About Me

Hi, I'm Ricard

I've been translating professionally since 1991, and I learned soon enough that a good translation is not about words — it's about understanding what you want to accomplish with them.

I started translating at an IBM vendor in Barcelona and testing software at IBM labs across the United States — Raleigh, Boca Raton, Austin, North Andover — working alongside development teams. That hands-on work with some of the best engineers of the time taught me to think like the people who build things, not just like the people who write about them.

For 17 years I was also a lecturer on a Master's degree programme at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, training the next generation of translators in the practical side of the profession: project management, quality standards, client communication, negotiation. Teaching forced me to articulate what I do instinctively — and made me better at it.

Today, nearly 6,000 projects later, I translate for the UN Environment Programme, for global tech brands through localization agencies, and for companies of all sizes that care about how they sound in Spanish. I'm based in Sant Cugat del Vallès (Barcelona), father of two, 35 years in and still sharpening the craft.

Firma Download CV (PDF)
Ricard Lozano — Senior English-to-Spanish Translator, Barcelona
"Being a native Spanish speaker myself, I pay very close attention to Spanish translations. Your professionalism and commitment to quality are top of the line. Thanks Ricard!"
S. Carvalho
Localization Coordinator, Thompson-Prometric
Background

Professional Experience

2023 – Present

Translator, UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

Translation of pre-session reports and technical documentation for the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

  • 200,000 words across 5 consecutive ExCom meetings
  • Climate finance, ozone protection, and environmental policy
  • Strict confidentiality and deadline requirements
2000 – Present

Freelance Spanish Translator

Full-time freelance practice since 2000, following a decade of in-house and on-site work. Technical, marketing, legal, and institutional translation for direct clients and through specialized localization agencies.

  • 5,900+ projects for 100+ clients in 13 countries
  • Direct clients: UNEP, Dassault Systèmes, Protolabs, Esade, AspenTech
  • Agency accounts: Adobe, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung, Oracle, Intel, and others
2000 – 2017

Lecturer, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)

Taught postgraduate modules in the Master's in Translation Technologies (Tradumàtica), while maintaining active freelance practice throughout. Guest speaker at universities and professional associations.

  • 17 years of university teaching
  • Translation technology and quality management
  • Combined academic work with professional translation practice
1997 – 2000

Localization Project Manager, MSS

Led Spanish software localization projects for IBM and Intel at Management System Solutions, managing timelines, budgets, and linguistic quality across 50+ large-scale projects.

  • Coordination of translators, reviewers, and testers
  • Translator training programs for CAT tools and QA
  • IBM and Intel localization projects
1992 – 1997

IBM Translator & Software Tester, MSS

Translated over 500 IBM localization projects and conducted 8 linguistic and functional software tests at IBM labs across the United States — Raleigh, Boca Raton, Austin, North Andover. Worked directly with IBM development teams on products like ThinkPad, OS/2 Warp, AS/400, and Communications Server.

  • 500+ localization projects: software, documentation, and marketing
  • Linguistic and functional testing alongside IBM engineering teams
  • Foundation in CAT tools and terminology management
1987 – 1991

Diploma in Translation & Interpreting, UAB

BA-equivalent degree in Translation and Interpreting (English–Spanish), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).

Specializations

What I Know Best

Technology

Software, hardware, SaaS, cloud, industrial automation

Marketing

Websites, campaigns, product launches, brand content

Environmental

Climate policy, ozone protection, environmental compliance

Legal

Contracts, NDAs, SLAs, compliance, privacy policies

Selected Work

Notable Projects

UN Environment Programme

2023–Present — Pre-session documentation for the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

200,000 words 5 ExCom meetings Ongoing

Unfettered Journey — Gary F. Bengier

2022 — A 527-page philosophical science fiction novel exploring AI consciousness, written by the former CFO of eBay. Co-translated with Núria Casasayas.

527 pages 130,000 words Literary + Technical

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