NLP Specialist

About Cresta

Cresta is on a mission to turn every customer conversation into a competitive advantage by unlocking the true potential of the contact center. Our platform combines the best of AI and human intelligence to help contact centers discover customer insights and behavioral best practices, automate conversations and inefficient processes, and empower every team member to work smarter and faster. Born from the prestigious Stanford AI lab, Cresta's co-founder and chairman is Sebastian Thrun, the genius behind Google X, Waymo, Udacity, and more. Our leadership also includes CEO, Ping Wu, the co-founder of Google Contact Center AI and Vertex AI platform, and co-founder, Tim Shi, an early member of Open AI.

Join us on this thrilling journey to revolutionize the workforce with AI. The future of work is here, and it's at Cresta.

About the Role

We’re seeking an interdisciplinary expert who can bridge linguistics, data, and AI to help us build better conversational AI products. You'll analyze complex human interactions from contact centers, design data collection frameworks, and translate linguistic insights into actionable improvements for AI products.

This is a hands-on role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, has a deep understanding of human communication, and enjoys applying rigorous methods to real-world AI challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze conversational and behavioral data to uncover patterns that inform AI product development and iterations.
• Design and implement data collection methodologies and annotation frameworks.
• Translate linguistic insights into practical AI improvements.
• Collaborate with engineers, product managers, and non-specialists across teams to communicate your findings and frameworks.

What You Bring

• Advanced degree (Ph.D. preferred; Master’s with equivalent experience will be considered) in linguistics with a strong interdisciplinary focus—e.g., computational linguistics, psycholinguistics, and/or cognitive linguistics.
• Specialization in discourse analysis.
• Proficiency in Natural Language Processing (NLP).
• Demonstrated expertise in applying linguistic theory to real-world problems.
• Experience in independently owning and delivering complex projects.
• Coding skills in Python for prototyping, prompt engineering and data analysis.
• Communication skills, especially in conveying complex domain knowledge to cross-functional and out-of-domain audiences.
• Comfortable operating in fast evolving environments.

Bonus Skills

• Proficiency in one or more non-English languages that are NOT Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, or Korean.
• Proficiency in probability theory, data structures and algorithms, machine learning and large language models (LLMs).
• Experience with linguistic fieldwork or experimental data collection involving unfamiliar languages or low-resource scenarios.

Perks & Benefits

We offer a comprehensive and people-first benefits package to support you at work and in life:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with plans to fit you and your family
• Flexible PTO to take the time you need, when you need it
• Paid parental leave for all new parents welcoming a new child
• Retirement savings plan to help you plan for the future
• Remote work setup budget to help you create a productive home office
• Monthly wellness and communication stipend to keep you connected and balanced
• In-office meal program and commuter benefits provided for onsite employees

Compensation at Cresta

Cresta’s approach to compensation is simple: recognize impact, reward excellence, and invest in our people. We offer competitive, location-based pay that reflects the market and what each individual brings to the table.

The posted base salary range represents what we expect to pay for this role in a given location. Final offers are shaped by factors like experience, skills, education, and geography. In addition to base pay, total compensation includes equity and a comprehensive benefits package for you and your family.