Context Linguistic Engineer Review

In my job I manage a taxonomy which contains thousands of words and phrases divided into topics, which are further divided into segments. This technology works in 31 languages and is used by advertisers so that they can target their adverts, by knowing which categories are most relevant to their brand and which ones could be potentially damaging. Because language is constantly evolving, the taxonomy needs to be updated every day as new words come into usage and old words take on new meanings. Often we receive requests from advertisers letting us know which articles they have noticed an incorrect categorisation with, and we will conduct a thorough analysis as to the best way to fix each issue to avoid similar occurrences. We also do a process where we regularly check the latest news in each language and see if we can spot any incorrect categorisations in the articles, so we can fix them. We also hold meetings every day between the Linguistic Engineers to discuss what we have worked on and will be working on.

This job has really taught me to think in different ways to how I was used to. Most of the tasks I do at this job require a very logical way of thinking as to how the addition of a word to a segment could impact certain articles. Because the taxonomy works in several languages, I have often had chances to practice my language skills too and I am also required to thoroughly check web pages and think about what meanings the sentences could have out of context, really helping my analysis skills.

Regarding the taxonomy, I was given nearly all the same responsibilities as the other Linguistic Engineers with making the changes to the segments. I also had a daily responsibility to keep everyone updated on any progress made by discussing it during meetings, and logging work on the sprint board and web documents. In addition to these daily responsibilities, I also once had the responsibility of making a presentation for the sprint review to show the other teams the work I had done.

At the start of the placement I was given a lot of training material to look at and given several demonstrations as to what each function in the system does and the most effective ways to use them. Throughout the placement I have had constant support from the other LEs including stand up meetings every morning and a one to one meeting with my line manager every week. Tech services have also been invaluable in providing support with hardware and software issues.

Unfortunately, because the placement was remote this year and I did not get the chance to go into the office due to Covid, I do not feel I have the best idea of what the company culture is like. On zoom calls though, everyone seemed very friendly and we all got along really well. The internship was a lot less stressful than I ever imagined because my co-workers were all very approachable and always understanding. I do not have much knowledge on the wider company culture though because I had very few calls with people other than my fellow team members.

I have enjoyed this placement very much. It was a job I had never encountered before I applied and did not know what to expect of, but once I started I have been working on several tasks I enjoy and really feel I have learned a lot from. I also really enjoyed working with my co-workers because they are all pleasant people. I fully intend to apply to do this job again after I graduate because it is a job that from the beginning has felt right for me, and it would be great to get to see this job from the office rather than remotely, as going into the office is the only thing I missed out on.

Yes

Even though Oracle is known for selling software, there are jobs available for everyone of all backgrounds and interested in all subjects. This job for instance, does not necessarily require any computing knowledge and is worth applying for for anyone interested in technology, languages or linguistics. It is also very helpful to do as much research on the role as possible before applying, as it will not only help with the application process but also help you realise if it feels like the right job for you.