Technical Writer/Editor (O-5 Billet) Non-Supervisory

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Washington; On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Health Service Corps seeks a Technical Writer/Editor to develop, edit, and review technical, policy, clinical, and communication materials. The role ensures clarity, accuracy, audience-appropriate content, and branding consistency while coordinating with stakeholders and managing deadlines.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens; the position emphasizes collaboration with internal teams and outside writers to deliver precise documentation on health

Qualifications

• Requires two years of technical writing or similar experience.
• Ability to write clear, plain-language materials for diverse audiences.
• Ability to research topics and verify information with subject experts.

Responsibilities

• Writes and edits technical materials such as policy directives, guides, and reports.
• Ensures materials align with agency policy, branding, and style requirements.
• Collaborates with internal and external authors, managers, and editors to finalize content.

Skills

Technical Writing

Editing

Policy Knowledge

Stakeholder Coordination

Style Guides

Tools

MS Word

MS PowerPoint

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

Summary

Technical Writer/Editor supports ICE Health Service Corps by developing, editing, and reviewing technical, policy, clinical, and communication materials. Ensures products are clear, accurate, audience-appropriate, policy-compliant, and consistent with style and branding while coordinating with stakeholders and managing deadlines.

Summary

Technical Writer/Editor supports ICE Health Service Corps by developing, editing, and reviewing technical, policy, clinical, and communication materials. Ensures products are clear, accurate, audience-appropriate, policy-compliant, and consistent with style and branding while coordinating with stakeholders and managing deadlines.

This position is only open to USPHS officers and Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates.

Duties

Duties And Responsibilities

• Writes technical materials clearly without sacrificing thoroughness and accuracy; ensures materials are consistent with agency policy, meets style requirements of the agency, ensures materials are written at an appropriate level for the intended audience.
• Writes technical materials, such as policy directives and guides, scientific or technical articles, regulations in technical areas; technical manuals; reviews clinical guidelines, brochures, and pamphlets; award submissions.
• Works closely with outside and in-house authors, edits texts to ensure clarity and logical presentation of material, consistency and effectiveness of style, and accuracy of spelling and grammar.
• Advises and assists authors during the writing stage; verifies information supplemented by research and consultation with other subject experts; examines the organization, length, and tone of the material; edits the text for clarity and accuracy; consults on design and graphics.
• Reviews the work of authors, editors, proofreaders, translators, and indexers. Reviews all stages of proofs while considering accuracy, and timelines.
• Collaborates effectively with internal stakeholders, such as publications and communications coordinators, research associates, web developers, design and production staff, brand and content strategists, unit and division leadership, and others.
• Communicates expectations, including workflow and deadlines, and developments to various stakeholders and resolves problems or conflicts with good judgment, diplomacy, and tact.
• Reviews publications for style, design, layout, and editorial aspects before release.
• Edits, rewrites, and reorganizes materials to ensure information is clear, concise, and logical.
• Reformats materials to ensure brand consistency and readability.
  

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must successfully pass a drug screen.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC.
• ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission.
• Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate.

Civilians are not eligible for this position.

• Applicants without a USPHS commission must begin the USPHS Commissioned Corps application process before applying to this position. Applicants must review the USPHS application requirements and submit an application at www.usphs.gov/apply-now/.
• Continued employment is contingent upon appointment to, and maintenance of, active-duty status in the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
• PHS officers must participate in IHSC TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS.) ITOS is either an entire month or two 16-day periods a year where, depending on the needs of the agency, the officer is required to be available to serve.

Qualifications

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Requires physical exertion such as lifting objects greater than 30 pounds.
• Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
• Must have the ability to assist sick, injured, or aging staff exiting the building (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than self).
• The work may necessitate some physical characteristics that will be required when responding to an emergency, such as running a short distance, prolonged standing.

Education

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Officer must possess a qualifying degree for the officer's category and an advanced degree (e.g., M.A. or M.S.) from an accredited institution. Officer must possess at least two years technical writing or similar experience to successfully perform duties for this position.
Such experience should encompass a broad range of communications-related activities, which may include but are not limited to the following:

• Command of grammar, punctuation, and spelling to convey information in plain language. This may include shifting sentences within paragraphs, corrections of sentences for faulty syntax or poor choice of words, and conformance to the IHSC Style Manual.
• Communication skills to collaborate with staff for document contents. The incumbent's ability to communicate with others ensures they can successfully work with others.
• Problem-solving skills to accurately describe processes and functions within IHSC's health care system.
• Ability to research topics and organize findings in easy-to-understand language; Conducting in-depth research can help you write more thorough instructions for others.
• Above basic knowledge of formatting functions in the following applications: MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat, or ability to gain these skills within the first year through self-study.
• Basic knowledge of generative artificial intelligence tools.
• Time management skills to stay on schedule for multiple projects with competing work levels and requirements.
• If the incumbent holds a clinical license, it is the responsibility of the incumbent to fulfill the obligation(s) of their licensing or certifying body to maintain currency. This position may be required to perform clinical activities with the scope of clinical license in times of critical needs within the agency.

Additional Information

This U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Chief of Staff, Technical Writing and Editing Team. This is a non-supervisory position. IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1,650 employees, including PHS commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. In FY 2025, IHSC managed a health care system that provided direct care to more than 171,000 detained aliens housed at 17 IHSC-staffed facilities nationwide. IHSC provided medical, dental, mental health, and public health services, resulting in nearly 1.4 million health care encounters in FY 2025. IHSC also managed off‑site medical care for detained aliens housed in about 217 additional non-IHSC-staffed facilities. The Communications Unit oversees official communications with internal and external audiences, maintains IHSC websites and collaboration platforms, and supports senior leadership and all IHSC units, offices, programs, and facilities. The Communications Unit develops and implements communication strategies that support the agency's mission; produces electronic and printed products, including leadership messages, newsletters, fact sheets, talking points; plans and executes internal campaigns; reviews policies, reports, and other documents before publication; and coordinates town halls and similar events. The Communications Unit provides expert writing and editing services to clearly explain complex medical and operational information, advises leadership on communication approaches, and ensures consistent, accurate information sharing across the organization.

Supervisory Controls

Incumbent reports to the Team Leader, ICU Technical Editing Team. The Team Leader, Technical Editing Team, reviews products to ensure they meet guidance and specifications.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full‑time, part‑time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be selected for an interview at the hiring authority's discretion. You will be notified of selection or non-selection.