Policy and Technical Writer Editor (SME) (5777) (TS/SCI) (Ft. Belvoir, VA)

SMX is seeking a Policy and Technical Writer, SME to produce and maintain policy and technical documentation supporting Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) data, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, application security, and zero trust mission requirements. The position combines senior policy writing expertise with technical communication, editorial quality control, and document lifecycle management to deliver clear, accurate products for Government review and approval. This is a 40 hour per week onsite position.

This is a full-time onsite position in Ft. Belvoir, VA.

Responsibilities & Essential Duties

Policy Drafting and Document Management

• Serve as the principal policy writing subject matter expert, researching applicable authorities and Government-furnished requirements to prepare draft policies, procedures, guidelines, and supporting documentation. Refer legal interpretation questions to designated Government officials.
• Draft and revise documentation for data management, AI, cloud, and application security using Government-established policy direction, mission priorities, and technical inputs.
• Coordinate document reviews and staffing; maintain comment matrices, redlines, version histories, approval records, and publication packages for Government approval and authorized release.
• Maintain traceability among cited authorities, mission requirements, draft policy provisions, and documented implementation dependencies. Identify inconsistencies for Government resolution.

Technical Writing and Editing

• Lead the translation of complex AI, data engineering, cloud, and zero trust information into clear policy documents, procedures, user guidance, and technical reference materials.
• Draft strategy documents that reflect Government-established objectives and decisions; incorporate approved content and stakeholder inputs without assuming responsibility for enterprise strategy or policy decisions.
• Consolidate stakeholder feedback, document unresolved comments, and prepare coordinated revisions for Government review. Lead contractor editorial quality control and mentor junior writers.

Risk and Compliance Documentation

• Incorporate approved risk-management requirements, including applicable Risk Management Framework (RMF) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance, into policy and procedural documentation.
• Draft and maintain documentation addressing data, AI, cloud, third-party, and IT supply-chain risks using approved requirements and inputs from responsible security and technical personnel.
• Check documentation for completeness, consistency, and alignment with applicable requirements; record gaps and route them to designated Government officials. Maintain records of approved changes without certifying system compliance or accepting risk.

**Work is limited to policy and technical documentation deliverables within the authorized contract scope. This position does not perform systems engineering and technical assistance (SETA), acquisition advisory services, source selection support, or independent technical oversight. The Government retains responsibility for policy direction, legal interpretation, approval, enforcement, risk acceptance, and official issuance. Contractor personnel perform their work under contractor supervision.

Required Skills and Experience

• Active Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) eligibility required. Must be able to obtain and maintain SCI access and additional accesses required for the assigned work.
• Bachelor's degree in English, Communications, Public Policy, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of directly relevant experience in policy drafting, technical writing, or editing, including at least 3 years producing enterprise policy or governance documentation in a DoD or IC environment.
• Demonstrated experience drafting policy documents and translating complex technical and regulatory material into clear, accurate guidance for Government review and approval.
• Demonstrated ability to document data management, AI, cloud computing, application security, and zero trust requirements in collaboration with technical subject matter experts.
• Experience coordinating document reviews across functions, managing senior stakeholder feedback, maintaining document control, and mentoring junior writers.
• Demonstrated attention to accuracy and detail; active listening and clear communication; timely delivery of quality documents; sound judgment in resolving ambiguous drafting requirements; effective collaboration; and the ability to identify and clearly document risks, assumptions, and unresolved issues.

Desired Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant field and direct experience producing policy documentation for DoD or IC enterprise data and AI initiatives.
• Experience with ICD 504, Intelligence Community Data Management; ICD 505, Artificial Intelligence; RMF; applicable NIST Special Publications; and security and data governance frameworks.
• Experience authoring documentation covering AI and machine learning, data engineering, cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS), and zero trust architecture.
• Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC), ITIL Foundation or higher, or Project Management Professional (PMP). Security+ or another applicable DoD 8140 qualification is desired only when relevant to an assigned cyber work role; any mandatory qualification is governed by the contract.

Application Deadline: November 30, 2026

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The SMX salary determination process takes into account a number of factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories, relevant prior work experience, specific skills, education and certifications. At SMX, one of our Core Values is to Invest in Our People so we offer a competitive mix of compensation, learning & development opportunities, and benefits. Some key components of our robust benefits include health insurance, paid leave, and retirement.

The proposed salary for this position is:

$165,000—$180,000 USD

At SMX®, we are a team of technical and domain experts dedicated to enabling your mission. From priority national security initiatives for the DoD to highly assured and compliant solutions for healthcare, we understand that digital transformation is key to your future success.

We share your vision for the future and strive to accelerate your impact on the world. We bring both cutting edge technology and an expansive view of what’s possible to every engagement. Our delivery model and unique approaches harness our deep technical and domain knowledge, providing forward-looking insights and practical solutions to power secure mission acceleration.

SMX is an Equal Opportunity employer including disabilities and veterans.

Selected applicant may be subject to a background investigation and/or education verification.

SMX does not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization or immigration related support for this position (i.e. H1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, E-2, E-3, L-1 and O-1, or any EADs or other forms of work authorization that require immigration support from an employer).