Midwest Speech Technology Association

MSTA members can get a discount of 35% for O'Reilly books by using discount code DSUG and ordering at the O'Reilly site or by phone.

Also, you can get a 15% discount if you register for the Emerging Telephony conference with discount code etel07usrg.

Verascape Software Developer

Verascape designs, develops and delivers turnkey voice
automated solutions via an Always On ASP model. The VeraServ™ voice processing architecture, on which all Verascape solutions are based, is scalable to carrier grade capacity and is based on established standards such as VoiceXML and SIP. 

Software developer candidates should thrive in an environment where solid fundamental development skills will be required across all technologies and practices used to deliver and support a robust, high-performance implementation of a leading voice processing architecture.

Required Skills

• Design and construction of C++ multi-threaded applications on Linux
• Linux system libraries, including network programming; client-server models
• C++ standard template library

Desired Skills

• Strong analysis, design and problem-solving skills
• Linux administration, RedHat Package Manager (RPM), CVS
• VoIP and SIP
• Interactive speech technology integration: VoiceXML
  processor, speech recognition, text-to-speech, Media Resource Control
  Protocol (MRCP)
• Network protocols: TCP, UDP, HTTP, DNS, RTP
• Database API and SQL
• Java, PHP, Perl, shell, javascript, XML
• Web application development
• Computer Telephony Integration and PSTN protocols (ISDN)

For consideration, please email your resume to
jobs@verascape.com.

The board is working on the schedule of events for the first half of 2007 and beyond. If anyone has suggestions about events, wishes to volunteer to give a talk or to host a meeting, please contact me.

SpeechTek West offers MSTA members a 10% discount or a free pass to see the exhibits. Use discount code MSTA07.

MSTA member David Thomson asked that we distribute this important notice:

The VoiceXML Forum is holding a four-hour workshop on advanced dialogs for voice-activated systems on February 22, 2007 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the San Francisco Hilton & Towers. The purpose of the workshop is to promote technology exchange among spoken language experts and to explore what dialog specification concepts should be standardized for deploying advanced voice-activated services.

The Workshop on Advanced Dialogs is supported by the VoiceXML Forum Tools Committee and will held as part of SpeechTEK West 2007 (but will not be available to general SpeechTEK participants). To receive an invitation, please submit a one-page position paper stating your view on at least one of the following questions:

1. What new language constructs are needed to support advanced dialogs?

2. Where do standard programming languages such as VoiceXML, Java, JSP etc., need to be extended or enhanced to better support advanced dialogs?

3. What is the best approach (plan-based reasoning, rule-based systems, goal-oriented design, world modeling, etc.), perhaps given a particular circumstance, for creating advanced voice-activated services and why?

4. Do you have an example of a case where an advanced dialog was successfully deployed for live customers? What dialog design principles made this deployment a success?

Accepted position papers will be published at www.voicexml.org and participants will be invited to briefly summarize their paper (no slides required) at the workshop. Attendees will analyze alternative approaches and suggest recommendations for how standards should proceed for supporting advanced dialogs.

Papers should be sent to david@speechphone.com by December 15, 2006. A minimum one-day SpeechTEK registration is required for workshop participants (http://www.speechtek.com).

Review Committee:
Jim Larson ­ Co-chair W3C Voice Browser Working Group
Bill Scholz ­ VoiceXML Tools Committee
John Tadlock ­ AT&T
David Thomson ­ VoiceXML Tools Committee

Charter: The Advanced Dialog Working Group (part of the VoiceXML Forum Tools Committee) has the following objectives:

1. To define the XML-based languages needed to represent Advanced Dialogs and implement applications.

2. To provide input to the VoiceXML Forum Metalanguage group regarding what is needed to allow the metalanguage specification to be able to support Advanced Dialogs.

3. To encourage standardization and adoption of Advanced Dialog concepts.

4. To speed the transfer of Advanced Dialog concepts from research to industry.

Advanced Dialog: A voice user interface specification that cannot efficiently be represented by a finite state machine.

