Technical Writer (Entry Level to SME) TS/SCI with Poly REQUIRED

Technical Writer (Entry Level To Sme) Ts/Sci With Poly Required

CGI Federal has an exciting opportunity for technical writers within our intel sector advancing the national security mission through cutting edge technology. You must have a passion for keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology advancements and leveraging your knowledge on a highly collaborative team to deliver state-of-the-art capabilities. The technical writer translates complex information into easy-to-understand guides, FAQs, and manuals. They research products, collaborate with subject matter experts, and format content to help users easily understand how things work. CGI federal is growing its high-performance team whose members share a passion for building high-quality, scalable, advanced IT solutions in a collaborative, fast-paced, outcome-driven mission. This position is located in our Arlington office; however, a hybrid working model is acceptable.

Your Future Duties And Responsibilities

Key responsibilities (entry level):

• Draft content: write and update simple user manuals, how-to guides, and FAQs for a non-technical audience.
• Collaborate: interview subject matter experts (engineers/developers) to gather accurate information about how a product works.
• Edit: proofread and format documents to ensure they match company style guidelines.
• Visualize: add screenshots, charts, or basic diagrams to make instructions easier to follow.

Key responsibilities (junior level/moderate):

• Create content: draft, edit, and maintain user-facing documentation, FAQs, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Research & translate: study product samples, interview subject matter experts, and translate complex technical concepts into digestible instructions.
• Maintain guidelines: adhere to in-house style guides to ensure consistency across all documentation platforms.
• Collaborate: work alongside developers, product managers, and UI/UX teams to improve user assistance and product interface text.
• Review & update: test products to verify documentation accuracy and incorporate user feedback to refine content.
• Visual integration: incorporate graphs, charts, and diagrams to increase user comprehension.

Key responsibilities (mid-level):

• Document creation: write, edit, and maintain complex operational procedures, system manuals, API documentation, and installation guides.
• Subject matter expert (SME) collaboration: conduct structured interviews with engineers, developers, and scientists to extract dense technical information and translate it into accessible language.
• Quality & compliance: perform QA reviews to ensure all deliverables satisfy program requirements, industry/legal compliance, and internal corporate style guides.
• Visual integration: design and incorporate clear diagrams, flowcharts, infographics, and UI/UX text to enhance overall content usability.
• Configuration & version control: manage version control and maintain a comprehensive library of technical documentation.
• User advocacy: gather and analyze user feedback to continuously improve documentation.

Key responsibilities (senior level):

• Documentation authoring: independently research, plan, and write highly complex technical content, including API documentation, software architecture guides, white papers, and system-level standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Subject matter expert (SME) collaboration: conduct in-depth interviews with senior engineers, developers, and scientists to extract, analyze, and synthesize large volumes of technical data.
• Information architecture: determine the most logical and user-friendly way to present information. Standardize content, nomenclature, and messaging across internal and external knowledge bases.
• Visual integration: collaborate closely with UI/UX designers and technical illustrators to embed conceptual diagrams, data flow charts, screenshot markups, and multimedia elements that clarify complex processes.
• Quality assurance & editing: edit, proofread, and standardize content developed by junior writers or other technical staff. Ensure compliance with strict internal style guides, legal regulations, and accessibility standards (e.g., Section 508 compliance).
• Continuous improvement: monitor feedback analytics, evaluate documentation usage metrics, and iterate on existing content to drive measurable improvements in comprehension, searchability, and customer support deflection.

Key responsibilities (SME level):

• Information architecture & strategy: design and maintain robust documentation sets, developer portals, and API reference guides. Define content management strategies, single-sourcing workflows, and structured authoring methodologies.
• Cross-functional collaboration: act as the strategic anchor between technical experts and end-users. Synthesize highly abstract system architecture, complex data models, and API specifications into minimalist, task-oriented documentation.
• Docs-as-code integration: work natively within engineering workflows, utilizing version control systems (like Git/GitHub) and continuous integration (CI/CD) pipelines to review, test, and deploy documentation alongside code.
• User advocacy & UX copy: proactively influence product design by ensuring UI text, error messages, and onboarding workflows are user-centric, accessible, and intuitive.
• Mentorship & quality assurance: establish and enforce rigorous style guidelines and technical governance. Review and edit content produced by peers and junior writers to ensure accuracy and standardized formatting.
• Metrics & continuous improvement: monitor documentation analytics, track user feedback, and iterate on content to drive measurable improvements in comprehension, searchability, and customer support deflection.

Required Qualifications To Be Successful In This Role

All roles require an active TS/SCI with poly.

Entry level:

• Education: high school diploma/GED with 4 years of relevant experience, associates degree with 2 years of relevant experience, or bachelor's degree with 0 years of relevant experience.
• Writing skills: strong written and verbal communication skills.

Junior level/moderate:

• Education: high school diploma/GED with 6 years of relevant experience, associates degree with 4 years of relevant experience, bachelor's degree with 2 years of relevant experience, or masters degree with 0 years of relevant experience.
• Writing skills: exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a keen eye for detail.
• Technical aptitude: ability to quickly grasp technical concepts and software tools.
• Soft skills: strong communication, active listening, and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Tools: familiarity with documentation and design software (e.g., MadCap Flare, Adobe FrameMaker, Confluence, Microsoft Word, or Markdown).
• Tech-savvy: ability to learn new software and technical concepts quickly.
• Attention to detail: meticulous eye for grammar, formatting, and clarity.

Mid-level/complex:

• Education: high school diploma/GED with 8 years of relevant experience, associates degree with 6 years of relevant experience, bachelor's degree with 4 years of relevant experience, or masters degree with 2 years of relevant experience, or PhD with 0 years of relevant experience.
• Technical aptitude: ability to interpret system architecture, schematics, code excerpts, and product samples to integrate them into technical literature.
• Tool proficiency: experience with content management systems (e.g., Confluence, MadCap Flare), version control tools, and diagramming software (e.g., Lucidchart, Visio).
• Soft skills: detail-oriented with exceptional organizational skills, capable of managing multiple assignments with competing deadlines.

Senior level/exceptionally complex:

• Education: high school diploma/GED with 10 years of relevant experience, associates degree with 8 years of relevant experience, bachelor's degree with 6 years of relevant experience, or masters degree with 4 years of relevant experience, or PhD with 2 years of relevant experience.
• Technical proficiency: advanced knowledge of industry-standard documentation tools and content management systems (CMS). Familiarity with authoring in Markdown, XML, or HTML. Hands-on experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) is highly desirable.
• Analytical skills: exceptional ability to grasp complex technical data and deconstruct it for specific target audiences, ranging from non-technical end-users to expert developers.
• Soft skills: strong project management abilities, excellent cross-team communication, and a high degree of empathy for the end-user. Ability to work autonomously and manage multiple concurrent projects under tight deadlines.

SME level/exceptionally complex:

• Education: high school diploma/GED with 12 years of relevant experience, associates degree with 10 years of relevant experience, bachelor's degree with 8 years of relevant experience, or masters degree with 6 years of relevant experience, or PhD with 4 years of relevant experience.