Formatting Editor - Architecture & Construction

Compose.ly; United States; On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Compose.ly is seeking an experienced technical editor to transform a multi-author Construction Design Guidelines document into a clean, readable, and professionally structured artifact used by architects, engineers, and contractors.

The editor will apply advanced Word formatting, rebuild styles, and recreate a robust table of contents while preserving technical intent and alignment with Georgia construction requirements.

Qualifications

• Proven experience editing large, structured technical documents.
• Advanced Microsoft Word formatting and styles.
• Familiarity with architecture/construction terminology.
• Ability to ensure consistency across ~200 pages.

Responsibilities

• Reformat the Word document to a clean, consistent structure.
• Apply and rebuild document styles.
• Format headings, bullets, lists, and TOC.
• Improve layout and readability for architects and engineers.
• Provide industry-informed feedback on readability and flow.
• Collaborate with project manager as primary contact.
• Preserve technical intent and requirements.
• Proofread for grammar, spelling, punctuation.

Skills

Technical editing

Word formatting

Document design

Architecture knowledge

Readability assessment

Tools

Microsoft Word

Job description

Objective

Provide technical document formatting, proofreading, and industry-informed feedback for a large Construction Design Guidelines document used by architects, engineers, contractors, and other stakeholders involved in public-sector construction projects.

Objective

Provide technical document formatting, proofreading, and industry-informed feedback for a large Construction Design Guidelines document used by architects, engineers, contractors, and other stakeholders involved in public-sector construction projects.

Objective

The primary objective is to transform an inconsistently formatted Microsoft Word document into a clean, readable, professionally structured document while also identifying opportunities to improve its technical readability and flow.

Profile Overview

The ideal editor combines strong Microsoft Word document-production and technical editing skills with experience in architecture, engineering, construction, or a closely related field.

Because the document's primary readers are architects, followed by civil engineers and general contractors/construction companies, the editor should be comfortable reviewing construction and design guidance from the perspective of these professional audiences.

Experience with government or public-sector construction documentation is preferred but not required.

Scope

• Approximately 200 primary pages requiring attention within a roughly 250-page document
• Approximately 55,000 words in the primary document
• Estimated project scope 80 hours
• Anticipated active editing period of approximately two weeks
• The client's project manager, an engineer who knows the document extensively, is expected to serve as the primary point of collaboration once the project begins

Responsibilities

• Reformat the existing Microsoft Word document to create a clean and consistent document structure.
• Correct formatting issues created by multiple contributors working within the document over time.
• Rebuild and consistently apply document styles.
• Reformat headings, bullets, lists, and other structural elements.
• Recreate and properly structure the table of contents.
• Improve overall document layout and consistency.
• Perform light proofreading for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and typographical errors.
• Review the document from an architecture/construction industry perspective.
• Provide recommendations regarding technical readability and document flow.
• Identify sections that may be difficult for architects, engineers, contractors, or other intended readers to understand or navigate.
• Preserve the technical intent and applicable requirements contained within the document.
• Collaborate directly with the client's project manager to address questions and recommendations.

Skills And Qualifications

• Demonstrated technical editing or technical writing experience.
• Advanced Microsoft Word formatting and document-production skills.
• Experience working with large, complex, highly structured documents.
• Strong command of styles, headings, lists, tables of contents, and document organization in Word.
• Excellent proofreading skills, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, and consistency.
• Professional experience or subject-matter familiarity with architecture, construction, engineering, or design documentation.
• Ability to assess readability and document flow for technical audiences.
• Ability to distinguish between formatting/copyediting needs and substantive technical recommendations.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain consistency across a document of approximately 200 pages.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with architectural design guidelines, construction standards, specifications, or similar technical documentation.
• Familiarity with civil engineering and general contracting audiences.
• Experience with government, educational, institutional, or other public-sector construction documentation.
• Familiarity with Georgia construction/design requirements is beneficial.
• Understanding of architecture and construction workflows and terminology.

About The Client

The client operates a capital programs function focused on construction design and delivery, including the development of new school facilities. Their Construction Design Guidelines incorporate applicable Georgia requirements and are intended to guide architects, engineers, contractors, and other professionals working on public-sector construction projects.