Technical Writer
Full-time Technical Writer with a proven track record in DoD technical documentation and sustainment of long-life enterprise software systems.
Description
About Us
Cognetic Technologies is a small software engineering firm, headquartered in San Diego, CA, providing software and systems engineering services to the U.S. Navy. Our team supports the Navy’s Personnel Accountability and Assessment System (PAAS), a mission-critical enterprise web application that provides personnel accountability, family assistance, case management, and reporting to ensure full accountability and crisis response across the Department of Defense.
PAAS has been in continuous operation for 20 years and continues to evolve. Our work directly impacts service members and their families during critical events, and we take that responsibility seriously.
Description:
We are seeking a full-time Technical Writer with a proven track record in DoD technical documentation and sustainment of long-life enterprise software systems. The ideal candidate will have a passion for maintaining proper documentation for complex systems, a strong understanding of software engineering, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. The selected candidate will be responsible for developing, editing, and maintaining user guides and system documentation for the PAAS family of systems:
Duties:
- Develop and maintain technical documentation in compliance with Department of Defense Information Processing Standards for Computers (DoD IPSC).
- Develop and maintain software user guides, manuals, instructions, how-to’s, and trainings in print and on-line formats.
- Update documents to reflect Agile sprint deliverables and software release changes.
- Ensure documentation supports sustainment activities, including system architecture, interfaces, and test procedures.
- Collaborate with engineering teams to capture updates to system interfaces, data models, workflows, and test procedures.
- Apply security and privacy controls to technical documentation, including handling of CUI and Privacy Act data.
- Prepare materials for audits, inspections, and formal deliverables to DoD sponsors.
- Maintain consistent terminology, glossaries, and references across the documentation.
Skills & Experience:
- 5+ years of experience as a technical writer supporting DoD, Federal Government, or defense contractors (mandatory)
- Bachelor’s degree in Technical Communication, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field
- Strong background with enterprise software systems and long-lifecycle sustainment projects
- Strong experience with technical writing tools: Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, Articulate, Affinity, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Snaggit
- Experience using model-based documentation (UML diagrams, software and data flowcharts, etc.)
- Experience writing and maintaining DoD Data Item Description-based documentation
- Prior work with Navy or DoD enterprise applications
- Experience with PAAS or similar human resources systems
- Knowledge of DFARS, NIST SP 800-171, DoDD-5200 and CUI requirements
- Familiarity with Agile development processes
- Excellent written communication, editing, and organizational skills
Other Requirements:
- U.S. Citizenship (mandatory)
- Ability to obtain or maintain Secret Security Clearance (mandatory)
- Ability to obtain or maintain CompTIA Security+ and Windows Server 2012+ certification (mandatory)
- Prior work with Navy or DoD enterprise applications (desired)
Work Environment:
- Fully remote within the U.S. (with potential occasional travel to San Diego, CA)
- Part of a small, collaborative team where everyone contributes across roles.
- Tools: JIRA, Confluence, Office, Articulate, Affinity, Adobe Creative Cloud, Visio
Compensation:
- $35-45 per hour (W2)
- Competitive compensation and benefits package
- Consistent history of merit-based annual bonuses
How to Apply:
Send your resume and a writing sample (excerpts from unclassified, non-CUI, DID-based documentation or technical manuals) to: [email protected]
Beware of scammers pretending to represent Cognetic Technologies!
We will only contact you through official job boards, LinkedIn, or email with a cognetictech.com domain. If you're unsure about the authenticity of a job offer or communication, please contact Cognetic Technologies directly at [email protected].