Voice Recorder (Japanese + English)

$30–65/hrrate as listed

Record scripted Japanese sentences from a stationary car or quiet office, along with specific incidental sounds like seatbelt clicks and turn-signal ticks, following exact technical and linguistic specs. Work is asynchronous and remote, paid per hour in an observed $30–65/hr band, with no prior AI experience required.

Summary, eligibility guidance and screening preparation are prepared by Sidequest from the platform's posting. Check the source listing before applying.

The work

micro1 is staffing a customer audio-collection project aimed at improving how speech models handle Japanese in real acoustic environments — particularly in-car. Day to day, you receive a batch of prompts and detailed recording guidelines, then produce clean takes of Japanese sentences read at natural pace and volume. Some tasks ask for a quiet office baseline; others ask you to record inside a stationary vehicle and to generate specific incidental sounds on cue — a seatbelt buckle, a door latch, an indicator tick, a window motor. Every session is with the vehicle parked and the engine handled per the safety instructions in the brief; nothing about this role involves recording while driving.

Alongside the audio, you submit short written notes: what you recorded, any deviations, ambient conditions, and flags where a prompt read unnaturally in Japanese. That feedback loop matters as much as the takes — collection specs get revised based on what recorders report, and coordinators will follow up asynchronously for clarification or re-records.

What the screening looks for

Verifiable Japanese command. Native-level fluency with clean enunciation, consistent pitch-accent, and the ability to read scripted text without drifting into over-articulated "announcer" delivery when the spec asks for natural speech.
English sufficient for instructions and reporting. B2 or better; you need to parse a technical spec in English and write comprehensible notes back.
Instruction fidelity. Screens probe whether you can restate a multi-part recording spec accurately and describe what you'd do when two requirements conflict.
Practical audio judgment. Recognizing clipping, handling noise, HVAC hum, room reflections, and knowing when a take is unusable rather than submitting it and hoping.
Honest availability. Whether you actually have access to a car and a quiet space, and how many hours per week you can commit.

Logistics

Remote and contractor-based. Work is batch-driven and asynchronous — no fixed shifts — though vehicle sessions require you to plan around daylight, weather, and a low-traffic parking location. Expect your own smartphone or recorder plus whatever capture app the project specifies; some batches require a specific device or sample rate. Pay in this category has been observed at $30–65/hr, varying by task complexity and market; treat it as observed, not guaranteed. Volume is project-dependent and can pause between collection phases.

What they look for

Before you apply

Would you pass this screen?

Drawn from what this listing actually requires. Answered in your browser — nothing is sent to us, and we do not store your answers.

Are you a native speaker of Japanese, or did you grow up speaking Japanese as one of your first languages?
Native-level Japanese proficiency · required
Do you have at least B2-level English proficiency (able to understand and produce complex written and spoken English, as required to collaborate with English-speaking coordinators)?
B2+ English ability · required
Do you have reliable, regular access to either a stationary vehicle or a quiet office environment where you can record high-quality audio?
Access to a quiet recording space · required
Are you able to work remotely and manage your own schedule to complete and submit audio recordings and feedback as assigned by the project?
Remote work availability · preferred
Are you able to agree to and comply with confidentiality and ethical use terms governing the recordings and data submissions?
No conflicting confidentiality issues · required

0 of 5 answered

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 12 questions

Matched to what this platform's screening actually measures. Answer each out loud in 60–90 seconds: claim → concrete example → implication.

What it tests: Establishing whether claimed native-level proficiency is genuine, and whether the candidate has maintained active use rather than passive knowledge or classroom study alone.
A strong answer: The answer must name a clear origin (grew up speaking it, studied formally then lived in Japan, etc.), specify actual environments where they use it currently or recently (work, family, media consumption), and convey active, recent exposure — not 'I studied it in high school.'
Where people lose it: Candidates conflate 'studied Japanese' or 'visited Japan' with native proficiency; they understate how much they actually use it day-to-day, or their answer suggests their exposure is passive (watching anime, reading occasionally) rather than active speech and listening.