Senior Research Engineer (ASR)

A Moving Experience.

Do you have a passion for pushing the boundaries of innovation? Are you excited about AI’s potential to improve the human experience? Then come join the ride!

Who is Cerence?

Cerence is the global leader in AI for transportation, specialized in building AI and voice-powered companions for cars, two-wheelers, and more that enable people to focus on what matters most. With over 500 million cars shipped with Cerence technology, we partner with leading automakers (such as Volkswagen, Mercedes, Audi, Toyota and many more), mobility providers, and technology companies to power intuitive, integrated experiences that create safer, more connected, and more enjoyable journeys for drivers and passengers alike.

Our Driving Force

Our team is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI innovation, working around the globe with headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts, USA and 16 other offices across Europe, Asia, and North America. We bring together diverse backgrounds and varied skill sets with the shared goal of advancing the next generation of transportation user experiences. Our culture is customer-centric, collaborative, fast-paced, and fun, with continuous opportunities for learning and development to support your career growth.

Interested in having a significant impact in a dynamic industry with a high-performing global team?

We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) Senior Research Engineer to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate will have a robust background (experience or knowledge) in developing and implementing ASR models specifically for automotive voice assistants. Person should be well-versed in the latest advancements in speech recognition technology, including generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and next-generation ASR frameworks.

Your Impact

• Model Development: Design, build, and optimize state-of-the-art ASR models tailored for automotive applications, ensuring high accuracy and low latency in voice recognition tasks.
• Assess the performance of ASR systems in real-world driving conditions including diverse accents and languages, noisy on-road conditions to train and validate ASR models effectively. Ability to conduct thorough testing and validation of LLM-based features to ensure high performance, reliability, and robustness in real-world scenarios. Iterate on models based on empirical data and user feedback.
• Collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, software engineers, and UX designers, to ensure seamless integration of ASR features into automotive voice assistant systems.
• Research & Innovation: Conduct cutting-edge research in ASR technology, focusing on integrating generative AI and LLM advancements to enhance voice interaction capabilities in automotive systems.
• Stay Updated: Keep abreast of the latest trends and technologies in ASR, generative AI, and voice user interfaces to enhance the overall performance of our systems continually.

What you bring

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science & Engineering, Linguistics, Applied mathematics or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in developing ASR systems, preferably for automotive applications.
• Proficient on machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and programming languages such as Python etc.
• Hands-on experience on speech processing technologies, familiarity with the challenges of speech recognition in noisy environments, particularly in a vehicle context.
• Proven experience with natural language processing (NLP), deep learning techniques and integration of LLMs (e.g., OpenAI's GPT, BERT).
• Prior experience with training and fine-tuning large language models using large-scale datasets and distributed computing environments.
• Working Knowledge of any cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) to deploy and scale ASR solutions.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a keen eye for detail.
• Ability to manage tasks and deliverables for simultaneous projects.
• Ability to work well both independently and within a team.
• Strong Knowledge or Experience with generative AI techniques and their application in enhancing conversational AI systems (Preferred).
• Familiarity with automotive standards and protocols (Preferred).

What we offer

We offer a generous compensation and benefits package (in addition to the base salary), including:

• Annual bonus opportunity
• Insurance coverage (medical, life, and disability)
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Company contribution to the RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan)
• Equity awards for certain positions and levels
• Remote and/or hybrid work available depending on the position.
• All compensation and benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the underlying plans or programs, as applicable, and may be amended, terminated, or replaced from time to time.

Cerence Inc. (Nasdaq: CRNC and www.cerence.com) is the global industry leader in creating unique, moving experiences for the automotive world. Spun out from Nuance in October 2019, Cerence is a new, independent company that has quickly gained traction as a leader in the automotive voice assistant space, working with all of the world’s leading automakers – from Ford and Fiat Chrysler to Daimler, Audi and BMW to Geely and SAIC – to transform how a car feels, responds and learns. Its track record is built on more than 20 years of industry experience and leadership and more than 500 million cars on the road today across more than 70 languages.  

As Cerence looks to the future and continues an ambitious growth agenda, we need someone to join the team and help build the future of voice and AI in cars. This is an exciting opportunity to join Cerence’s passionate, dedicated, global team and be a part of meaningful innovation in a rapidly growing industry. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Cerence is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and to compliance with all federal, state and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, genetic information and other protected classifications. Cerence Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.

All prospective and current Employees need to remain vigilant when it comes to executing security policies in the workplace. This includes:

- Following workplace security protocols and training programs to familiarize with the ways to maintain a safe workplace.
- Following security procedures to report any suspicious activity.
- Having respect for corporate security procedures to allow those procedures to be effective.
- Adhering to company's compliance and regulations.
- Encouraging to follow a zero tolerance for workplace violence.

- Basic knowledge of information security and data privacy requirements (e.g., how to protect data & how to be handling this data).

- Demonstrative knowledge of information security through internal training programs.