Lead Technical Writer – Navy Submarine Sonar & Sensor Systems
About The Position
As an Advanced Technical Writing Specialist 2 at GDMS, you will work in a dynamic team environment to create and validate XML-based documentation products that enable sailors to operate and maintain complex submarine-based sonar and sensor systems. This role blends senior-level technical writing expertise with team leadership responsibilities, making it ideal for a seasoned professional who is as comfortable mentoring others as they are crafting precision documentation. The ideal candidate brings extensive experience with S1000D/XML-based authoring standards and a strong familiarity with complex U.S. Navy Submarine Sonar and Sensor systems. From writing new or enhancing existing technical product guides, as our Advanced Technical Writing Specialist, your talent will be front and center. You’ll create, develop, plan, write and edit complex operational, instructional, interactive electronic technical manuals (IETMs), maintenance or test procedures for paper, multimedia or web-based publication. We’ll depend on you to act as the primary technical editor on client deliverables. You’ll implement editorial and document governance standards for quality and style; ensure all assigned deliverables meet these standards.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in a related specialized area or field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience, plus a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree plus a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience.
- Department of Defense Secret security clearance is required at time of hire.
- U.S. citizenship is required.
- Experience using S1000D and publishing IETMs using the SIDD viewer.
- Understanding of S1000D Applicability application and usage.
- Ability to research unfamiliar technology and translate complex information into clear, accessible documentation for both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Strong proficiency writing and editing technical documentation in various formats (.doc, .PDF, HTML, XML/SGML-tagged IETMs).
- Proficient with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams — Word and Excel a must).
- Solid knowledge of DoD MIL standards and style guides and the ability to implement them in technical documentation.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to tailor messaging to the target audience through effective listening and interviewing.
- Meticulous attention to detail.
- Strong knowledge of the structure and content of the English language, including spelling, grammar, and rules of composition.
Nice To Haves
- 9 or more years of experience developing technical documentation for the creation of operator/maintenance IETMs, including operating procedures, troubleshooting and fault isolation procedures, functional descriptions, and physical descriptions.
- Familiarity with military documentation using current DoD specifications and standards, including MIL-STD-3001, MIL-STD-38784, MIL-STD-24784, and MIL-STD-40051-2C.
- Experience using an XML editor (e.g., XMLSpy, Arbortext).
- Ability to decipher Bill of Materials (BOMs) and use that information to create and develop complex IETMs.
- Experience interfacing with SMEs and/or Sea Systems Command government/contractor community.
- Basic understanding of JIRA and Confluence.
- Familiarity with basic graphic design principles.
- Understanding of a repository-based content management system (e.g., TortoiseSVN).
- A hunger to learn new information quickly and handle increasing responsibilities with growing complexity.
- A team player who thrives in collaborative environments and revels in team success.
Responsibilities
- Create and validate XML-based documentation products for submarine-based sonar and sensor systems.
- Act as the primary technical editor on client deliverables.
- Implement editorial and document governance standards for quality and style.
- Ensure all assigned deliverables meet company and customer standards.
- Mentor and guide a technical writing team.
- Support the ILS Manager with staffing, training, performance evaluations, and project delivery.
- Participate in peer reviews and maintain documentation lifecycles.
- Create, develop, plan, write and edit complex operational, instructional, interactive electronic technical manuals (IETMs), maintenance or test procedures for paper, multimedia or web-based publication.
Benefits
- Highly competitive benefits
- Flexible work environment
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
