As a leading game localization company, we offer integrated text, audio localization and localization QA for all regions, languages and platforms, ensuring a fully authentic offering for players worldwide.
Our global footprint across Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas enables us to run 24-hour follow-the-sun workflows, our professional translators and game developers continue to work on your project around the clock, delivering on even the most challenging timelines.
The team at Keywords Studios handle media localization and translation services for any project size, from indie to AAA games. We help you speak to global audiences by translating your games for your target language and dialect, and ensure expert quality control throughout the game development and translation process through both technology solutions and human oversight.

The Linguist Lead is responsible for leading and developing a team of in-house linguists and a content expert, ensuring high-quality output and reliable delivery. This role combines team leadership, quality, and client communication, with a focus on coaching team members, managing workload distribution, and maintaining strong collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders.

The Linguist Lead is expected to take strong ownership of their team, communicate clearly and proactively, and keep stakeholders consistently informed. Operating effectively in a fast-paced environment, they make sound operational decisions and adapt to evolving tools and workflows, including AI-assisted processes, to drive team performance and quality outcomes.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Management

Lead a team of in-house linguists and a content expert, fostering a collaborative and accountable team environment
Conduct regular 1:1 meetings to provide performance feedback, mentorship, and ongoing development support
Onboard new linguists, ensuring smooth integration into the team, tools, and workflows
Address team conflicts and challenges in a timely manner, escalating major issues to the Production Manager as needed
Support recruitment by participating in candidate evaluation and assessing linguistic expertise

Quality, Delivery & Operations

Be accountable for the linguists' quality and performance, ensuring outputs and timelines meet or exceed expectations
Monitor and drive quality performance using established frameworks and metrics
Identify and manage quality issues within the team
Coordinate workload distribution across the team to balance capacity and protect quality
Execute day-to-day operations of established tools and workflows, and support rollout and adoption of new ones
Surface workflow and process issues and improvement opportunities

Cross-Functional & Client Collaboration

Act as the primary point of contact for clients on linguistic quality and related operational topics, coordinating with the Production Manager on broader account matters
Work closely with cross-functional stakeholders on volumes, capacity, linguistic quality, and localization operation
Collaborate with the Tokyo Linguist Lead as a peer to align cross-site linguist team management and ensure consistent standards and practices
Keep the Production Manager informed on team performance, risks, and key updates

4+ years of experience in the localization industry.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Proven team-leading skills.
Comprehensive understanding of the localization process.
Hands-on experience as a translator.
A degree in Language/Translation or related fields is an advantage.
Proficiency with CAT tools (e.g. Phrase or similar) is an advantage.
Knowledge of the mobile gaming market is an advantage.

Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well-established Equal Opportunities Policy. We endeavour to create a workplace which provides for equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees.

At KWS, we value and encourage diversity in all its forms. We foster an inclusive environment and give special priority to the inclusion of people with disabilities, convinced that diversity enriches and strengthens us as a team. This is why a valid disability certificate will be highly valued.

Keywords Studios is committed to fair and ethical hiring practices. We expect candidates to conduct themselves with honesty and to participate in all applications and interviews independently, presenting their own knowledge and experience. Candidates should refrain from using AI assistance or third-party tools or services that could influence, capture, or otherwise interfere with the authenticity of the assessment process.

By providing your information in this application, you understand that we will collect and process your information in accordance with our Applicant Privacy Notice. For more information, please see our Applicant Privacy Notice at https://www.keywordsstudios.com/en/applicant-privacy-notice/ .

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Role Information: EN

Studio: Keywords Studios

Location: Europe, Ireland, Dublin

Area of Work: Localization

Service: Globalize

Employment Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full Time, Hybrid

Linguist Lead

Job Description