Technical Editor

Job description

WHO WE ARE: At Fors Marsh, we take on issues that matter. We are a team of researchers, strategists, and communicators working together to drive lasting change. We look at human behavior from all angles with a deep understanding of people and context to design solutions that influence decision-making and move people to action. Our work promotes health and well-being, shapes resilient communities, and builds effective and accountable institutions. We are a certified B Corporation and a Top Workplace for 7 consecutive years. WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR: Fors Marsh is seeking a Technical Editor to support research communications, publications, and technical deliverables for our clients. This role is focused on editorial quality control and technical accuracy for existing content, including improving structure and clarity, verifying facts and references, applying required style guides, checking permissions and copyright considerations, and ensuring materials are publication-ready. The Technical Editor II will serve as a final editorial gatekeeper for complex deliverables, ensuring that reports, research summaries, briefing decks, infographics, brochures, standard operating procedures, manuals, web content, presentations, newsletters, and other communication products are accurate, accessible, consistent, and ready for federal review, approval, and dissemination. This position is a contingent hire, meaning it is contingent on Fors Marsh winning an upcoming proposal. The interview process will be the same as our standard process, the offer letter (should we decide to move forward) will serve as a letter of commitment. Responsibilities include: • Edit client deliverables and communication products for clarity, structure, technical accuracy, and publication readiness. • Provide substantive editing, copyediting, proofreading, rephrasing, formatting, rewriting, fact-checking, and reference checking across multiple production stages. • Verify technical accuracy and ensure that narrative text, data tables, figures, schematics, captions, references, terminology, and formatting are consistent, accurate, and ready for publication. • Apply editorial standards set by the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) Style Manual, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and other client-specific style guides. • Review materials for Section 508 accessibility, including alternative text, accessible formatting, logical structure, and consistency across print, web, and electronic deliverables. • Perform final quality control reviews to identify and resolve issues related to grammar, spelling, punctuation, logical flow, coherence, formatting, references, permissions, copyright, product names, trademarks, and style consistency. • Maintain version control and support multi-round review workflows involving researchers, subject matter experts, technical reviewers, project managers, and other stakeholders. • Work independently under tight timelines while maintaining low error rates and meeting federal quality standards. Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree in technical writing, English, journalism, communications, science, engineering, transportation, public policy, or a related scientific or technical field. • 5 - 10 years of experience in technical editing, technical writing, documentation, research communications, or publication production. • Demonstrated ability to edit existing complex technical content for clarity, accuracy, consistency, organization, technical integrity, and publication readiness. • Strong command of English grammar, punctuation, typography, editorial conventions, and technical publication standards. • Fluency in assessing the best modern tools, including AI, to enhance operational scale and performance. • Experience applying the U.S. GPO Style Manual and the Publication Manual of the APA, or comparable federal, technical, or scientific style guides. • Experience with Section 508 accessibility, alternative text, accessible PDFs, Word documents, web content, or other electronic deliverables. • Experience conducting fact-checking, reference checking, permissions review, copyright review, and consistency checks across figures, tables, schematics, captions, references, and body text. • Experience editing documents through multiple review cycles involving technical subject matter experts, legal reviewers, communications teams, and client stakeholders. • Experience editing long-form technical documents ranging from 50-page reports to 300+ page publications preferred. • Experience editing content for infrastructure, natural and man-made hazards, transportation, engineering, scientific research, public-sector, or federally funded programs strongly preferred. • Strong interpersonal communication skills and ability to coordinate with researchers, subject matter experts, technical reviewers, project managers, and federal stakeholders. • Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple assignments, review cycles, versions, and deadlines simultaneously. • Proficiency in Microsoft Word and other Microsoft applications; experience creating, editing, reviewing, or remediating PDF documents preferred. • Ability to work on-site in the Washington D.C. area as needed. • Ability to work during standard business hours. • Must be a U.S. Citizen and consent to a full background check due to our federal contract requirements. • Applicants may be subject to a low-level government security investigation and must meet eligibility criteria for access to sensitive information. • Federal access and security requirements: Candidates must be able to complete any required federal background investigation, identity verification, security awareness training, and access procedures required for work with client systems or facilities. We Offer: Our benefits typically meet or exceed our competitors’ packages. What’s in it for you? • Ability to make an impact on people’s lives, both internal and external to the organization. • Top-tier health and dental covered at 100% for employee coverage. • Additional vision, and long and short-term disability options. • Our company culture, which values balance and allows each employee to take leave as they require it to balance the responsibilities of both their work and home lives without worrying about depleting their available leave hours. • A floating holiday bank so you can celebrate the days you value. • Generous matching retirement contributions and no vesting period starting the third month of employment. • Dedicated training and development budgets to expand your expertise and grow your skillset. • You can volunteer your way with paid time off. • You can participate in Fors Marsh staff-led affinity groups. • Our employees receive product and service discounts through the certified B Corp network. Position Status : Contingent. T his position is contingent upon contract award and client approval. Hiring and start date will be dependent upon award, final staffing requirements, and completion of any required background investigation or access procedures. Annual Salary: $71,000-$87,000 Internal FM Career Map : Technical Editor (TE2) Req: 2029 Location: Hybrid. Onsite requirements 3-4 days a week during business hours on client site near Washington, D.C. EOE: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran