Technical Writer III

Job Description

Job Description

ARES is seeking an experienced technical writer capable of reviewing and editing technical content to support the NASA Safety Center (NSC) and its parent organization, NASA’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA). The mission of the NSC is to provide Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) training and development expertise; information; verification; and analysis to enable collaboration and learning while promoting a safe workplace and successful programs and projects. The NSC vision is to be NASA’s preeminent resource for SMA expertise, data and tools.

The qualified writer will apply consistent voice, check for correct grammar, and use various style guides. The ability to understand highly technical information and repurpose it into news articles and other products for the NASA community is required. The writer will review and revise new and existing technical documents, such as policy documents and manuals, for style and quality. This requires a comprehensive understanding of style guide and grammatical rules and the ability to discuss recommended edits with technical content owners.

The Technical Writer will report to ARES management but support our Banner Quality Management Inc. (BQMI) Prime Contractor teammates and government customers at the NSC, located in Cleveland, Ohio.

Responsibilities

• Review, edit and rewrite portions of technical documents written by subject matter experts to improve grammatical quality and consistency. Provide explanations of recommended updates, as necessary.
  • Review and correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
  • Correct inconsistencies in capitalization, compounding, number style, abbreviations, and sequence of anything alphabetical or numerical.
  • Put text into a specific style (Associated Press, Government Publishing Office and local style guides).
  • Rewrite to make parallel.
  • Replace passive constructions with active voice, when appropriate.
  • Evaluate tone and organization.
  • Rework awkward sections.
  • Eliminate redundancies.
• Provide technical writing services for all phases and finalization of technical documents.
• Integrate reviewer comments and resolve all questions arising from reviews.
• Manage the review process and production with other team members (e.g., designers, videographers) and also customers for developed pieces.
• Develop content for a variety of deliverables to communicate key messages about NSC and OSMA products, services and strategies for NASA’s SMA audience.
• Research, write, edit and publish content online through a Content Management System; content may include articles, case studies, presentations, reports, videos and more.
• Extract information from interviews, technical documents and metrics for use in NSC and OSMA products.
• Provide support to other NSC offices and OSMA discipline and program owners to achieve their communication goals.
• Track and prioritize work to assure that quality and time requirements are met, keeping projects and tasks updated as work progresses.
• Contribute content for required reports.
• Build and maintain close working relationships with NSC and OSMA customers to understand communication needs and assist with communication strategies.
• Build and maintain in-depth knowledge of the NSC and OSMA organization’s products, services, strategies and operations.
• Craft creative, unique and relevant online content.
• Conduct peer reviews of content from other writers.

Minimum Requirements

• Required Education – Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, English or related field.
• Required Experience – A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience.
• On-site Work Component – The position requires being on-site at the NASA Safety Center in Cleveland, OH. Requirement is currently one day on-site per week, but subject to change in the future.
• Work Samples – Writing samples verifying skills proficiency are required.
• Essential Skills
  • Superior command of the English language.
  • Demonstrated ability to leverage relationships with stakeholders to assemble materials, gather project details, and meet deadlines.
  • Strong research skills including gathering and analyzing data from multiple sources (subject matter experts, project managers) to develop content.
  • Ability to manage multiple high-priority projects and communicate conflicts.
  • Ability to quickly learn new systems, including Content Management Systems and project management systems.
  • Experience working with and applying content style guides.
  • Experience reviewing and revising new and existing technical documents, such as policy documents and manuals.
  • Experience working with all levels of an organization, including leadership.
  • Demonstrated experience writing a in a variety of styles (voices, products, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience
  • Background in science or technology a plus.
  • Experience in an engineering, technical, or research environment a plus.
  • Knowledge of, or ability to learn, subject matter of a scientific and technical nature.
  • Experience with Content Management Systems preferred.
  • Previous experience working in a NASA or federal government environment preferred.
  • Experience with promotional writing a plus.
• Personality or Self-Management Skills
  • Ability to interface with high-level customers in a respectful and professional manner.
  • Detail-oriented with the ability to follow specific direction.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects at once.
  • Willingness to learn new tools, technologies and systems.
  • Self-motivated, self-starter.
  • Collaborative.
  • Strong analytical, planning, organizational and time management skills.
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Tools
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including SharePoint.
  • Experience with Adobe Creative Suite or Creative Cloud products a plus.

Education

• Required Education - Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, English or related field.

ARES Benefits:

ARES offers a competitive compensation and benefit package. Full time employees may participate in:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• HSA/FSA Accounts
• Life & Disability Insurance
• Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
• ESOP
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid Time Off & Holiday

ARES is an equal opportunity employer and complies with E-Verify. We believe in hiring a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive culture. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, such as disability and veteran status, or any other basis covered under applicable law. ARES shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a).