How to hire a scientific writer

How to hire a scientific writer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step scientific writer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a scientific writer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new scientific writer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a scientific writer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The scientific writer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A scientific writer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, scientific writers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of scientific writers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Scientific Writer	Description	Hourly rate
   Scientific Writer	Technical writers, also called technical communicators, prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, journal articles, and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information more easily. They also develop, gather, and disseminate technical information through an organization’s communications channels.	$31-72
   Journalist	A journalist is responsible for creating written correspondence, covering various subjects as the management requires. This task involves a lot of research investigations, conducting interviews, and gathering reliable sources to verify the authenticity of data before releasing the articles on news portals and other social platforms... Show more	$18-45
   Publisher	A publisher manages the design, editing, and production process with the help of proofreaders, printers, and editors. Publishers make schedules for every stage of the process and work backward from the planned date for publication... Show more	$20-57

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • IND
   • NDA
   • Abstracts
   • Regulatory Submissions
   • Proofreading
   • Clinical Study Reports
   • ECTD
   • QC
   • Clinical Trials
   • SharePoint
   • Drug Safety
   • Medical Writing
   • Scientific Content
   • Pharmacokinetics

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage, and assist in the recruiting activities of, CRO resources preparing regulatory documents on behalf of APGD.
   • Harmonize USP and EP methods.
   • Exhibit proficiency in researching, writing, editing, and proofreading.
   • Create internal LIMS for NIH lab using Drupal, MySQL and git version control.
   • Organize and consolidate information into standard report formats, preparing and proofreading correspondence and documents in accordance with HIPAA regulations.
   • Use APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, AMA, and in-house style guides for error-free documents.

   More scientific writer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the scientific writer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A scientific writer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a scientific writer in Kentucky may be lower than in Virginia, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level scientific writer. Additionally, a scientific writer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average scientific writer salary

   $99,550yearly

   $47.86 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level scientific writer salary

   $66,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 27, 2025

   Average scientific writer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Virginia	$117,342	$56
   2	California	$113,479	$55
   3	New Jersey	$109,479	$53
   4	Massachusetts	$104,764	$50
   5	New York	$95,777	$46
   6	Maryland	$93,362	$45
   7	Nevada	$93,339	$45
   8	Washington	$91,442	$44
   9	Florida	$89,192	$43
   10	Illinois	$88,414	$43
   11	Texas	$87,686	$42
   12	Missouri	$80,391	$39
   13	Tennessee	$77,968	$37
   14	Alabama	$77,890	$37

   Average scientific writer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	$143,093	$68.79	4
   2	Methodist Hospital Of Henderson, Kentucky	$117,973	$56.72
   3	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$117,166	$56.33	2
   4	Fred Hutch	$105,659	$50.80
   5	FleishmanHillard	$105,550	$50.75
   6	Parexel International	$103,994	$50.00	157
   7	Medimmune	$101,417	$48.76
   8	Charles River Labs	$96,234	$46.27
   9	UMiami Health System	$95,759	$46.04
   10	Houston Methodist	$94,585	$45.47	4
   11	Pharmaceutical Product Development	$93,661	$45.03
   12	UC Santa Barbara	$93,479	$44.94
   13	St. Jude Children's Research Hospital	$91,610	$44.04
   14	Champions Oncology	$90,868	$43.69
   15	City of Hope	$90,860	$43.68	1
   16	Henry M. Jackson Foundation	$89,193	$42.88
   17	Charles River Center	$83,246	$40.02
   18	University of Massachusetts Medical School	$82,524	$39.67
   19	Globus Medical	$80,503	$38.70
   20	University of Washington	$78,411	$37.70

4. Writing a scientific writer job description

   A scientific writer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a scientific writer job description:

   Scientific writer job description example

   • Doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D., MD, PharmD) in the life sciences or other relevant scientific or clinical discipline
   • Minimum of 2 years of medical writing in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry
   • Graphic design and layout abilities with proficiencies in Adobe Illustrator and MS PowerPoint required; experience in Adobe InDesign and Photoshop preferred
   • Must demonstrate a high-quality writing style in the English language and have the ability to independently analyze and synthesize data from a broad range of disciplines
   • Proficient in scientific and clinical, peer reviewed writing, editing, reviewing and submission of abstracts, posters, oral presentations, manuscripts and reviews with different audiences
   • Exceptional organizational and project planning skills with particular attention to detail
   • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to relate and work in a cross-functional environment with a wide range of people to achieve results
   • Dynamic, self-starter with strong influential skills and adaptable to change

   Relocation is not available for this position.

   #LI-RB1
   

   Genentech is an equal opportunity employer, and we embrace the increasingly diverse world around us. Genentech prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, marital status and veteran status.

   Genentech requires all new hires to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of their start date. This requirement is a condition of employment at Genentech, and it applies regardless of whether the position is located at a Genentech campus or is fully remote. If you are unable to receive the vaccine due to a disability or serious medical condition, or because it is prohibited as a result of your sincerely held religious beliefs, you will have an opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation.

   Job Facts JOB FUNCTION
   COMPANY/DIVISION
   Genentech SCHEDULE
   JOB TYPE
   Full time

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find scientific writers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your scientific writer job on Zippia to find and recruit scientific writer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit scientific writers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new scientific writer

   Once you've selected the best scientific writer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new scientific writer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a scientific writer?