DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
27-3042 Technical Writers
Occupational Description:
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Southwest Minnesota | 40 | 9 | $23.89/hr | $0.96/hr | $17.63/hr | $19.87/hr | $22.12/hr | $26.41/hr | $35.13/hr |
| Minnesota | 1,080 | 91 | $30.34/hr | $0.55/hr | $19.33/hr | $23.70/hr | $29.20/hr | $36.87/hr | $44.10/hr |
| U S | 46,160 | 785 | $33.10/hr | $0.20/hr | $18.86/hr | $24.33/hr | $31.92/hr | $40.55/hr | $49.54/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change 2010 - 2020 | |
| Editors | 90 | $18.84/hr | -3.2% |
| Writers and Authors | 60 | $9.95/hr | 6.7% |
Tasks for Technical Writers
- Organizes material and completes writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
- Edits, standardizes, or makes changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel.
- Observes production, developmental, and experimental activities to determine operating procedure and detail.
- Maintains records and files of work and revisions.
- Selects photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.
- Confers with customer representatives, vendors, plant executives, or publisher to establish technical specifications and to determine subject material to be developed for publication.
- Arranges for typing, duplication, and distribution of material.
- Draws sketches to illustrate specified materials or assembly sequence.
- Analyzes developments in specific field to determine need for revisions in previously published materials and development of new material.
- Reviews manufacturer's and trade catalogs, drawings and other data relative to operation, maintenance, and service of equipment.
- Reviews published materials and recommends revisions or changes in scope, format, content, and methods of reproduction and binding.
- Assists in laying out material for publication.
- Interviews production and engineering personnel and reads journals and other material to become familiar with product technologies and production methods.
- Studies drawings, specifications, mock ups, and product samples to integrate and delineate technology, operating procedure, and production sequence and detail.