A chief linguistics officer is in charge of all linguistic sciences aboard a starship. Starfleet utilized linguistic officers in unexplored or under-explored areas of space where many first contact situations may arise.

Exploring the Typhon Expanse and regions around it where many various cultures and species existed, the USS Cantabrian (NCC-24705) had a chief linguistics officer named Threk. After Threk's untimely death in 2372, Captain Noel Turner promoted Lieutenant junior grade Dakota Caldwell to chief linguistics officer of the Cantabrian.

The Cantabrian has a linguistics team in the rare opportunity the universal translator breaks down or is unable to translate a language. The Galaxy's first contact with the Lelari in 2366 would have been disastrous had it not been for Dakota Caldwell's abilities with languages.