Senior/Principal Technical Writer & Editor, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas.

About the role

Do you enjoy editing and writing in highly technical, mission-driven environments? Would you thrive working onsite with a team of other writers and editors? In this role, you will provide essential support to management, engineers, and other technical staff. You will be matrixed to provide support to programmatic areas. The ideal candidate will possess effective collaboration, a results-oriented mindset, a commitment to group success, analytical skills, and the ability to work well in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Translate technical information into understandable communications to employees and stakeholders in the form of memos, slides, reports, and presentations.
• Ensure that requirements are met, and that documentation is clear, concise, and understandable to its intended audience, both present and future.
• Create uniform approaches, educate, and assist customers, and collaborate with coworkers.
• Write, edit, or rewrite technical articles, publications, manuals, presentations, and other materials to communicate technical procedures, research findings, and developments clearly and effectively to a variety of internal and external audiences.
• Capture program accomplishments and produce reports and presentations.
• Acquire or verify subject knowledge by referring to Realization Product Procedures (RPPs), engineering drawings, training materials, and program documentation.
• Exercise quality control over documents intended for external distribution.
• Interpret and coordinate documentation and communication policies and procedures.
• Complete documentation configuration and records management.
• Effectively partner with Technical Writers/Editors and Information Management team members to serve the needs of the customers.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Technical Communication, English, Journalism, Creative Writing, or a relevant field, plus a minimum of 5 years of related experience in highly technical writing and editing; or equivalent experience and achievements that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the job.
• Proven experience creating, writing, and editing products including PowerPoints and executive memos, translating highly technical information into clear communications.
• Strong customer service and ability to gain trust with leaders at all levels.
• Ability to work well both independently and as a team member.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE-Q level clearance with Sigma-15.

Qualifications We Desire

• Master's degree in Technical Communications, English, Journalism, Creative Writing, or a relevant field.
• Experience in leading technical staff towards organizational success.
• Familiarity with configuration management best practices related to information management.
• Experience supporting nuclear deterrence initiatives.
• Experience working with classified information related to weapons programs and documentation requirements.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Benefits

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide.
• Extraordinary co-workers.
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world.
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities.
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home).
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance, and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance.

*Benefits vary by job classification.

Pay

Salary range is estimated at $87,400 - $168,800. Actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

About Our Team

The Knowledge Management Office at Sandia Labs supports mission-driven technical writing/editing and information management needs. This Technical Writer/Editor role is part of a larger tech editor team that provides matrixed support to a national security program at Sandia.

Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.