Technical author : Employers and vacancy sources

There are opportunities for technical writers and those with training in a specialised field. The demand for technical authors and writers with expertise in areas such as law, medicine or economics is expected to increase because of the continuing expansion of scientific and technical information, which has to be communicated. Legal, scientific and technological developments and discoveries generate demand for people who can interpret technical information for a wide audience.

Increasingly complex applications, systems and products are being developed for a widening range of users. The result is a greater need for people to write users’ guides, instruction manuals and training materials. This work requires people who are technically skilled as writers and also familiar with the subject area.

Almost anything technical that needs a manual or an easy explanation for the user may be included in a technical author’s brief.

Some companies employ technical authors in-house. These are often in the larger computing, telecommunications, engineering and defence industries.

Other potential employers include:

• technical publishing companies;
• finance institutions; research organisations;
• the civil service.

There are also specialist technical communication companies, which employ technical authors to work for a variety of clients.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• New Scientist Jobs
• Times Educational Supplement (TES)
• Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC)  - newsletter and discussion group.
• techauthors
• The Daily Telegraph
• Guardian Jobs  
• Careers services vacancy lists.
• Local and regional press.

Vacancies are handled by specialist recruitment agencies such as:

• Authoring House   
• Cherryleaf  
• Clifford Sells  
• Plain Words  
• Write Authors  

See the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) for more agencies.

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