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Resume Robert Kidd

Robert Kidd, resume

Editor, writer and AI writing and editing adviser. Founder of EditFast and TranslationHelp. Former director of language consulting at IBM Japan and Lotus Japan.

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Profile

Editor and writer with decades of publication work across technical, scientific, medical, financial, corporate, academic and literary material, in Canada and Japan. Founder of two editing and translation companies that have completed more than 10,000 projects. Now helping organizations use AI to write and edit business documents, with professional editorial judgment built into every step.

Experience

Now

AI Writing and Editing Consultant

Global Village Language Services (GVLS), British Columbia

  • Help organizations build AI writing and editing workflows with human checks.
  • Editorial AI assessments, workflow setup, staff training, guided implementation and fractional editorial support.
1998 to now

Founder and Editor in Chief

EditFast and TranslationHelp

  • Managed, wrote, edited and proofread more than 10,000 projects: technical, scientific, medical, financial, academic, literary and promotional.
  • Recruited, tested and supervised more than 4,000 freelance editors, writers and proofreaders and more than 500 translators; built the quality standards each was measured against.
  • Final-pass review of English translated from Japanese, European and Asian languages.
  • Maintained style sheets, glossaries and version control across long-running and multi-volume projects.
Ongoing

Scientific editor

University researchers

  • Food chemistry and toxicology papers for Prof. Takayuki Shibamoto, University of California, Davis.
  • Physical oceanography research for Osaka University, for about ten years.
2014

Native English Technical Editor (contract)

TPS, Incorporated, Yokohama, Japan

  • Rewrote translated Hitachi computer and high-tech documentation and manuals.
  • Completed 7,000 to 10,000 words of heavy editing a day.
From 2006

Quality Rater (contract)

Google

  • Wrote reports on how well websites matched search keywords, to help verify search quality.
  • Reviewed large volumes of online content against detailed written guidelines.
1999 to 2002

Director, Language Consulting Department

IBM Japan and Lotus Japan, Tokyo

  • Edited software manuals, design specifications, financial reports, presentations and speeches.
  • Edited and published the monthly employee newsletter.
  • Created the department’s training materials and house style standards; taught business and technical English.
1997 to 2000

Founder and Director

99 Red Balloons Japan Inc., Tokyo

  • Built an English education company for primary schools; wrote the curriculum and the website.
  • Recruited teachers and performers; sold the company at a significant profit.
1992 to 1997

English Language Consultant, Research and Development

NKK (now JFE Steel), Kawasaki, Japan

  • Sole English specialist in the R&D department.
  • Edited engineering documents and specifications for bridges, buildings and steel quality.
  • Wrote and edited speeches and presentations; prepared papers for international conferences and journals.
1986 to 1989

Branch Manager

Household Trust, Richmond, BC

  • Managed the branch and its marketing; prepared quarterly and annual financial reports; supervised loan officers.
1982 to 1983

Surveyor

Public Works, Government of Canada, Yukon and NWT

  • Surveyed the Dempster (Arctic) Highway by snowmobile, dog sled, snowshoe and Twin Otter aircraft.
1978 to 1980, 1985 to 1986

Child Care Counsellor and Shift Co-ordinator

Cariboo Action Training Society (Camp Trapping), Prince George, BC

  • Counselled young offenders at a wilderness camp; led out-trips; trained new staff.

Education

BA (Honours), English

University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Graduate studies in English

University of Victoria

1983

Diplomas in Electricity and Industrial Electronics

Vancouver Community College

Google Ads and Google Analytics certifications

Google

Editing skills

Substantive editingCopyeditingProofreadingTechnical editingScientific and medical editingPlain-language rewritingTranslated-English reviewStyle guides and glossariesFact and consistency checkingAI-assisted editing with human reviewEditorial training and coaching

Style guides

Chicago Manual of StyleAPAAMAAPMicrosoft Manual of StyleClient and house styles

Tools

Microsoft Word (Track Changes)ExcelPowerPointAdobe Acrobat ProInDesignoXygen XMLGoogle WorkspaceHTML, CSS, PHP and MySQLWordPressGoogle Ads and AnalyticsAI writing tools

Subject areas

Engineering and steelIT and softwareScience and researchMedicine and healthFinance and investor reportsGovernment and NGOsOil and gasEducationMarketing and packagingFiction and publishing

Organizations I have written or edited for

GoogleIBMLotusKodakHitachiNokiaEricssonFordCaterpillarSuncorFisher InvestmentsCartierUN World Food ProgrammeThe Nelson Mandela FoundationUniversity of California, DavisOsaka UniversityNKK (JFE Steel)

Languages

English: nativeJapanese: intermediateFrench: basic

References

Short quotations from letters of reference.

I have contacted more than 50 specialists and Mr. Kidd is one of the top specialists among them.

Prof. Takayuki ShibamotoDepartment of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis

We all could trust Robert with any task.

Atsushi KojimaGeneral Manager, TPS Division, TPS, Incorporated (Japan)

He always checks anything unclear in technical terminology, so I can entrust work to him with confidence.

Masayasu IrieOsaka University (translated from Japanese)

Tell me what your team writes

Tell me where the process becomes difficult and what you would like to improve. Together, we can define an engagement that fits your organization’s needs.

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Or call me: 1-800-483-4151