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Scientific technical writer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Tiffany Kinney PhD,

Shane Tilton Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical scientific technical writer skills. We ranked the top skills for scientific technical writers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 26.3% of scientific technical writer resumes contained sops as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a scientific technical writer needs to be successful in the workplace.

12 scientific technical writer skills for your resume and career

1. Sops

A standard operating procedure or simply SOP is a particular operation that needs to be done in accordance with the rules and guidelines of a company or an industry. It is an important way for a company to run smoothly, especially in small businesses. It is like a practice wherein everything an individual or an employee is under a particular standard that is implemented.

Here's how scientific technical writers use sops:

Assist in the preparation of protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other technical documents.
Write and revise SOPs, Protocols,Forms and controlled documents.

2. Subject Matter Experts

Here's how scientific technical writers use subject matter experts:

Collaborate with executives and business owners nationwide to produce joint articles cementing them as subject matter experts in industry publications.
Developed and researched various projects, contacting subject matter experts to obtain accurate information for copy.

3. FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services that regulates the production and sale of food, pharmaceutical products, medical equipment, and other consumer goods, as well as veterinary medicine. The FDA is now in charge of overseeing the manufacture of products like vaccines, allergy treatments, and beauty products.

Here's how scientific technical writers use fda:

Maintained contacts within the FDA and EPA to stay abreast of the latest regulatory actions.
Conducted formal set-up and commissioning activities for new and relocated equipment systems and authored associated documentation for FDA submission.

4. Technical Reports

Technical reports are a type of document that is used to indicate either the progress, result, or process of scientific research or the state of problems occurring within such research. A technical report may also showcase the report's overall conclusion and may also include recommendations. This kind of report does not require a peer review and isn't published officially but distributed within the organizations where it was formed.

Here's how scientific technical writers use technical reports:

Edited and formatted classified technical reports of Ship Antisubmarine Warfare Readiness Effectiveness Measuring and Antisubmarine Warfare Employment of Emerging Technologies exercises.
Conducted various projects and prepared technical reports involving job classification and compensation studies, organizational analysis, and departmental reorganization.

5. ISO

Here's how scientific technical writers use iso:

Provided guidance to implement a document control system per ISO 9000 requirements, including development of a procedure-tracking application in Paradox.
Helped company achieve ISO registration by determining best practices, writing ISO compliant manufacturing instructions and teaching best manufacturing processes.

6. Adobe Acrobat

Acrobat Reader, a software program created by Adobe Systems, and they are used to view files in PDF. The main purpose of Adobe Acrobat is to view, create, and edit PDF documents. It can also import nearly all document as well as image formats, and save them in a PDF format.

Here's how scientific technical writers use adobe acrobat:

Edited and revised existing hardware manuals for telecommunications equipment using Adobe FrameMaker, and Adobe Acrobat.
Produce paper and electronic versions of documentation using Adobe FrameMaker and Adobe Acrobat.

7. QC

Quality control is a set of instructions or procedures to ensure a manufactured product or a service is up to the highest quality standards. This set of quality control criteria are either defined by the clients or the company itself.

Here's how scientific technical writers use qc:

Reviewed method validation and transfer protocol data from CRO's, Scientific Affairs and QC analytical services.

8. GLP

GLP stands for "good laboratory practice." This refers to the integrity and quality measures that non-clinical laboratories have in place to ensure accurate research and market testing. GLP is most often used in pharmaceutical companies where new drugs must be tested before being approved for sale, but the practice can also be used in food packaging and preparation test centers.

Here's how scientific technical writers use glp:

Contributed to approximately 400+ GLP and non-GLP studies and authored 16 TK reports.

9. Study Reports

Here's how scientific technical writers use study reports:

Obtained feedback from clients and incorporated appropriate changes to study reports.
study reports and protocols) and assisted authors in writing and properly formatting these in support of submissions.

10. Approval Process

Here's how scientific technical writers use approval process:

Maintained an electronic study repository and managed the author, review, and approval process for electronic submission documents.

11. ICH

Here's how scientific technical writers use ich:

Redrafted all the investigation procedures (out-of-trend, out-of-specification, and CAPA SOPs) for consistency with ICH guidelines.

12. OOs

Here's how scientific technical writers use oos:

Prepared Laboratory Deviation Reports and assisted in the preparation of OOS and LIR.

What skills help Scientific Technical Writers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What scientific technical writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Tiffany Kinney PhD

Associate Professor of English, Colorado Mesa University

In terms of general advice, students just entering the career field after graduating should apply far and wide. In other words, I would suggest that students not limit themselves because they might be surprised where they can land a job. With that said, they should still tailor their application materials for the job that they want, instead of just sending out the same materials again/again.

What technical skills for a scientific technical writer stand out to employers?

Shane Tilton Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Multimedia Journalism, Ohio Northern University

Weirdly, the pandemic has been good to those trained in media production. All organizations now find themselves in the position to need to use digital media production tools more regularly. I can not count the number of conversations I have had with colleagues and interested parties looking for students and alumni to work with them to develop their media platform. Even if a student can not find a job in journalism, the skills they learn in our program are adaptable to a virtually endless number of organizations across the world. They know how to be effective communicators using media production tools.

Do you want to know more?

List of scientific technical writer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a scientific technical writer resume and required skills for a scientific technical writer to have include:

Sops
Subject Matter Experts
FDA
Technical Reports

ISO
Adobe Acrobat
QC
GLP

Study Reports
Approval Process
ICH
OOs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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