Linguist

Gap International; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Gap International, based in the Philadelphia area, is seeking exceptional linguists who have recently completed—or are nearing completion of—a PhD program. Ideal candidates will have deep expertise in discourse analysis, theory of mind, pragmatics, and/or psycholinguistics, with a strong interest in applying advanced linguistic and cognitive research to real-world organizational performance.

This role blends scholarly rigor with applied impact, offering opportunities to contribute to research,

Qualifications

• PhD in Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Psycholinguistics, or closely related field, completed or near completion.
• Deep expertise in discourse analysis, pragmatics, theory of mind, speech act theory, and/or psycholinguistics.
• Strong grounding in philosophy of language/mind or cognitive theory as applied to communication.
• Experience conducting independent, theory-driven research with publishable outputs.
• Clear, executive-level communication to non-academic audiences.

Responsibilities

• Conduct original research on language, meaning, and interaction in relation to organizational performance and leadership.
• Apply frameworks from discourse analysis, pragmatics, theory of mind, and speech act theory to Gap International’s methodologies.
• Translate linguistic theory into practical models, tools and interventions for business environments.
• Author and contribute to research papers, white papers, and thought-leadership content.
• Adapt linguistic frameworks to support current and future consulting models, products and offerings.
• Collaborate with consultants, researchers, and product teams to integrate linguistic insights into client engagements.
• Support marketing, training, and intellectual-capital initiatives through expert linguistic analysis.

Skills

Discourse analysis

Theory of mind

Pragmatics

Psycholinguistics

Executive communication

Education

PhD in Linguistics or related field

Tools

NLP literacy

Job description

ABOUT GAP INTERNATIONAL

Gap International is a global performance consulting company that works with executives and their organizations to produce extraordinary business results in the ever-changing marketplace. We specialize in helping leaders articulate and fulfill the boldest possible future for their business, creating breakthrough outcomes and aligning the organization’s actions to be consistent with that future. For nearly 50 years, Gap International has worked with over 50,000 executives in 1,500 organizations across 65 countries—from CEOs and executives of Fortune 1000 companies to entrepreneurs. Gap International has experience in every major industry sector, including manufacturing, retail, energy, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology, telecommunications, and financial services.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Global management consulting firm Gap International, based in the Philadelphia area, is seeking exceptional linguists who have recently completed—or are nearing completion of—a PhD program. Ideal candidates will have deep expertise in discourse analysis, theory of mind, speech act theory, pragmatics, and/or psycholinguistics, with a strong interest in applying advanced linguistic and cognitive research to real-world organizational performance.

Linguists play a central role in the development, refinement, and execution of Gap International’s proprietary consulting methodologies. Through rigorous research and innovation, linguists study how language shapes cognition, decision-making, leadership, coordination, and results in complex organizational systems. This work directly supports our mission of enabling sustained breakthrough performance for clients across industries.

This role blends scholarly rigor with applied impact, offering opportunities to contribute to research, methodology development, product innovation, marketing thought leadership, and client engagement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct original research on language, meaning, and interaction as they relate to organizational performance, leadership, and human coordination.


• Apply frameworks from discourse analysis, pragmatics, theory of mind, and speech act theory to the development of Gap International’s proprietary consulting methodologies


• Translate advanced linguistic and cognitive theory into practical models, tools, and interventions for business environments


• Author and contribute to research papers, white papers, and thought-leadership content grounded in Gap International’s methodologies


• Adapt and extend existing linguistic frameworks to support current and future consulting models, products, and offerings


• Collaborate with consultants, researchers, and product teams to integrate linguistic insights into client engagements


• Support marketing, training, and intellectual-capital initiatives through expert linguistic analysis

QUALIFICATIONS

• PhD in Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Psycholinguistics, or a closely related field (completed or near completion) from a leading academic institution with a strong scholarly record


• Demonstrated expertise in discourse analysis, pragmatics, theory of mind, speech act theory, and/or psycholinguistics


• Strong grounding in the philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, or cognitive theory as applied to communication and meaning


• Experience conducting independent, theory-driven research and producing publishable academic or applied work


• Strong analytic and synthesis skills; able to move from theory → data → insight → application


• Clear, executive-ready communication: ability to explain complex ideas to non-academic audiences


• Comfort working in ambiguity and building practical solutions from research and observation


• Ability to translate complex theoretical concepts into clear, actionable insights for non-academic audiences


• Interest in applying linguistic research to business, leadership, and organizational performance


• Client-facing, teaching, facilitation, or consulting experience preferred


• Willingness to travel domestically and/or internationally as needed


• Current resident of, or willingness to relocate to, the Philadelphia area

NICE TO HAVE

• Experience with mixed methods (qual + quant), experimental design, or applied research translation


• Familiarity with computational approaches (e.g., corpus methods, annotation, NLP literacy)


• Background in social psychology, decision science, organizational behavior, or learning sciences


• Evidence of cross-domain work (publications, projects, collaborations) bridging language and cognition

GAP INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATES

• Purposeful people at work impacting companies around the world.


• People who thrive in a learning environment and enjoy learning, growing, and performing at their best; energized to continually push beyond their comfort zone.


• Comfortable with ambiguity; eager to take on things they don't know how to do.


• Curious and flexible when it comes to their own growth and development, as well as receptive to coaching and feedback to maximize their potential.


• Willing to communicate and contribute thoughts, insights and new ideas to senior leaders both internally and externally.

WHAT WE OFFER

• A role with significant impact and visibility within the company.


• Opportunities for professional growth and development in a supportive and collaborative environment.


• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.


• A dynamic and inclusive company culture.

LOCATION

Gap International associates are based out of our corporate office in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. In order to be considered for this role, applicants should be legally authorized to work in the US.