Dates:
Paper submission: December 15, 2006
Acceptance notification: December 22, 2006
Workshop: February 22, 2007

Speech Applications / Interactive Voice Response Developer

Location: Minneapolis area

Position AXG-1060

Position Overview:

This position is a significant career opportunity for a creative Interactive Voice Response guru to change the world of Self-Service Call Automation. Will play a key role in developing and implementing new speech applications, taking advantage of the many ways speech can streamline the caller experience while broadening the existing agent-based IVR. By effectively managing a one-of-a-kind self-service telephony solution, the company’s sole purpose is to turn telephone calls into sales for their clients. The position is for an IVR Developer who can take their proven knowledge of killer applications and combine it with the company’s revolutionary technology to ensure every call answered rings the clients’ cash registers. The perfect person for this position is an outside-the-box powerhouse who knows how to craft brilliant self-service experiences.

Qualifications and Experience:

- 3-5 years experience in Interactive Voice Response technology.
- 5-8 years experience in a telecommunications environment.
- Hands-on coding, tuning and diagnosis of speech applications, with proficiency coding in Periphonics PeriPro and VXML languages.
- Further experience developing and tuning grammars is also desirable, including Grammar XML (GRXML), Grammar Specification Language (GSL).
- Experience developing code for mixed initiative (DTMF and speech) as well as pure speech applications.
- Scripting language expertise (Perl, etc.)
- Proficiency with Visio call flows and related Office applications
- Demonstrate you’re an expert in speech technologies, development and testing - and that you can go one-on-one with the company’s telephony technology team.
- Proven call automation experience, with a track record of mastering the psychology of self-service and creating experiences that mirror the best live call center agent.
- Bachelors degree in business, psychology and/or computer science preferred.
- Experience building a team.

Company Overview:

Escape from the shackles of bureaucratic corporate life, and embrace your future. A future where you make an impact and stretch the limits of your talent, your aptitude and your imagination in an organization rooted in an entrepreneurial spirit, focused squarely on innovation and filled with passionate, intelligent people. This exciting direct response advertising company drives telephone calls from consumers all over the country for all types of products, and is significantly changing how radio and IVR’s can work together.

Direct your confidential response to:

Ronald E. Beyner
Senior Consultant, Speech Technologies
Pacific Search Consultants
2377 S. El Camino Real, Suite 201
San Clemente, CA 92672
phone: 949.366.9000 Ext. 4#
ron@SpeechTekJobs.com
on the web at http://www.speechtekjobs.com

To view additional opportunities go to:
http://www.speechtekjobs.com/candidates

Consultant, Professional Services - Automotive Industry Specialist

LOCATION: Detroit area

Manage internal team members and work with external clients in the analysis of business processes, business strategy, and technology to determine client needs and improve the overall performance of key clients in the Automotive Industry. Will also manage the relationship with and delivery to one or more clients, beginning with assisting in defining the initial Professional Services engagements, securing resources for the engagement, committing to revenue and margin, and ultimately managing delivery of consultative engagements to scope and budget.

Will have ongoing responsibility for improving the overall performance of each client, and managing both executive and tactical level communications with the clients.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Experienced in spotting, analyzing, and addressing revenue leakage in a consulting role
- A broad depth of Contact Center experience
- Customer Care (CRM) experience
- Lead internal team members and external clients in assessing client business processes, methods, systems and procedures for productivity enhancement and make recommendations for improvement (Business Process Outsourcing
- Develop and propose alternative operational approaches, and/or problem resolution
- Responsible for improving overall client performance
- Manage executive / strategic level communications with client
- Develop process and communication templates that can be leveraged over time by Professional Services and company personnel
- Mitigate ‘hot-button’ client concerns through use of process skills, product and business knowledge and building client rapport
- Responsible for supporting the training and development of resources in area of specialty
- Develop / write whitepapers on topics of expertise gaining internal / external publication
- Manage Sales and Proposal Presentations with clients
- Will work closely with other functional areas within the company to expand the breadth and depth of services
- Run several projects simultaneously, potentially across multiple accounts
- Identify potential add-on sales opportunities and seed company product/service offerings to add value for the client
- Managing financial components of client relationships, including contract compliance, change control, billing & accounts receivable, delivery to budget, delivery to time, and expenses.
- Responsible for management of direct and indirect resources
- Leverages project work to append and/or create new market offerings for the Professional Services team

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree in related field from a four-year college or university; advanced degree is preferred
- 6+ years related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience

