Technical Author

Typical Salary

£20,000 To £40,000

Typical Hours

37 to 39 a week

evenings / weekends occasionally

How To Become a Technical Author

You can get into this job through:

a university course
applying directly
completing specialised training courses

College / University

You'll usually need a degree or postgraduate qualification in a subject like:

science
computing
journalism
engineering
telecommunications
pharmaceuticals

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship are not listed for this job.

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You can apply to companies directly. Employers will expect you to have in-depth industry knowledge and experience of writing and editing in their sector.

You'll need to show you can research and interpret complex information and communicate it clearly. You'll also need to know about:

content planning and strategy
writing to brand style or other guidelines
user behaviour - how people read and absorb information
project management

Other Routes

You may be able to find work after doing short, specialised training courses in:

content planning
writing styles
quality assurance
costing
project management

The Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators may have details of short courses like these and how to find them.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

knowledge of English language
excellent written communication skills
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
knowledge of media production and communication
thinking and reasoning skills
administration skills
knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
the ability to use your initiative
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

In your day-to-day duties you could:

collect and edit complex information
produce new documents like manuals and instructions
update or rewrite existing documents
commission photographs or illustrations
work on digital or multi-channel content like blogs, e-learning or podcasts
test what you've written with content users

Working Environment

You could work in an office or from home.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could become a technical author for a larger organisation, or move into technical editing.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a technical author from the Institute of Science and Technical Communicators and Association of British Science Writers.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.