Technical Writer - Editor

The Technical Writer (Engineering) serves as a member of the Engineering Service Administration Section at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (RHJVAMC). The incumbent serves as a subject matter expert for technical writing and publication of engineering-specific media and develops content to explain complex technical and engineering concepts. Major Duties include but are not limited to: Verifies the accuracy of information collected and developed by research and interviews with subject-matter specialists and program officials. Develops, analyzes, and selects appropriate information: composes program summaries, overviews, status reports, and presents the information in a form and at a level suitable for the intended audience. Reviews and edits proposed limited articles and papers on medical health initiatives, medical and prosthetic research, health care services, and related medical documents. Performs editing and limited rewriting of sections of these documents to conform to style, design, layout, and editorial requirements; and to eliminate duplication, confusing sentence structure, and errors in grammar and spelling. Verifies the use of appropriate and non-confusing technical and scientific terms. In preparing straightforward technical documents, the incumbent determines the most logical and effective sequence of the narrative; determines the overall length and tone based on the objectives, the medium, and the audience; writes the material; selects illustrative material; and prepares narrative documents in a manner that is consistent with the medium to be used, periodical style requirements, other information presented by the Department. Conducts reviews of proposed publications for style, design, layout, and editorial aspects before release. Collects and organizes technical and scientific information required for the preparation of straight forward user manuals; training materials; and medical facility guidance documents, proposals, and reports pertaining to selected VA medical and health care specializations. Researches, analyzes, distills, and presents medical facility information in a clear manner without sacrificing completeness and accuracy. Communicates the information for such purposes as articulating organization policy, preparing limited and straightforward public reports on the activities and plans of the medical facility; and explaining laws that the Department administers to those affected, especially concerning their rights and obligations; and announcing regulations. Reviews and edits proposed limited articles and papers on medical health initiatives, medical and prosthetic research, health care services, and related medical documents. Performs editing and limited rewriting of sections of these documents to conform to style, design, layout, and editorial requirements; and to eliminate duplication, confusing sentence structure, and errors in grammar and spelling. Verifies the use of appropriate and non-confusing technical and scientific terms. Work Schedule: 7:00am • 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Technical Writer • Editor/PD102130 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to knowledgeable of engineering and scientific concepts, the facility's utility systems, engineering processes and procedures, VA publications, and State and Federal law. The incumbent will accomplish various technical, engineering-specific functions related to development and maintenance of Engineering Service policies, procedures, management plans, action plans, and contract documents. This includes normal and emergency operations of utility systems, maintenance program compliance, quality assurance surveillance planning, contract documents, construction safety, and other Engineering Service programs. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related or Combination: I have a combination of experience and education that is qualifying for this vacancy. [Note: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9. (When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.) Example of combination of education and experience the position to be filled is a Budget Analyst, GS-560-09. An applicant has 9 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7 and 2 1/2 years of creditable graduate level education. The applicant meets 75 percent of the required experience and 50 percent of the required education, i.e., the applicant has 1/2 year of graduate study beyond that required for GS-9. Therefore, the applicant exceeds the total requirement and is qualified for the position. Individual Occupational Requirements Education Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Must have included a total of 15 semester hours in an appropriate scientific, technical, or social science field(s), and at least one course above the introductory level in the field(s) covered by the position. For technical manuals and specifications writers or editors, the equivalent of 15 semester hours may have been gained through vocational or educational training above the high school level at a public, private, or Armed Forces school. OR Experience General Experience (for GS-5 positions): Experience that provided an understanding of the basic principles, practices, operations, and specialized vocabulary of the appropriate scientific, technical, or social science field(s), or with equipment or technical systems. The applicant must have acquired the ability to describe information in simple, clear language. Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience that required substantial subject-matter or technical knowledge of the field. This experience must have demonstrated the ability to acquire and present technical information through independent reading, interviews with subject-matter specialists, observation of tests and experiments, interpretation of blueprints or diagrams, or other appropriate methods. Such experience may have been acquired as a writer or editor of technical reports, articles, manuals, or specifications. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: None. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) • See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.