Senior Linguist for Life Sciences – Simplified Chinese

Welo Global; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Welo Life Sciences seeks an experienced localization professional to manage translation and copy-editing for clinical and regulatory documents in Simplified Chinese and English.

You will lead linguists, maintain glossaries, and collaborate with clients, QA teams, and suppliers to ensure regulator-ready outputs across global markets. Strong MTPE collaboration and AI tool familiarity are valued.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of translation/localization/editing or content writing experience in Life Sciences.
• 5+ years of review experience.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken) and native fluency in Simplified Chinese.

Responsibilities

• Lead linguist function for assigned accounts; provide SME support for clients.
• Perform copy-edit tasks on projects or accounts.
• Handle on-demand translation tasks and ensure timely deliveries.
• Coordinate a team of freelancers and qualify new vendors.
• Develop and maintain language materials (glossaries, style guides) up to required standards.
• Interact with clients on linguistic matters and manage project queries.
• Plan capacity and resource allocation for Life Sciences translations.
• Support Quality with LQA processes and root cause analyses.
• Help improve working processes and meet productivity KPIs.

Skills

English fluency

Chinese (Simplified) native

Localization process

Problem solving

Communication

Team coordination

Education

Translation/Applied Languages degree

Master’s degree (plus)

Tools

XTM

SDL Studio

JIRA

Verifika

Windows

MS Office

Job description

About Welo Life Sciences

Welo Life Sciences, a Welo Global brand, is a specialized language and technology partner serving pharmaceutical, CRO, and medical device organizations operating in regulated global markets. We deliver regulator-ready translation, linguistic validation, and localization solutions that support clinical trials, pharmacovigilance, regulatory affairs, labeling, and global commercialization. Our approach combines subject matter expertise with ISO-certified quality processes and technology-enabled workflows designed to integrate seamlessly into life sciences operations. With extensive experience supporting global product development and post-market requirements, Welo Life Sciences helps organizations accelerate timelines, protect data integrity, and maintain compliance across languages and regions. All solutions are delivered within a secure, audit-ready framework supported by seven ISO certifications. welolifesciences.com

This role involves managing translation and copy-editing tasks, ensuring high-quality linguistic deliverables for assigned projects or accounts. Responsibilities include coordinating freelancers, maintaining language resources, resolving terminology queries, and collaborating with clients and internal teams to enhance workflow efficiency.

This is a key position that requires a strong background in Life Sciences translation, with a focus on clinical research documents (clinical trial protocols, patient information sheets/informed consent forms, investigational medicinal product dossiers (IMPD), investigational drug labels, patient recruitment materials, etc.).

This role works closely with Quality, Program Squads, Talent, Simplified Chinese suppliers, and other stakeholders to provide precise language support for life sciences and more specifically clinical research-related matters.

This professional ensures that the expected level of translation quality is maintained, and the product delivered to the client should always meet its intended purpose.

Job Reference: #LI-JC1

The following is a non-exhaustive list of responsibilities and areas of ownership for this role:

• Performing lead linguist function on assigned accounts; provide SME support for designated clients
• Performing copy-edit tasks on assigned projects or accounts
• Performing on-demand translation tasks
• Taking ownership of deliveries that were translated by the linguists for one or more accounts into Simplified Chinese
• Preparing, managing and maintaining the language materials (including glossaries, Style Guides, work instruction) up to the quality standards and up to date as required by the account or project
• Managing project-related queries
• Ensuring good interaction among team members and resolving questions on terminology and language matters
• Coordinating a team of freelancers on assigned projects or accounts
• Testing and qualifying new freelancers and vendors as required; monitor resources’ performance
• Developing and training of new and existing freelancers according to the accounts’ and Welocalize’s needs
• Recommend Simplified Chinese Life Sciences resources to Squads, based on data of quality, OTD, language strategy, capacity needs, content specialty, or client specific requirements
• Conduct monthly capacity planning for Life Sciences, make sure adequate resources in place to support the production
• Interacting with clients on linguistic matters as required
• Work with Quality and Squads to plan and perform LQAs, and drive arbitration process
• Support Quality team in reviewing client escalations related to Simplified Chinese and in conducting RCAs for life sciences translation
• Responsible for client inquiries; attend client calls as needed
• Participating in the development of new and improved working processes
• Meet or exceed the productivity KPI
• Achieving the goals set by the Squad Lead

Education Level

• University degree in Translation/Applied Languages or equivalent combination of education and experience, in a Life Sciences-related field: Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursery, Biology, Chemistry.
• A Master’s degree is a plus
• 4+ years of relevant experience in translation/localization, with speciality Life Sciences

Experience

• 8+ years of relevant experience in translation/localization/editing or content writing
• 5+ years of review experience
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken
• Native fluency in Simplified Chinese
• Thorough understanding of the localization process
• Knowledge of Simplified Chinese life sciences and clinical research regulations
• Excellent user experience of standard CAT tools, e.g. XTM, SDL Studio, and issue tracking and query management tools, e.g. JIRA, Verifika
• Excellent user experience of standard software, such as Windows and Office applications
• Good understanding of Machine Translation Post-Editing process and willingness to work with AI tools
• Ability to learn new localization tools and applications quickly
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent knowledge of terminology used in two or more subject matters
• Subject-matter expert within company for discipline or process
• Ability to work with tight deadlines
• Ability to give clear, concise and constructive feedback
• Ability to coordinate internal and external translators
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, linguists
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Ability and willingness to train/teach others and pass on knowledge
• Ability, willingness and experience in communicating positively with customers at various levels
• Ability to work in a virtual team contributing to the team’s success, or work independently as needed
• Problem-solving mindset that can proactively assess and mitigate risks
• Ability to prioritize ongoing projects based on business needs and urgencies that arise
• Excellent oral and written communication skills