Associate Project Technical Editor

SWCA Environmental Consultants•Salt Lake City, UT

About The Position

SWCA Environmental Consultants seeks an Associate Project or Project Technical Editor to join its Technical Publications team and support offices throughout the company, with an emphasis on the Great Basin subregion. The team edits and formats scientific technical documents ranging from memoranda to multichapter, multivolume environmental impact reports and statements, as well as marketing proposals. This requisition may hire at the Associate Project Technical Editor or Project Technical Editor level. This is a regular, full-time, benefits-eligible, hourly/non-exempt position. It is eligible for hybrid or distributed (remote) work and reports to the Salt Lake City, Utah, office. Occasional evening, weekend, and overtime work may be needed when deadlines demand. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position may close once a strong candidate pool is established. SWCA is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm providing environmental services across the United States. The company describes its goal as being a great place to work and a sustainability leader, delivering sound science and creative solutions to environmental challenges. Its stated values include collaboration, continuous learning, striving for excellence, and giving back to communities. The editor coordinates project efforts from conception through delivery, setting goals, timelines, and standards and coordinating schedules and budgets among technical staff, project managers, and stakeholders. The role edits technical documents for clarity, coherence, consistency, and compliance with company and client standards; collaborates with technical experts and quality professionals; and develops project-specific style guides and editing protocols. The editor also mentors junior staff, improves editing processes and tools, manages concurrent assignments, and provides guidance on complex documents. Additional work includes formatting and finalizing reports with text, tables, maps, graphics, and appendices; identifying review bottlenecks, schedule risks, and staffing or workflow issues; and maintaining document control through revision tracking, version control, and change verification. The editor may work with multiple authors in a single document and must follow applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; knowledge normally obtained through a bachelor’s degree.
At least three years of relevant experience and three years of technical editing experience.
Command of Microsoft Word, particularly Track Changes and Styles.
Experience with Microsoft Excel and collaborative document-editing platforms.
Experience with Microsoft Teams and Outlook for workplace communication and collaboration.
Command of Adobe Acrobat, including creating and modifying simple and complex PDFs.
Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to balance changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Flexibility, excellent interpersonal skills, and commitment to teamwork.
Ability to work effectively under pressure and establish or shift priorities under tight deadlines.
Excellent verbal, writing, and analytical skills.
Ability and willingness to learn SWCA’s in-house style guide and client or agency style guides.
Superior command of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and composition.
Ability to translate technical jargon into plain language.
Valid driver’s license and ability to meet SWCA’s driver requirements.

Nice To Haves

Five years of related or technical editing experience.
Science background and/or technical knowledge of environmental consulting, biological sciences, or cultural resources.

Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate project efforts from conception through delivery, aligning work with client and SWCA objectives.
Set project goals, timelines, and standards, and coordinate efforts, schedules, and budgets among technical staff, project managers, and other stakeholders.
Edit technical documents for clarity, coherence, consistency, and compliance with SWCA and client standards.
Collaborate with technical experts, project managers, and quality professionals to integrate content, design, and technical accuracy in deliverables.
Act as a liaison among functions to support unified project execution and delivery.
Develop and implement project-specific style guides and editing protocols.
Mentor and guide junior staff, provide feedback, and support their professional growth.
Improve editing processes and tools by leveraging technology to increase efficiency and document quality.
Manage multiple editing assignments and prioritize work to meet deadlines and budget constraints.
Provide feedback and guidance on complex technical documents to ensure accuracy and alignment with project goals.
Format and finalize reports of varying sizes and complexity, including text, tables, maps, graphics, and appendices.
Identify review bottlenecks, schedule risks, and staffing or workflow issues early; recommend solutions or escalate concerns as needed.
Maintain document control by tracking revisions, monitoring version control, and verifying changes.
Work with multiple authors in a single document.
Follow applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
Perform related work as assigned.