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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Translation Editor

💰 $65,000 - $95,000

LocalizationEditingWriting & ContentLinguistics

🎯 Role Definition

The Translation Editor is a critical quality gatekeeper in the localization workflow. This role involves more than just proofreading; it requires a deep linguistic and cultural understanding to review, edit, and refine translated content across various formats, including marketing materials, user interfaces, legal documents, and technical support content. You will collaborate closely with translators, project managers, and in-country stakeholders to ensure that the final output is not only linguistically flawless but also aligns perfectly with our brand's tone and the target market's expectations. This position ensures that our message is communicated with clarity, impact, and cultural authenticity worldwide.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Freelance or In-house Translator
  • Bilingual Proofreader
  • Content Reviewer / Moderator
  • Junior Linguist

Advancement To:

  • Senior Translation Editor or Language Lead
  • Localization Manager
  • Language Quality Manager
  • Terminology Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Localization Project Manager
  • Content Strategist (Locale-Specific)
  • Internationalization Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Perform comprehensive linguistic reviews and edits of translated content to ensure it meets the highest standards of quality, accuracy, and cultural relevance for the target audience.
  • Meticulously proofread and edit translated materials for grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, and syntax, ensuring flawless and natural-sounding language.
  • Ensure strict adherence to brand voice, tone, and messaging by following company-specific style guides, glossaries, and terminology databases.
  • Validate and adapt translated content to ensure it is culturally appropriate and resonates effectively with the nuances of the target market, avoiding any potential misinterpretations.
  • Provide clear, constructive, and actionable feedback to external and internal translators to foster continuous improvement and maintain quality standards across the linguistic team.
  • Manage and maintain core linguistic assets, including Translation Memories (TMs) and Term Bases (TBs), to ensure consistency and leverage across all projects.
  • Conduct Post-Editing of Machine Translation (PEMT) output, skillfully elevating it to human-quality standards while maximizing efficiency.
  • Perform in-context reviews to ensure the final localized product functions and appears correctly in its target environment (e.g., website, mobile app, software UI).
  • Collaborate with Localization Project Managers to assess project scope, estimate editing timelines, and mitigate potential linguistic quality risks.
  • Act as the primary linguistic point of contact and subject matter expert for your language, providing expert guidance to cross-functional teams like marketing, product, and engineering.
  • Investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve linguistic bugs and translation-related issues reported by end-users or internal testers.
  • Develop, update, and enforce language-specific style guides and glossaries to standardize quality and tone for all translated materials.
  • Evaluate the linguistic quality of potential translation vendors and freelancers through sample tests and ongoing performance monitoring.
  • Conduct root cause analysis for recurring linguistic errors and implement robust corrective and preventative action plans to enhance the overall localization process.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the creation and curation of source content by providing feedback on its clarity, translatability, and potential for internationalization issues.
  • Participate in the evaluation and implementation of new localization tools and technologies, including CAT, QA, and TMS platforms.
  • Mentor junior editors or linguists, providing training on tools, processes, and best practices for linguistic quality assurance.
  • Generate and analyze linguistic quality reports and metrics to identify trends, measure translator performance, and drive data-informed process improvements.
  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis related to language quality and translation efficiency.
  • Contribute to the organization's global content strategy by providing insights on local market trends and language preferences.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate their content needs and quality expectations into actionable linguistic requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the localization team to ensure timely delivery of high-quality translated assets.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Native-level fluency in the target language and exceptional, near-native proficiency in the source language (typically English), including mastery of idiomatic expressions and cultural nuances.
  • Expertise with CAT Tools: Demonstrable proficiency in industry-standard Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools such as Trados Studio, MemoQ, Memsource, or similar platforms.
  • Translation Management Systems (TMS): Experience working within complex TMS environments (e.g., WorldServer, GlobalLink, XTM, Smartling) to manage translation workflows.
  • Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA): Proficiency in using automated QA tools like Xbench or Verifika to identify and correct inconsistencies, terminology errors, and formatting issues.
  • Post-Editing Machine Translation (PEMT): Proven ability to efficiently post-edit machine-translated text to meet high-quality standards.
  • Terminology Management: Skill in creating, managing, and maintaining term bases (glossaries) to ensure consistent and accurate use of key terminology.
  • Content Management Systems (CMS): Familiarity with popular CMS platforms (e.g., WordPress, Adobe Experience Manager) and how localized content is integrated.

Soft Skills

  • Meticulous Attention to Detail: An exceptional eye for detail to catch even the most subtle errors in grammar, punctuation, and style.
  • Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to analyze complex linguistic issues, perform root cause analysis, and develop effective solutions.
  • Constructive Communication: The ability to provide clear, tactful, and constructive feedback to linguists and collaborate effectively with non-linguist stakeholders.
  • Time Management & Deadline Orientation: Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously and consistently meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Cultural Sensitivity: A deep and intuitive understanding of cultural differences and the ability to adapt content to be appropriate and impactful in diverse markets.
  • Proactive & Autonomous: A self-motivated individual who can work independently, take ownership of language quality, and proactively identify areas for improvement.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree or a professional certification in Translation or Localization.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Linguistics
  • Translation Studies
  • Modern Languages
  • Journalism or Communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years

Preferred: 5+ years of professional experience in a dedicated editing, proofreading, or linguistic quality assurance role within the localization industry, preferably on the client-side or for a major language service provider (LSP). Experience with creative/marketing content is a significant plus.

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