Lead Technical Writer – Navy Submarine Sonar & Sensor Systems

Bachelor's degree in a related specialized area or field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience is required plus a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree plus a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience.

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS:: Department of Defense Secret security clearance is required at time of hire. Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required.

As an Advanced Technical Writing Specialist 2 at GDMS, you will work in a dynamic team environment to create and validate XML-based documentation products that enable sailors to operate and maintain complex submarine-based sonar and sensor systems. This role blends senior-level technical writing expertise with team leadership responsibilities, making it ideal for a seasoned professional who is as comfortable mentoring others as they are crafting precision documentation.

The ideal candidate brings extensive experience with S1000D/XML-based authoring standards and a strong familiarity with complex U.S. Navy Submarine Sonar and Sensor systems.

From writing new or enhancing existing technical product guides, as our Advanced Technical Writing Specialist, your talent will be front and center. You’ll create, develop, plan, write and edit complex operational, instructional, interactive electronic technical manuals (IETMs), maintenance or test procedures for paper, multimedia or web-based publication. We’ll depend on you to act as the primary technical editor on client deliverables. You’ll implement editorial and document governance standards for quality and style; ensure all assigned deliverables meet these standards.

What You'll Experience:

• End-to-end documentation ownership — from planning and writing to editing and delivering complex IETMs, maintenance procedures, and test procedures across paper, multimedia, and web-based platforms
• Cutting-edge standards in action — hands-on application of MIL-STD-3001, MIL-STD-38784, MIL-STD-24784, MIL-STD-40051-2C, and S1000D-compliant IETM development using the SIDD viewer in an Agile environment
• Cross-functional collaboration — daily engagement with SMEs, engineers, Program Leads, Sea Systems Command, suppliers, and subcontractors to produce documentation that meets real operational needs
• True leadership impact — mentoring and guiding a technical writing team while supporting the ILS Manager with staffing, training, performance evaluations, and project delivery
• A culture of quality — participating in peer reviews, maintaining documentation lifecycles, and ensuring every deliverable meets the highest company and customer standards
• Technologies that aren't just top-notch — they're often top-secret
• A team of bold thinkers committed to exploring what's next
• Opportunities to gain new knowledge — as it's being discovered

What you bring to the table:

• Experience using S1000D and publishing IETMs using the SIDD viewer
• Understanding of S1000D Applicability application and usage
• Ability to research unfamiliar technology and translate complex information into clear, accessible documentation for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong proficiency writing and editing technical documentation in various formats (.doc, .PDF, HTML, XML/SGML-tagged IETMs)
• Proficient with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams — Word and Excel a must)
• Solid knowledge of DoD MIL standards and style guides and the ability to implement them in technical documentation
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to tailor messaging to the target audience through effective listening and interviewing
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Strong knowledge of the structure and content of the English language, including spelling, grammar, and rules of composition
• U.S. Citizenship required

What sets you apart:

• 9 or more years of experience developing technical documentation for the creation of operator/maintenance IETMs, including operating procedures, troubleshooting and fault isolation procedures, functional descriptions, and physical descriptions
• Familiarity with military documentation using current DoD specifications and standards, including MIL-STD-3001, MIL-STD-38784, MIL-STD-24784, and MIL-STD-40051-2C
• Experience using an XML editor (e.g., XMLSpy, Arbortext)
• Ability to decipher Bill of Materials (BOMs) and use that information to create and develop complex IETMs
• Experience interfacing with SMEs and/or Sea Systems Command government/contractor community
• Basic understanding of JIRA and Confluence
• Familiarity with basic graphic design principles
• Understanding of a repository-based content management system (e.g., TortoiseSVN)
• A hunger to learn new information quickly and handle increasing responsibilities with growing complexity
• A team player who thrives in collaborative environments and revels in team success

General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of 12,000+ top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defense and scientific arenas. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency. We offer highly competitive benefits and pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose. You will also enjoy a flexible work environment where contributions are recognized and rewarded. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we invite you to join our high-performance team!

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans