Technical Writer

Technical Writer - Pilot Plant Training & Documentation

Position: Technical Writer

Location: 1025 Reese Ave, Hershey, PA 17033

Work Arrangement: Onsite

Interview: Phone Screening followed by In-Person/F2F Interview

Contract: September 21, 2026 - September 20, 2027

Schedule: Part-Time, Tuesday-Thursday, 7:00 AM-3:30 PM

Position Overview


The Technical Writer will be responsible for developing equipment training documentation, work instructions, process procedures, and learning materials for the Pilot Plant. The role will help ensure operators have clear, accurate, and safety-focused documentation to effectively operate, clean, set up, troubleshoot, and maintain Pilot Plant equipment.


The Technical Writer will work closely with R&D, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) teams and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to gather technical information, observe equipment and processes, and translate complex operational information into easy-to-follow training content.


The ideal candidate will have food manufacturing or regulated manufacturing experience , strong technical writing skills, experience creating training content, and good mechanical aptitude.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and maintain training materials, including:
  • Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
  • Process procedures
  • Step-up/setup cards
  • One-point lessons
  • Work instructions
  • Equipment training documentation
• Develop clear, concise, and operator-focused learning content for Pilot Plant equipment.
• Work with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, R&D, and Safety teams to gather and validate technical information.
• Observe SMEs and production-floor activities to document equipment operation and process flow accurately.
• Document equipment setup, operation, cleaning, troubleshooting, changeover, breakdown, and reassembly procedures .
• Capture photographs and videos of equipment and processes for use in training materials and the LMS.
• Support learning content development using Adobe Creative Cloud and other content-creation tools.
• Assist with the development and review of Job Safety Analysis (JSA) documentation.
• Incorporate applicable safety, quality, sanitation, and compliance requirements into training materials.
• Standardize documentation structure, instructional formats, and operator competency requirements.
• Simplify complex technical information while retaining all critical operational and safety requirements.
• Validate documentation with SMEs and operational personnel to ensure accuracy and usability.
• Conduct periodic follow-up evaluations with machine operators to assess skill retention and identify refresher-training needs.
• Prioritize content-development activities to meet project and training milestones.
• Research equipment and processes as needed to develop accurate training documentation.
• Monitor and document equipment during normal operation, breakdown, disassembly, and reassembly.
• Participate in daily project/status meetings and communicate progress, issues, and priorities.
• Perform other duties supporting Tech Center training and operational requirements.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ consecutive years of food manufacturing experience , preferably at the same facility.
• Proven experience creating technical training content and documentation .
• Experience documenting manufacturing equipment, processes, procedures, or operations.
• Strong technical writing and procedure-development skills.
• Mechanical aptitude and an ability to understand how machinery and manufacturing processes operate.
• Experience working directly with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to gather and validate technical information.
• Ability to work comfortably on a production floor and follow required PPE and safety procedures.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to translate complex technical information into clear, operator-friendly instructions.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Preferred Industry Experience


Candidates with experience in the following environments are highly preferred:

• Food manufacturing
• Consumer packaged goods (CPG)
• R&D / Pilot Plant
• Regulated manufacturing
• Manufacturing operations
• Equipment training
• Sanitation and quality
• Manufacturing safety / EHS

Technical Skills

Microsoft Office:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Office

Content & Documentation Tools:

• Snagit
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Microsoft Copilot
• LMS platforms
• iPad/tablet operation

Top 3 Technical Skills

1. Technical Writing & Procedure Development
2. Manufacturing Equipment & Process Documentation
3. Mechanical Aptitude & Equipment Troubleshooting Awareness

Ideal Candidate Profile


The ideal candidate will be a Technical Writer, Manufacturing Technical Writer, Training Specialist, Documentation Specialist, Manufacturing Trainer, or Operations Specialist who has hands-on experience in a food manufacturing or regulated manufacturing environment.


Candidates with experience at companies such as The Hershey Company, Mondelēz, Bell & Evans, Mars, or Frito-Lay would be particularly relevant.

Candidate Screening Questions

1. Have you previously worked in a food manufacturing environment?
2. What tools/software have you used to create technical documentation, training materials, photographs, videos, or learning content?
3. Have you documented equipment operation, cleaning, setup, troubleshooting, or changeover procedures? Please provide an example.
4. What types of manufacturing equipment have you created documentation for?
5. Who was the target audience for the training/documentation you created?
6. How would you describe your mechanical aptitude? How do you approach learning how a machine or process works?
7. How do you validate technical documentation before releasing it to users?
8. How do you ensure technical documentation is accurate, easy to follow, and appropriate for the intended audience?
9. Describe your experience working with SMEs to gather and validate technical information.
10. Are you comfortable working on a production floor, wearing required PPE, and observing equipment during operation, breakdown, and reassembly?
11. Do you have experience incorporating safety, quality, sanitation, or compliance requirements into training or procedural documentation? Please provide an example.