Futuristic work and tight teams define Cerence

When Robert Thifault explains why Cerence Technologies Inc., 315 employees strong in Montréal, had 25,000 job applications last year, he begins, unsurprisingly, with the cutting-edge tech work on offer. “We aren't developing tomorrow’s applications, but the applications for two years from now,” says Cerence’s senior director, cloud services research and development.

“We have future technologies we are working out with our automotive partners,” says Thifault, who works at the leading creator of AI-assisted technology for automobiles and transportation. “There’s what we call multimodal for urban navigation, so you can be in your car and just ask, ‘What’s that building on my left?’ and it will tell you. Or the one we call smart car manual, where a camera will look where you look, and you can point to a button and ask what it’s for, and it will tell you. Point at a restaurant and it’ll ask if you want to make a reservation. All very, very interesting for new developers, right?”

But it doesn’t take Thifault long to raise the way his futuristic tech is coming alive. “Our team structure has people working collaboratively to develop applications end to end, rather than just develop a feature and not see the end of the product. That makes the work very collaborative, with cross-functional teams having their own researchers, language specialists and testers. So: collaborative and dynamic.”

Combine that with the transparent communication that Cerence is increasingly practising, adds Thifault, and staff engagement solidifies. “You get better commitment from the teams when members know their voices are heard and see their value to the organization,” Thifault says. “So that communication is part of the culture as well.”

For Lisa Amos, manager, software development, three-year-old Cerence’s strong collaborative spirit and its open communication are also key attractions. Amos joined Cerence’s predecessor company in 2017, a decade after a co-op stint there during her time at McGill University. “I had fond memories of the way we worked,” she says, “and I knew it was a company that I wanted to be part of again.”

That collaborative culture only intensified with the transition into Cerence, Amos continues. “Beginning together on smaller teams, discussing new ideas and implementing them together from the start, bonded everyone all the more and made the teams much stronger.”

As well, adds Amos a few days before accompanying her team to a Montréal food bank, Cerence allows employees two days of paid-for volunteer work yearly, for whatever causes they choose. “There is a strong focus on giving back to the community.”

Cerence supports employees with opportunities to advance their careers, says Amos, who moved from software development team member to leader last August. It provides up to $3,000 annually in tuition subsidies, and encourages her to pay forward the mentorship she experienced.

“I came here because the people I worked with as a student really left a lasting impression on me,” Amos says. And now, managing at a company that chose its name to reflect both the cerebral science and the human emotional response aspects of its work, Amos remembers that mentorship when working with interns or new hires. “The best way to mentor someone is to integrate them in everything that you’re doing, because while they may not have experience, they have a fresh perspective we should listen to.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Montreal’s Top Employers winners, published February 28, 2023 in the Montreal Gazette. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.