Senior Technical Editor/Writer
About The Position
The Senior Technical Editor/Writer serves as the senior editorial lead for executive, scientific, policy, programmatic, and public-facing communications supporting a federal public health program. The role provides advanced writing, substantive editing, copyediting, quality assurance, and editorial oversight for executive correspondence, memoranda, briefings, reports, policy documents, presentations, talking points, websites, blogs, campaigns, and multimedia content. This position ensures communications are scientifically accurate, concise, accessible, strategically aligned, and appropriate for their intended audiences. The Senior Technical Editor/Writer also establishes editorial consistency, advises staff on tone and style, manages complex review cycles, mentors writers, and supports rapid-turnaround assignments for senior leadership and high-priority public health initiatives.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, communications, technical writing, public health, life sciences, public policy, or a related field.
- At least 10 years of progressively responsible professional writing and editing experience.
- At least five years supporting executive, scientific, technical, public health, policy, or Government communications.
- Experience serving as a senior editor, lead writer, managing editor, or comparable editorial authority.
- Extensive experience producing executive briefings, memoranda, reports, summaries, correspondence, presentations, or talking points.
- Demonstrated ability to edit complex scientific, medical, technical, or policy information for diverse audiences.
- Advanced knowledge of grammar, structure, tone, voice, readability, and editorial quality assurance.
- Strong command of plain-language principles and Section 508 accessibility requirements.
- Experience developing or applying style guides, templates, editorial procedures, and quality-control standards.
- Ability to manage complex review cycles, conflicting feedback, and rapid-turnaround assignments.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in public health, communications, journalism, English, technical writing, public policy, or a related field.
- Experience supporting executive leadership within a federal health, scientific, or civilian Government organization.
- Knowledge of infectious diseases, HIV, vaccines, immunization, viral hepatitis, or related public health topics.
- Experience with emerging health threats, outbreak response, health equity, or community-engagement communications.
- Experience editing academic manuscripts, literature reviews, scientific reports, or evidence-based policy documents.
- Familiarity with federal plain-writing guidance, AP Style, Chicago style, or Government editorial standards.
- Experience with Drupal, WordPress, Adobe Experience Manager, or another content-management system.
- Experience mentoring writers and leading editorial workflows or document-quality reviews.
Responsibilities
- Lead writing, substantive editing, copyediting, proofreading, and final quality review of high-visibility communications.
- Develop executive correspondence, memoranda, briefing papers, executive summaries, reports, talking points, Q&A documents, and presentations.
- Translate complex scientific, medical, technical, policy, and program information for executive and public audiences.
- Review products for accuracy, structure, tone, readability, accessibility, consistency, and strategic alignment.
- Provide editorial oversight for websites, blogs, reports, campaign products, webinar materials, and multimedia scripts.
- Coordinate with subject matter experts to verify terminology, data, citations, recommendations, and policy statements.
- Develop and maintain style guides, templates, editorial procedures, quality-control checklists, and writing standards.
- Advise project staff on voice, tone, messaging, audience considerations, and editorial risk.
- Mentor writers and editors and provide constructive feedback and editorial direction.
- Manage multi-level review, comment reconciliation, version control, and Government clearance processes.
- Support strategic communication plans, literature reviews, academic manuscripts, and evidence-based policy documents.
- Provide rapid-response editorial support for outbreaks, policy changes, breaking news, and executive priorities.
Benefits
- Generous medical, dental, and vision plans.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
