Senior Technical Writer Lead

Battelle; Virginia; Hybrid; USD 98,000 - 139,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

60% in-office, 40% remote

Paid time off

401(k) retirement savings

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Battelle is hiring a Senior Technical Editor in the McLean, VA area. This full-time, hybrid role leads the complete editorial lifecycle for high-stakes federal documentation, overseeing reports, manuals, and web content while ensuring strict agency style compliance.

The editor will manage multi-author workflows, mentor junior staff, and maintain publication quality from outline to final publication in a fast-paced federal program environment.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in English, journalism, communication, or related discipline.
• 10+ years in technical editing/writing and publication management.
• Experience supervising editorial workflows and multi-author deliverables.
• Expert knowledge of GPO style and agency style guides.
• Fluent English with ability to translate technical content clearly.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Acrobat and SharePoint.

Responsibilities

• Lead editorial lifecycle for complex reports, manuals, and web content.
• Transform technical inputs into publication-ready materials meeting agency requirements.
• Ensure stylistic consistency, accuracy, and quality control across programs.
• Perform substantive editing, fact-checking, and copyright reviews.
• Manage schedules from outline through final publication and web publishing.
• Coordinate review cycles with authors, reviewers, clients, and leadership.
• Mentor junior editorial staff across concurrent workflows.
• Maintain configuration control and resolve editorial comments.

Skills

Editorial lifecycle

Technical editing

Supervisory experience

GPO style knowledge

Quality control

Microsoft Word/Office

SharePoint

Education

Master's degree in English/Journalism/Communication

Tools

GPO Style Manual

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Adobe Acrobat

SharePoint

Job description

Battelle delivers when others can’t. We conduct research and development, manage national laboratories, design and manufacture products and deliver critical services for our clients—whether they are a multi-national corporation, a small start-up or a government agency.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Summary

We are currently seeking a Senior Technical Editor. This position is a full-time opportunity located in McLean, VA (Hybrid).

Please note: This position is contingent upon contract award and customer approval.

Battelle's Critical Infrastructure business unit is seeking a senior-level technical editor to lead the full editorial lifecycle for high-stakes technical documentation supporting federal agency programs. The Senior Technical Editor will oversee complex reports, manuals, publications, web content, and technical documentation; ensure stylistic consistency across large-scale programs; and transform technical inputs and engineering content into authoritative, publication-ready materials that meet agency requirements.

The selected candidate will manage document schedules from outline through final publication, coordinate multi-author and multi-reviewer workflows, ensure compliance with applicable agency style guides and the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) Style Manual, and mentor junior editorial staff. This role requires the ability to work independently while managing multiple concurrent deliverables in a fast-paced federal program environment.

Responsibilities

• Leading the editorial lifecycle for complex technical reports, manuals, publications, and web content supporting federal agency programs
• Transforming raw data, technical inputs, and engineering terminology into clear, accurate, and publication-ready materials that meet agency requirements
• Ensuring stylistic consistency, technical accuracy, and quality control across large-scale, multi-author documentation programs
• Performing substantive editing, reference checking, fact-checking, and copyright compliance review for agency deliverables
• Managing document schedules from outline through final publication, including online and web publishing workflows
• Coordinating review cycles with authors, reviewers, clients, and project leadership to ensure deliverables meet required deadlines
• Mentoring and supporting junior editorial staff across concurrent publication workflows
• Maintaining configuration control, tracking review status, and resolving editorial comments throughout the document lifecycle
• Ensuring all final deliverables are complete, consistent, accurate, and suitable for agency publication

Key Qualifications

• Master's degree in English, Journalism, Communication, a technical field, or a related discipline
• Minimum of 10 years of technical editing, technical writing, publication management, or related experience supporting senior-level technical documentation
• Demonstrated supervisory, mentoring, and project management experience overseeing editorial workflows, publication schedules, and multi-author technical deliverables
• Expert-level command of the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) Style Manual, agency style guides, reference checking, fact-checking, copyright compliance, and quality control practices for federal publications
• Fluency in English, both verbal and written, with demonstrated ability to translate complex technical content into clear, accurate, publication-ready documents
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, SharePoint, document templates, formatting, layout, and desktop publishing principles
• Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of any employment Visa at this time.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting transportation-related technical documentation, particularly highway and surface transportation programs
• Experience managing online or web publishing workflows for technical reports, manuals, guidance documents, or agency publications
• Experience developing, maintaining, and applying document templates, style sheets, publication checklists, and editorial quality control procedures

Compensation Data

Battelle is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The salary range for this role is $97,800 – $139,400 per year, in addition to our comprehensive benefits package. A candidate's salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to education, relevant work experience, skills, and certifications. Salary ranges may vary based on geographic location and market conditions.

Benefits: Live an Extraordinary Life

We care about your well-being, not just on the job. Battelle offers comprehensive and competitive benefits to help you live your best life.

• Balance life through a compressed work schedule: Most of our team follows a flexible, compressed work schedule that allows for every other Friday off—giving you a dedicated day to accomplish things in your personal life without using vacation time.
• Enjoy enhanced work flexibility, including a hybrid arrangement: You have options for where and when you work. Our Together with Flexibility model allows you to work 60% in-office and 40% remote, with Monday and Tuesday as common in-office days, dependent on team and position needs.
• Take time to recharge: You get paid time off to support work-life balance and keep motivated.
• Prioritize wellness: Stay healthy with medical, dental, and vision coverage with wellness incentives and benefits plus a variety of optional supplemental benefits.
• Better together: Coverage for partners, gender-affirming care and health support, and family formation support.
• Build your financial future: Build financial stability with an industry-leading 401(k) retirement savings plan. For most employees, we put in 5 percent whether you contribute or not, and match your contributions on top of that.
• Advance your education: Tuition assistance is available to pursue higher education.

A Work Environment Where You Succeed

For brilliant minds in science, technology, engineering and business operations, Battelle is the place to do the greatest good by solving humanity’s most pressing challenges and creating a safer, healthier and more secure world.

You will have the opportunity to thrive in a culture that inspires you to:

• Apply your talent to challenging and meaningful projects
• Receive select funding to pursue ideas in scientific and technological discovery
• Partner with world-class experts in a collaborative environment
• Nurture and develop the next generation of scientific leaders
• Give back to and improve our communities

Vaccinations & Safety Protocols

Battelle may require employees, based on job duties, work location, and/or its clients’ requirements to follow certain safety protocols and to be vaccinated against a variety of viruses, bacteria, and diseases as a condition of employment and continued employment and to provide documentation that they are fully vaccinated. If applicable, Battelle will provide reasonable accommodations based on a qualified disability or medical condition through the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act or for a sincerely held religious belief under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (and related state laws).

Battelle is an equal opportunity employer. We provide employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran‑status veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Our goal is for each staff member to have the opportunity to grow to the limits of their abilities and to achieve personal and organizational objectives. We will support positive programs for equal treatment of all staff and full utilization of all qualified employees at all levels within Battelle.

The above statements are intended to describe the nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, activities and skills required of staff members.

No statement herein is intended to imply any authorities to commit Battelle unless special written permission is granted by Battelle's Legal Department.

For more information about our other openings, please visit www.battelle.org/careers