Open to opportunities

Michael Rolland

@michaelrolland

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Multilingual linguist and localization specialist focused on quality and AI.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I seek roles combining linguistic expertise and technical workflows—localization, QA, or AI data work—where I can improve multilingual quality, mentor teams, and bridge linguistics with production systems.

I am a multilingual linguist and media localization specialist with PhD-level training in Hispanic linguistics and deep practical experience in translation quality, subtitling, and multilingual content review.

I have produced and reviewed linguistic annotations for multilingual AI training data, taught advanced translation and comparative grammar courses, and led systematic evaluation of translation quality across Spanish and Italian workflows.

My work blends linguistic precision with technical workflows: I design test prompts and failure-mode evaluations for models, develop style guides and terminology databases, and integrate tools like Wordfast, memoQ, and Trados into production pipelines.

I am recognized for meticulous attention to detail, clear cross-functional communication, and the ability to translate complex linguistic and technical concepts for creative, linguistic, and engineering teams.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Freelance Translator

Current

Self Employed

Jan 2007 - Present (18 years 10 months)

Provide translation, editing, and adaptation services (Spanish/Italian to English) and perform bilingual content QA for commercial, educational, and media clients on a project basis.

Translation Editing Localization Quality Control Spanish Italian MemoQ Wordfast

GenAI Knowledge Expert

Tundra Technical Solutions

Jan 2025 - Dec 2025 (11 months)

Produced and reviewed linguistic annotations for multilingual AI training data and designed test prompts and failure-mode evaluations to assess and improve model linguistic accuracy.

Data Annotation Spanish Italian

Instructor of Translation

City University of New York

Jan 2018 - Dec 2024 (6 years 11 months)

Taught advanced translation, stylistics, and comparative grammar courses; designed assessment frameworks for linguistic quality and developed online instructional materials and technical documentation.

Curriculum Design Spanish English Online Teaching Technical Documentation

Website Manager & Content Editor

CUNY Language Centers

Jan 2016 - Dec 2019 (3 years 11 months)

Managed web design, content rollout, and multimedia production for academic research centers and produced and edited bilingual online materials.

Content Management Web Design Multimedia Digital Publishing Project Coordination Spanish

Certified Spanish Quality Manager

Iverson Language Associates

Jan 2011 - Dec 2015 (4 years 11 months)

Led systematic evaluation of translation quality across Spanish and Italian, developed terminology databases and client style guides, and created QA documentation and reviewer training.

Style Guide Wordfast Reviewer Training