Technical Author

Ridgway Machines Ltd; Braunstone Town; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary £35k–£45k

37.5 hour week

Free parking

25 days paid annual leave

Company Bonus

Pension

Training and Personal Development

Travel opportunities

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Ridgway Machines Ltd, based near Leicester, is seeking a Technical Author to transform engineering knowledge into clear, practical documentation for customers and internal teams. The role will own documentation activities, freeing engineers to focus on delivery while raising documentation standards.

You will create manuals, build instructions and assembly guides, bridging design information with production. A strong ability to interpret drawings and communicate clearly is essential for success.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Technical Writer/Author in engineering environments.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specs.
• Clear written communication and high attention to detail.
• Ability to simplify complex technical concepts for varied audiences.

Responsibilities

• Create operation and maintenance manuals, installation guides and service documentation.
• Produce build notes and assembly instructions for manufacturing teams.
• Gather information from engineering drawings, specifications and discussions.
• Ensure technical accuracy with engineers, project managers and production teams.
• Maintain diagrams, illustrations, photographs and annotated content.

Skills

Technical Author

Engineering drawings

Written communication

Attention to detail

Time management

Microsoft Office

Stakeholder collaboration

Tools

CAD systems

Engineering document control systems

Document management systems

Job description

With over 100 years of engineering excellence, Ridgway Machines is a world-leading manufacturer of precision taping and winding machines for the electrical, energy, and oil & gas industries. Recently acquired by Tokamak Energy to accelerate superconducting technology, we're involved in some of the world's most exciting engineering projects—including ITER's Fusion Power Plant and CERN's Large Hadron Collider.

From innovative designs to global customer support, we deliver expert solutions for clients worldwide. Based at Meridian Business Park in Leicester, we're a skilled team of specialist engineers working at the cutting edge of power generation machinery.

About the Role

We are seeking a Technical Author to help transform engineering knowledge into clear, professional and practical documentation that supports both customers and internal teams.

This is a newly created role driven by business growth and the increasing demand for high-quality technical documentation. The successful candidate will take ownership of documentation activities, freeing technical teams to focus on engineering delivery while ensuring documentation standards continue to improve.

The role goes beyond producing customer manuals. You will also create shop-floor build instructions and assembly guidance, acting as a bridge between engineering design information and production teams. As a result, we are looking for someone who can understand technical drawings and engineering concepts and communicate them in a clear, structured and user-friendly way.

Key Responsibilities

• Create operation and maintenance manuals, installation guides and service documentation.
• Produce build notes and assembly instructions for manufacturing teams.
• Gather information from engineering drawings, specifications, schematics and technical discussions.
• Work closely with engineers, project managers and production personnel to ensure technical accuracy.
• Create and maintain diagrams, illustrations, photographs and annotated technical content.
• Ensure documentation complies with relevant standards and company procedures.
• Manage document control, version control and revision processes.
• Prepare complete documentation packs for customer handover.
• Continuously improve document quality, usability and consistency.

What Success Looks Like

• Producing clear, professional documentation that is easily understood by customers and production teams.
• Reducing the administrative burden on engineering and quality departments.
• Establishing consistent documentation standards across projects.
• Improving the quality and usability of internal build instructions and customer manuals.

Requirements

Essential

• Experience as a Technical Author, Technical Writer or in a similar documentation-focused role.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications and technical information.
• Excellent written communication skills and exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to simplify complex technical concepts for different audiences.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and document management systems.
• Experience collaborating with technical stakeholders in engineering, manufacturing or industrial environments.

Desirable

• Manufacturing, automation, special purpose machinery or industrial engineering environments.
• Knowledge of machinery regulations and relevant technical standards.
• Experience using CAD systems or engineering document control systems.
• Experience producing work instructions, build notes or manufacturing documentation.

Benefits

• Salary range £35,000 to £45,000 dependent on skills and experience and will be discussed from the outset
• 37.5 hour working week, Friday finish at 1.30pm for production teams
• Free parking
• 25 days paid annual leave (includes 3 days for Christmas shut down) plus 8 days paid public holidays
• Company Bonus scheme
• Stakeholder Pension
• Family friendly policies
• Training and Personal Development
• Some onward International Travel Opportunities
• Complementary corporate work wear
• Relocation Assistance

Important information for candidates

Pre-employment screening

Please note that the appointment of the successful candidate will be subject to standard pre-employment screening, as applicable to the post. This will include right-to-work, proof of identity and references.

Data privacy

Please note that any personal data submitted to Ridgway Machines as part of the job application process will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation, for more information regarding GDPR please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation

Equality of opportunity

Entry into employment with Ridgway Machines and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. No applicant or member of staff shall be discriminated against because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We’re committed to building an inclusive and accessible recruitment experience.

If you have a disability or require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application or interview process, please let us know. We’re happy to make the necessary arrangements to ensure you can perform at your best.