Senior Technical Writer

Job Description

Hybrid - This role is categorized as hybrid. The successful candidate is expected to report to Warren, Michigan, or Milford, Michigan, at least three times per week and more frequently when required by work assignments, validation activities, or program needs or other frequency dictated by the business.

About GM Defense

GM Defense is driving the future of military mobility by leveraging the best-in-class capabilities of General Motors for unmatched innovation, proven performance, and breakthrough life-cycle economics. We deliver dependable, affordable, and innovative products across a full spectrum of capabilities, including integrated vehicles, electrification, autonomy, robotics, and security.

Within GM Defense, the Integrated Product Support organization ensures that customers receive world-class aftermarket support. The team develops and sustains the documentation and support products required to keep GM Defense vehicles and systems operational throughout their lifecycle. This includes technical manuals, service information, parts cataloging, diagnostic software, service programming, design-for-serviceability inputs, field service support, and spare parts.

The role

GM Defense is seeking a Technical Writer to develop and sustain technical publications for high-voltage, battery, propulsion, and vehicle-system programs. This role supports multiple GM Defense programs and converts engineering, service, and logistics data into accurate, usable, and compliant procedures for military and commercial audiences.

The Technical Writer works under general supervision and partners with the Technical Publications Team Lead, service and sustainment engineers, design engineers, graphic artists, technicians, and subject matter experts.

Deliverables may include military technical manuals, GM Service Information procedures, operator and maintenance manuals, training content, troubleshooting procedures, parts-related documentation, and other technical-publication products required by the assigned program.

Experience may come from GM Service Information or from military, aerospace, heavy-equipment, industrial, or other structured technical-publication environments. The selected candidate will be expected to learn the authoring standards, systems, and deliverable formats required for assigned programs.

What you'll do

• Independently plan and execute assigned technical-publication work packages under general supervision, balancing scope, quality, and schedule across multiple programs.
• Analyze engineering drawings, CAD and 3D math data, wiring schematics, requirements, parts information, software information, and engineering changes to identify the technical content needed for a publication.
• Author, edit, update, and maintain operator, maintenance, repair, troubleshooting, parts, and training content for military and commercial applications.
• Develop content in the applicable structured-authoring environment, including XML/SGML-based tools, GM Service Information authoring systems, and military technical-publication systems.
• Translate complex engineering and service information into clear, concise, actionable procedures that support safe operation, maintenance, diagnosis, and repair.
• Apply applicable writing, terminology, safety, warning, caution, note, illustration, and formatting standards, including Simplified Technical English when required.
• Work with high-voltage and vehicle-system engineers and subject matter experts to validate technical content, resolve discrepancies, and ensure safety-critical information is complete and correctly represented.
• Identify required line art, exploded views, schematics, and other graphics; coordinate with the graphic artist; integrate graphics into procedures; and verify that the final figures support the written steps.
• Manage revisions, change incorporation, traceability, and document version control as engineering designs and program requirements evolve.
• Participate in hands-on validation and verification with technicians, vehicles, equipment, and customers when assigned. Document discrepancies and drive them to closure with the appropriate technical owner.
• Resolve moderate-scope documentation problems independently, use sound judgment within established processes, and escalate issues that require engineering authority or customer direction.
• Recommend practical improvements to authoring, content reuse, quality, review, validation, and delivery processes within the technical-publications work area.
• Communicate status, risks, dependencies, and potential schedule impacts early to the Technical Publications Team Lead and affected partners.
• Maintain a safe work environment and follow all applicable GM Defense, customer, facility, and high-voltage safety requirements.

Your Skills and Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Associate's or bachelor's degree in graphic design, technical illustration, technical communication, fine arts, engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of demonstrated experience creating technical illustrations or graphics for automotive, defense, aerospace, aviation, military, or comparable safety-critical technical publications.
• Working knowledge of high-voltage and electric-vehicle systems, battery systems, propulsion, controls, or related vehicle electrical systems sufficient to author accurate content with engineering subject matter experts.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, CAD or 3D math, parts lists, wiring schematics, requirements, and engineering changes.
• Ability to organize and complete multiple assignments independently under general supervision while meeting quality and delivery commitments.
• Strong technical writing, editing, analytical, organizational, and cross-functional communication skills.
• Experience with a structured-authoring, XML/SGML, content-management, PLM, or comparable technical-publication environment, or demonstrated ability to learn those systems.
• Ability to work safely around vehicles, high-voltage systems, test equipment, and maintenance activities as required by assigned work.
• Candidate must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).
• Eligible to obtain Secret U.S. Security Clearance after hire.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Common Access Card.

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Active Secret U.S. Security Clearance as of the first day of work.
• Experience authoring GM Service Information using Global Service Authoring, Arbortext, GM MATH, Electronic Parts Catalog, or related GM service-authoring tools.
• Experience developing military or aerospace technical manuals using one or more applicable standards, such as MIL-STD-40051, MIL-STD-3031, MIL-STD-38784, MIL-STD-2361, or S1000D.
• Experience with Teamcenter, structured XML editors, Interactive Electronic Technical Manual processes, Interactive Authoring and Display Software, Adobe Illustrator, or comparable tools.
• Experience in automotive, defense, aerospace, marine, heavy-equipment, industrial, or other safety-critical technical environments.
• Experience performing physical validation, verification, logistics demonstrations, maintenance evaluations, or technician-facing technical reviews.
• High-voltage safety training or certification applicable to the assigned program.
• Bachelor's degree in technical writing, English, communications, engineering, computer science, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience improving technical-publication workflows, templates, content reuse, quality checks, traceability, or review processes.
• Experience leading or training others in technical writing, high-voltage safety, maintenance, or related technical skills.
• Green Belt or Black Belt certification.

#GMD

This position requires eligibility to access classified information at the Secret U.S. Security Clearance level for which the U.S. Government requires U.S. Citizenship. The successful candidate must have eligibility to access classified information at that level.
GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc).This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}.The selected candidate will be required to travel <25% for this role.This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.The position is subject to export control restrictions and requires the successful candidate to be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).
About GM

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