and software development; familiarity with natural language
processing; a flexible approach to linguistic theory; and an advanced degree
in linguistics, computer science, or a closely related discipline.  Native
proficiency in French is assumed.  Practical experience with, and interest
in, NLP implementation issues and product development are other highly
desirable attributes.

ABOUT THE MICROSOFT NLP RESEARCH GROUP:
This is a great opportunity to work with a dedicated group of researchers
who are creating a system for unrestricted text understanding and
generation. We are in the process of designing and building a system to
analyze unrestricted natural language, taking input text, and moving from
lexical/morphological analysis through syntax, semantics, and discourse.  A
generation component is also planned.  The programming system and underlying
principles that are used for English have been found to be applicable to
other languages.  We are empirically oriented, and are happy to use good
linguistic ideas wherever they can be found.  For additional information on
the group, and its large-scale lexical knowledge base (MindNet), see
http://research.microsoft.com/research/nlp/

For more information about the NLP group, connect to our home page on the
World Wide Web http://research.microsoft.com/nlp

Also available in the Natural Language Group at Microsoft:

NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING POSITIONS - IIT

PROGRAM MANAGER - Spanish Grammar
Enabling computers to understand natural language is a difficult,
fascinating, and critical task. Microsoft has amassed some of the top
linguists in the world and we are in the business of developing and shipping
high quality linguistic features such as grammars and search engines. The
Natural Language Group (NLG) is growing and new positions are available for
several program management roles. This PM position is responsible for
driving design, schedules and integration of a Spanish grammar checker with
Office 10. This position requires coordinating with NLG's development and
test organizations, research, and Word program management. This person will
be responsible for leading and evangelizing smart design strategies and
influencing technical directions of future Spanish language products.

Qualifications include a minimum of 3 years program management experience
including leadership and management experience. Native (or extremely fluent)
Spanish language abilities and proficiency with English, written and spoken
are required. Prior linguistic technology or computational linguistics
experience is a plus. Software engineering background and strong
communication skills required. A BA/BS degree in Computer Science preferred.


PROGRAM MANAGER - French Grammar
Enabling computers to understand natural language is a difficult,
fascinating, and critical task. Microsoft has amassed some of the top
linguists in the world and we are in the business of developing and shipping
high quality linguistic features such as grammars and search engines. The
Natural Language Group (NLG) is growing and new positions are available for
several program management roles. This PM position is responsible for
driving design, schedules and integration of a French grammar checker with
Office 10. This position requires coordinating with NLG's development and
test organizations, research, and Word program management. This person will
be responsible for leading and evangelizing smart design strategies and
influencing technical directions of future French language products.

Qualifications include a minimum of 3 years program management experience
including leadership and management experience. Native (or extremely fluent)
French language abilities and proficiency with English, written and spoken
are required. Prior linguistic technology or computational linguistics
experience is a plus. Software engineering background and strong
communication skills required. A BA/BS degree in Computer Science preferred.


PROGRAM MANAGER
Natural language (NL) is an intense and fascinating aspect of advanced
technology. Microsoft has amassed some of the top linguists in the world and
we are in the business of developing and shipping high quality linguistic
features such as grammars and search engines. The Natural Language Group
(NLG) is growing and new positions are available for several program
management roles. This PM position is responsible for driving design,
schedules and integration of NL features with Office 10. This lead position
requires coordinating with NLG's development and test organizations,
research, and Office program management. This person will be responsible for
leading and evangelizing smart design strategies and influencing technical
directions. Natural language deploys products throughout Microsoft and this
person will also assist the GPM in prioritizing and coordinating deployment,
versioning and API decisions. Because of the technical challenges associated
with this position, the ideal candidate will have broad experience in
shipping technical products. Qualifications include a minimum of 5 years
program management experience including leadership and management
experience. Bi-lingual and/or linguistic skills are a plus. Software
engineering background and strong communication skills required. A BA/BS
degree in Computer Science preferred.


