Technical Writer

Emergence Software • Beaverton, OR

21d • Remote

About The Position

GemTalk Systems is seeking a Senior Technical Writer to own the comprehensive documentation strategy and execution for its core database and middleware products across release cycles. This role involves planning and delivering production-ready documentation, including installation guides, administration manuals, API references, programming guides, migration guides, and release notes. The writer will translate engineering specifications and code into clear prose for developer audiences, audit and improve existing documentation, and establish documentation standards. This position also requires creating and maintaining customer-facing knowledge base articles, gathering feedback for continuous improvement, owning the documentation toolchain and publishing pipeline, and producing various documentation formats (PDF, HTML, web-based). The role involves creating graphics and diagrams to illustrate system architecture and workflows.

Requirements

• 5+ years of technical writing experience for developer-facing software like databases, application servers, or infrastructure software.
• Proven ability to understand complex technical systems by reading code and collaborating with engineers; portfolio demonstrating clear, well-structured documentation.
• Experience documenting APIs, command-line tools, configuration files, system administration procedures, and release notes.
• Proficiency with documentation tools like Adobe FrameMaker, DITA, Docusaurus, AsciiDoc, LaTeX, or similar.
• Proficiency creating and editing graphics files (PNG, SVG).
• Comfort working in Linux/Unix environments, running commands, and reading code in C, C++, Smalltalk, Java, and Python to verify accuracy.
• Strong organizational and time management skills to manage multiple simultaneous documentation projects across release schedules.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with object-oriented programming concepts and languages like Smalltalk, Python, or Java.
• Experience documenting database systems, transaction processing platforms, or enterprise middleware.
• Background working in small, highly technical teams where self-direction and broad ownership are expected.
• Exposure to financial services, insurance, or telecommunications software environments.
• Experience with single-sourcing documentation for multiple product versions or configurations.

Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver production-ready documentation for each GemTalk product release aligned with software timelines.
• Produce installation guides, administration manuals, API references, programming guides, migration guides, and release notes.
• Translate engineering specifications, code, and interviews into clear, precise prose for developer audiences.
• Audit existing documentation libraries for gaps, inconsistencies, and outdated content; execute remediation with measurable improvements.
• Establish and enforce documentation standards, style guides, and templates across all GemTalk publications.
• Partner with software engineers and SVP/CTO to capture new features and breaking changes during product planning cycles.
• Create and maintain customer-facing knowledge base articles, FAQs, troubleshooting guides, and technical notes based on support feedback.
• Gather feedback from customers and support engineers to continuously improve documentation usability.
• Own the documentation toolchain, publishing pipeline, and source control for all documentation assets.
• Produce print-ready PDF, HTML, and web-based searchable documentation formats.
• Create and maintain graphics and diagrams (PNG, SVG) to illustrate system architecture and workflows.

Benefits

• Market-competitive salary.
• A role with significant ownership and direct impact on a product trusted by major global enterprises.
• Collaborative, deeply experienced engineering team with decades of domain expertise.
• Stable, mission-critical work: We have powered enterprise systems continuously for over 40 years.
• The opportunity to grow with a company at an exciting inflection point following its acquisition by Emergence.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed