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What is a senior technical writer and editor and how to become one
Senior technical writers and editors help communicate technical information to users who are not tech-savvy by writing about it in a clear, accessible way. Senior technical writers and editors can write user guides, system operations, installation instructions, and other forms of writing that explain how to use technical products. They need to understand how a piece of technology works to write about it and be familiar with the technical writing style used in manuals and documentation, which is very different from mainstream journalism or creative writing. Senior technical writers and editors also need to have excellent attention to detail to ensure that each manuscript is free from factual and grammatical errors. Often, senior technical writers and editors supervise a whole team of writers.
As our society becomes more dependent on tech, the demand for senior technical writers and editors is expected to grow by 8% by 2028. They also earn relatively generous salaries compared to other writers that average out to $54,607 a year.
In order to earn that salary, senior technical writers and editors must be qualified. Most have a bachelor's or even a master's degree in writing. They also have several years of professional experience in technical writing.
What general advice would you give to a senior technical writer and editor?
Cathy Irwin Ph.D.
Professor of English, University of La Verne
English majors from La Verne graduate with excellent writing and critical thinking skills. As a result, they do have opportunities after they graduate. Many of them are hired in jobs because of their writing and editing skills. A large percentage of students decide to go to graduate school. They want to serve their communities, so they become teachers, librarians, lawyers, and officers in non-profits or the city sector.
The medical field is also starting to welcome students from the humanities because they are looking for well-rounded, articulate, and compassionate people. If students with a humanities degree want to go into the health or medical sector, they can apply to one-year post-baccalaureate programs that lead to medical school.
Avg. Salary $64,901
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 6%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.35%
Asian 8.67%
Black or African American 6.57%
Hispanic or Latino 7.75%
Unknown 4.97%
White 71.69%
Genderfemale 54.85%
male 45.15%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Senior technical writer and editor career paths
Key steps to become a senior technical writer and editor
Explore senior technical writer and editor education requirements
Start to develop specific senior technical writer and editor skills
Skills Percentages Technical Documentation 7.27% PowerPoint 5.16% Technical Specifications 5.14% Technical Manuals 4.72% SharePoint 4.46% Complete relevant senior technical writer and editor training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior technical writer and editors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior technical writer and editor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior technical writer and editor resumes.Research senior technical writer and editor duties and responsibilities
- Identify and initiate wholesale computer upgrade to accommodate new CMS while allocating and managing staff resources devote to developing the software.
- Organize writing assignments and create libraries on company SharePoint after establishing guidelines for naming conventions and version control.
- Assist the POR with support of ISO relate meetings.
- Create PowerPoint training presentations, which are both IBT and WBT driven.
Get senior technical writer and editor experience
Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a senior technical writer and editor. The most common roles before becoming a senior technical writer and editor include technical writer, senior technical writer team lead and technical writer and editor.Prepare your senior technical writer and editor resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior technical writer and editor resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior technical writer and editor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
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Apply for senior technical writer and editor jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a senior technical writer and editor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first senior technical writer and editor job
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Average senior technical writer and editor salary
The average senior technical writer and editor salary in the United States is $64,901 per year or $31 per hour. Senior technical writer and editor salaries range between $51,000 and $82,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do senior technical writer and editors rate their job?
Senior technical writer and editor reviews
Diversified projects and project responsibilities.
Needing to continually explain to supposedly more educated persons the basic writing and grammar mistakes when proofreading.
Being forgotten in the rush. Complicated projects are an easy place to get left behind. I have to keep my name and voice in front of people or I get left out.
Unexpected deadlines, I guess, although it sometimes seems I do my sharpest writing in those pressured situations.
Updated January 8, 2025
