What does a technical editor do?

A technical editor is someone who proofreads, revises, and edits technical documents. He/She or she checks for grammar, punctuation, and style to ensure that the technical content meets company standards. Some of the qualifications to become a technical editor include knowledge of technical concepts, prior experience in print or online publishing, a keen eye for details, and strong verbal and written communication skills. Someone having a bachelor's degree in English or journalism could qualify for the position.
Technical editor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real technical editor resumes:
- Identify and initiate wholesale computer upgrade to accommodate new CMS while allocating and managing staff resources devote to developing the software.
- Train course developers in advance features of FrameMaker and PowerPoint.
- Remove PDF security from each document.
- Update PDF variables for online help.
- Research science, military, and historical-relate topics for DOD.
- Create or obtain all necessary screen shots using SnagIt and Photoshop.
- Utilize InDesign daily to create various layouts that adhere to strict guidelines.
- Edit course content for proper XML structure, grammar, succinctness, friendliness.
- Used Photoshop, RoboHELP, FrontPage, and other software tools as needed.
- Provide back office operations, advance document design and formatting, editing, and proofreading.
- Perform post-conversion analysis of XML documents, resolving issues with XML tagging and manually completing the conversion
- Edit HTML to add landing pages, modify pictures, add pictures, and update content.
- Maintain a prominent web journal through article formatting in HTML, site layout updates and administrative upkeep.
- Perform screen walkthroughs on newly design and existing windows to ensure they work as documented in the DDD.
- Perform proofreading and editing functions.
Technical editor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Technical Editors are proficient in PowerPoint, English Language, and Proofreading. They’re also known for soft skills such as Good judgment, Interpersonal skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Technical Editors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- PowerPoint, 16%
Developed Microsoft PowerPoint presentations for various applications as part of the Disaster Recovery Infrastructure solution.
- English Language, 11%
Maintain contact and participate in AECMA Simplified English Committee discussions, Glossary updates, and worldwide review of English language simplification.
- Proofreading, 6%
Provided proofreading and editing support for the submission of New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) grant applications.
- Subject Matter Experts, 5%
Gathered information from existing documentation and subject matter experts, rewrote for clarity where necessary and removed technical ambiguity from documents.
- Training Materials, 5%
Edited user documentation and training materials in a software/technical environment utilizing the Chicago Manual of Style.
- XML, 4%
Experience: Editing - 204-page Software User Guide manual; input into the Help Studio program (an XML application).
Most technical editors use their skills in "powerpoint," "english language," and "proofreading" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential technical editor responsibilities here:
Good judgment. The most essential soft skill for a technical editor to carry out their responsibilities is good judgment. This skill is important for the role because "editors decide whether certain stories are ethical and whether there is enough evidence to publish them." Additionally, a technical editor resume shows how their duties depend on good judgment: "ensured that procedures and other documents reflected good manufacturing practices, fda observations, and corporate policies. "
Interpersonal skills. Many technical editor duties rely on interpersonal skills. "in working with writers, editors must have tact and the ability to guide and encourage them in their work.," so a technical editor will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways technical editor responsibilities rely on interpersonal skills: "used excellent project management and interpersonal skills to manage large projects and meet aggressive delivery deadlines without sacrificing quality. "
Detail oriented. technical editors are also known for detail oriented, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to technical editor responsibilities, because "editors must be meticulous to ensure that material is error free and matches the style of a publication." A technical editor resume example shows how detail oriented is used in the workplace: "updated the word processing handbook to clarify and make it more oriented. "
Writing skills. A big part of what technical editors do relies on "writing skills." You can see how essential it is to technical editor responsibilities because "editors ensure that all written content has correct grammar, punctuation, and syntax." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical technical editor tasks: "1998provided pagination, headline and editorial support in combination with interviewing and writing weekly content for an army command information tool"
The three companies that hire the most technical editors are:
- Merck99 technical editors jobs
- Zscaler12 technical editors jobs
- Vectrus7 technical editors jobs
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Technical editor vs. 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. They distribute promotional catalogs to libraries and booksellers. They set the commercial and editorial direction for businesses publishing newspapers, digital content, magazines, and books. It is their duty to make decisions on the markets that their firms will serve as well as the type of content that they will give to their audience.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, technical editor responsibilities require skills like "english language," "proofreading," "subject matter experts," and "training materials." Meanwhile a typical publisher has skills in areas such as "customer satisfaction," "strategic thinking," "client facing," and "publishing industry." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Publishers really shine in the telecommunication industry with an average salary of $69,908. Comparatively, technical editors tend to make the most money in the technology industry with an average salary of $62,371.The education levels that publishers earn slightly differ from technical editors. In particular, publishers are 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a technical editor. Additionally, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Technical editor vs. Writer
A writer can have different responsibilities depending on which industry or line of work they are involved. There are writers assigned in a corporate setting, some in journalism, while there are also writers in the entertainment Industry. Although they focus on varying types of writing, they all function to inform. Among the typical duties of writers involve producing content within allotted time or deadline, gather information and verify to ensure accuracy, proofread, and undergo review and revisions.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, technical editor responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "english language," "proofreading," "training materials," and "xml." Meanwhile, a writer has duties that require skills in areas such as "work ethic," "strong work ethic," "basic math," and "customer service." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Writers tend to reach similar levels of education than technical editors. In fact, they're 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for technical editors in the next 3-5 years?
Associate Professor of Journalism; Director of Internship Program, Rider University
Technical editor vs. Editorial internship
An editorial intern is responsible for assisting the editorial team in publishing digital and media content, writing articles, and managing readers' reviews. Editorial interns must have excellent knowledge of the industry they work for, suggesting the latest trends and featured topics, taking notes of the tenured employees' advice and observations, and actively joining brainstorming sessions. An editorial intern must be detail-oriented and take constructive feedback as an opportunity to learn. It is also crucial to have outstanding communication and proofreading skills and keep all the materials confidential until release.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from technical editor resumes include skills like "english language," "proofreading," "subject matter experts," and "training materials," whereas an editorial internship is more likely to list skills in "fact-check," "editorial intern," "twitter," and "instagram. "
Editorial interns earn the best pay in the media industry, where they command an average salary of $33,508. Technical editors earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $62,371.Most editorial interns achieve a lower degree level compared to technical editors. For example, they're 5.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Technical editor vs. Grant writer
Often working for a non-profit organization, a grant writer specializes in writing application letters for financial grants to foundations, government agencies, and companies. Their responsibilities revolve around maintaining records of data and documentation, finding grant opportunities, participating in devising strategies that benefit the company's growth, crafting correspondence, gathering requirements, and submitting and monitoring grant proposals. Furthermore, a grant writer must have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the organization they work for, including its history, vision, mission, policies, and regulations.
Types of technical editor
Updated January 8, 2025