CANDIDATE PROFILE:
- Must have prior client and project management experience
- A minimum of 3 to 5 years consulting / professional service experience; preferably with major consulting firm
- Proven presentation skills directed to peers and executives
- Demonstrated history of identifying and analyzing client technical and business needs
- Track record of leading proposal creation/reviews; some experience with participating in the “sales pitch”
- Strong history of working with both sales and development/implementation
- Comfortable in ambiguous situations
- Track record of working collaboratively in a matrixed environment
- Experience in building and managing strong long-term relationships with business partners and clients
- Ability to take ownership and help direct multiple resources, often resources higher on the org chart
- Excellent oral and written, organizational and multi-tasking skills
- Excellent skills in creating and communicating messages via PowerPoint
- Willing to travel extensively
- Must have proficiency with software programs, including MS Visio, PowerPoint, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Word, Excel, Access
- Understands the “big picture” and has demonstrated the ability to define, prioritize and lead program level activities

Please refer to Position ID: AXG-1046

Ron Beyner
Senior Consultant, Speech Technologies
Pacific Search Consultants
phone: 949.366.9000 Ext. 4#
mobile: 951.662.4301
ron@SpeechTekJobs.com
on the web at http://www.speechtekjobs.com

on Yahoo! Groups at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/speechtechnologyjobs/

To view additional career opportunities please visit:
http://www.speechtekjobs.com/candidates.html

About Pacific Search Consultants / SpeechTekJobs

SpeechTekJobs is a service of Pacific Search Consultants, a professional search firm serving the high-tech industry since 1979. We have specialized in the Speech Technology Industry since 1991, assisting many leading companies to meet their professional and executive level staffing requirements.

MSTA members can receive a 10% discount on Voice User Interface design classes by EIG. The discount is courtesy of efforts by MSTA member Walsh Media.

The seminars will be held in the Chicago area both in September 2006 and in June 2007, as well as other times in other cities. Information about the two seminars offered is here and here.

To receive your discount:

1. Register by writing to Debbi at debbieh@icmi.com.
2. Mention Walsh Media discount.
3. Use discount code WMED

Title: Software Engineer - Java / .NET Developer

Versay is looking for a software engineer who is enthusiastic about speech technology and enjoys working in a dynamic, client centric environment. At Versay, you will work with the latest speech and VoIP technologies including VoiceXML, SIP, natural language processing, and voice biometrics. As part of the Versay speech team, you will design, develop and deploy solutions for Versay’s expanding list of Fortune 500 clients. Versay is a Deerfield, IL based speech solutions company focused on automating calls and improving the customer experience.

Work Location: Deerfield, IL (Chicago area)

Skill Requirements:
- 5+ years of Object oriented programming experience
- 3+ years of Java experience: Java Server Pages (JSP), J2EE/EJB, RMI, MVC, Struts,
Java Servlets, JavaScript
- Java Server Knowledge: Apache/Tomcat/Axis, IBM WebSphere, BEA WebLogic
- Web Services Knowledge is desired: SOAP, JAX-RPC
- Database Knowledge: SQL, Oracle, JDBC, Open database connectivity - ODBC
- Microsoft .NET and C#/C++ is preferred
- Knowledge of VoiceXML, SALT is desired
- Excellent communication is a must
- Good documentation skills.
- Project experience: Proven success utilizing technical skills to deliver business solutions
- Citizen/Permanent Resident/US Work Permit required

Other pluses:
* Speech Recognition experience - Grammar Development and Tuning using speech engines such as Nuance, Scansoft, and Microsoft Speech Server.
* Telephony - CTI, IVR, VOIP (SIP)
* Experience with Multimodal applications
* VoiceXML Forum certified
* Client interfacing and project management
* Masters degree preferred

Responsibilities include:
* Application development, integration and deployment
* Software design
* Business and technical requirements
* Client Interaction

Submit resume with availability and contact information to jobs@versay.com

www.versay.com

NOTE: Do not contact Moshe regarding this job!

Subject: Algorithm Developer

I am a working with a Silicon Valley (Sunnyvale, CA) company that is looking for Senior Algorithm Developer. This is a fulltime role.

Our client provides advanced noise suppression solutions for enhanced voice communication to the mobile, VOIP, PC and auto markets. Their proprietary technology, derived from human hearing biology, allows the complete removal of the most difficult and distracting noises from voice, enabling clear communication and greater network efficiency.

Senior Algorithm Developer
Job Description: