Technical Writer

Leidos; Gaithersburg (MD); Hybrid; USD 66,000 - 119,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos in Gaithersburg, MD is seeking a Technical Writer to own and drive documentation for national-security programs. You’ll work with software and systems engineers, program leadership, subject‑matter experts, and customer stakeholders to gather information and produce polished, mission‑ready documentation.

This role involves creating system documentation, user guides, SOPs, release notes, and technical manuals, translating complex concepts into clear, audience‑appropriate materials while

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship is required per contract.
• Bachelor’s degree in English, Technical Communication, Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field with 4+ years of relevant experience; additional relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 3–5+ years of professional technical writing experience supporting software, technology, systems engineering, defense, intelligence, or similar technical environments.
• Experience creating and maintaining technical documentation such as system documentation, SOPs, user guides, technical manuals, and release documentation.
• Experience working with technical teams to gather, understand, and document system or software information.
• Hands‑on experience with Confluence and Jira or similar collaboration/documentation tools.
• Strong writing, editing, proofreading, and information‑organization skills.
• Ability to research unfamiliar technical topics and work with subject‑matter experts to develop accurate documentation.
• Strong attention to detail and technical accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop, write, edit, and maintain technical documentation for GEOINT systems, software, and mission capabilities.
• Translate technical concepts into clear, concise, audience‑appropriate documentation.
• Collaborate with engineers, developers, architects, analysts, and subject‑matter experts to gather and validate technical information.
• Create and maintain system documentation, user guides, SOPs, release notes, technical manuals, and other program deliverables.
• Review and update existing documentation for accuracy, consistency, clarity, and completeness.
• Interview technical and mission personnel to gather information and translate it into usable documentation.
• Manage multiple documentation assignments and meet established deadlines.
• Work within controlled and classified environments while following program security and documentation requirements.
• Follow established documentation standards, templates, and content‑development processes.

Skills

Technical writing

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

Confluence

Jira

Markdown

XML

DITA

Git

Job description

Description

As a Technical Writer, you will own and drive documentation efforts for sophisticated technical programs supporting national-security missions. You’ll work closely with software engineers, systems engineers, program leadership, subject‑matter experts, and customer stakeholders to gather information, understand complex technologies, and produce polished, mission-ready documentation.

This is an opportunity to do more than document products, you’ll help shape how critical technical information is communicated, understood, maintained, and ultimately used.

Gaithersburg, MD is the primary work location. The Technical Writer can have a flexible, telework-friendly schedule but must be local to Gaithersburg, MD to come in throughout the week as needed.

Clearance Level Required:

Active Top Secret/SCI with the ability to successfully pass a Polygraph examination.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop, write, edit, and maintain technical documentation for GEOINT systems, software, and mission capabilities.
• Translate technical concepts into clear, concise, audience‑appropriate documentation.
• Collaborate with engineers, developers, architects, analysts, and subject‑matter experts to gather and validate technical information.
• Create and maintain system documentation, user guides, SOPs, release notes, technical manuals, and other program deliverables.
• Review and update existing documentation for accuracy, consistency, clarity, and completeness.
• Interview technical and mission personnel to gather information and translate it into usable documentation.
• Manage multiple documentation assignments and meet established deadlines.
• Work within controlled and classified environments while following program security and documentation requirements.
• Follow established documentation standards, templates, and content‑development processes.

Basic Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship is required per contract.
• Bachelor’s degree in English, Technical Communication, Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field with 4+ years of relevant experience; additional relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 3–5+ years of professional technical writing experiencesupporting software, technology, systems engineering, defense, intelligence, or similar technical environments.
• Experience creating and maintaining technical documentation such as system documentation, SOPs, user guides, technical manuals, and release documentation.
• Experience working with technical teams to gather, understand, and document system or software information.
• Hands‑on experience with Confluence and Jira or similar collaboration/documentation tools.
• Strong writing, editing, proofreading, and information‑organization skills.
• Ability to research unfamiliar technical topics and work with subject‑matter experts to develop accurate documentation.
• Strong attention to detail and technical accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supportingIntelligence Community (IC), Department of Defense (DoD), or other federal customers.
• Experience working in aclassified environment.
• Familiarity withsoftware development, cloud technologies, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, data systems, or systems engineering.
• Experience documentingAgile software development or DevSecOps teams.
• Experience withMarkdown, Git, XML, DITA, or similar documentation/content‑management tools.
• Familiarity withCI/CD pipelines, AWS or Azure, containers, APIs, or modern software development environments.
• Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC) or similar certification.

Pay Range

Pay Range $65,650.00 - $118,675.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment‑related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment‑related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [e-mail].

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non‑Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.