PROGRAM MANAGER - Advanced Language Engineering
Enabling computers to understand natural language is a difficult,
fascinating, and critical task. Microsoft has amassed some of the top
linguists in the world and we are in the business of developing and shipping
high quality linguistic features such as grammars and search engines. The
Natural Language Group (NLG) is growing and new positions are available for
several program management roles. This PM position is responsible for
working with our language engineering architects and researchers to explore
plausible avenues for new linguistic features for Microsoft products. Some
of the activities include driving activities with Office 10 & 11 planning,
NT (Neptune) and IMG clients, conducting experiments with advanced
technology and driving designs. This person will be responsible for leading
and evangelizing smart design strategies and influencing technical
directions. Once a solid feature set is discovered, which is expected to be
a substantial undertaking in itself, this PM would then lead the
implementation and shipping of this feature. This person will also assist
the GPM in prioritizing and coordinating deployment, versioning and API
decisions. Because of the technical challenges associated with this
position, the ideal candidate will have broad experience in shipping
technical products.

Qualifications include a minimum of 5 years program management experience
including leadership and management experience. Bi-lingual and/or linguistic
skills are a plus. Software engineering background and strong communication
skills required. A BA/BS degree in Computer Science preferred.



SOFTWARE DESIGN ENGINEER
Primary responsibilities include designing, developing, and optimizing code
for Natural Language applications. Qualifications should include a minimum
of 3 years experience programming in C or C++ for commercial software using
Win32 APIs. Strong C coding skills required. A BS/MS in Computer Science
preferred. Basic knowledge of grammatical concepts such as Nouns, Adverbs,
Subjects is required. Some knowledge of German, French, Spanish or
Portuguese required. Internal candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

SOFTWARE DESIGN ENGINEER
Primary responsibilities include designing, developing and optimizing code
for Natural Language applications. Qualifications should include a minimum
of 5 years experience programming in C or C++ for commercial software using
Win32 APIs. Strong C coding skills required. A BS/MS in Computer Science
preferred. Knowledge of basic grammatical concepts such as Nouns, Adverbs,
Subjects is required. Some knowledge of German, French or Spanish would be a
plus. Internal candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

SPEECH RECOGNITION - IIT

PROGRAM MANAGER
Primary responsibilities working with internal component groups in managing
the release of Microsoft Speech (SAPI) SDK. This will include gathering
feedback from 3rd party speech technology companies & software application
developers, managing contractors, user education, testing, and development
groups, managing schedules, and other tasks as they arise that relate to
improving Microsoft Speech technology products. Will also need to
continually assess quality & perform competitive analysis on several
different speech technologies; identifying technical and usability defects
based on analysis; and reporting results. Qualifications should include a
demonstrated ability to work independently, excellent communication skills,
ability to follow through, and ability to work well with people required.
Strong ownership of the assignment, and thriving in a dynamic and
challenging environment preferred. Must be detail-oriented, a self-starter,
work well under time constraints, and be an excellent problem solver.
Qualifications should include a minimum of 3 years or program management
experience and demonstrated skills in driving projects and working in a
team. A BA/BS degree or higher in Computer Science or related technical
equivalent required. Previous software development experience, or
familiarity with speech technologies &/or SDKs desired.

SOFTWARE DESIGN ENGINEER
Responsibilities include designing, developing, and debugging software for
text-to-speech, speech recognition, language understanding, and related
tools. Qualifications include a Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer
Science or Mathematics. At least three years experience developing shipping
application or system components in C/C++ is preferred. Knowledge of COM,
ActiveX, statistics, and/or linguistics is helpful.


CONTACT:   Please send resumes, cover letters, and any additional materials
to:
		
Microsoft Corporation
Product Group Recruiting
Human Resources 		 	
One Microsoft Way		 	
Redmond, WA  98052  USA
email: nljobs at microsoft.com


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