Senior Technical Writer, High Voltage and Vehicle Systems - GM Defense
General Motors · Milford, Michigan, United States of America ·
- Seniority
- Senior
- Category
- Technical writing
Job Description
About GM Defense
GM Defense is driving the future of military mobility by leveraging the best-in-class capabilities of General Motors for unmatched innovation, proven performance, and breakthrough life-cycle economics. We deliver dependable, affordable, and innovative products across a full spectrum of capabilities, including integrated vehicles, electrification, autonomy, robotics, and security.
Within GM Defense, the Integrated Product Support organization ensures that customers receive world-class aftermarket support. The team develops and sustains the documentation and support products required to keep GM Defense vehicles and systems operational throughout their lifecycle. This includes technical manuals, service information, parts cataloging, diagnostic software, service programming, design-for-serviceability inputs, field service support, and spare parts.
Work arrangement
This role is categorized as hybrid. The successful candidate is expected to report to Warren, Michigan, or Milford, Michigan, at least three times per week and more frequently when required by work assignments, validation activities, or program needs.
The role
GM Defense is seeking a Technical Writer to develop and sustain technical publications for high-voltage, battery, propulsion, and vehicle-system programs. This role supports multiple GM Defense programs and converts engineering, service, and logistics data into accurate, usable, and compliant procedures for military and commercial audiences.
The Technical Writer works under general supervision and partners with the Technical Publications Team Lead, service and sustainment engineers, design engineers, graphic artists, technicians, and subject matter experts. Deliverables may include military technical manuals, GM Service Information procedures, operator and maintenance manuals, training content, troubleshooting procedures, parts-related documentation, and other technical-publication products required by the assigned program.
Experience may come from GM Service Information or from military, aerospace, heavy-equipment, industrial, or other structured technical-publication environments. The selected candidate will be expected to learn the authoring standards, systems, and deliverable formats required for assigned programs.
What you’ll do
- Independently plan and execute assigned technical-publication work packages under general supervision, balancing scope, quality, and schedule across multiple programs.
- Analyze engineering drawings, CAD and 3D math data, wiring schematics, requirements, parts information, software information, and engineering changes to identify the technical content needed for a publication.
- Author, edit, update, and maintain operator, maintenance, repair, troubleshooting, parts, and training content for military and commercial applications.
- Develop content in the applicable structured-authoring environment, including XML/SGML-based tools, GM Service Information authoring systems, and military technical-publication systems.
- Translate complex engineering and service information into clear, concise, actionable procedures that support safe operation, maintenance, diagnosis, and repair.
- Apply applicable writing, terminology, safety, warning, caution, note, illustration, and formatting standards, including Simplified Technical English when required.
- Work with high-voltage and vehicle-system engineers and subject matter experts to validate technical content, resolve discrepancies, and ensure safety-critical information is complete and correctly represented.
- Identify required line art, exploded views, schematics, and other graphics; coordinate with the graphic artist; integrate graphics into procedures; and verify that the final figures support the written steps.
- Manage revisions, change incorporation, traceability, and document version control as engineering designs and program requirements evolve.
- Participate in hands-on validation and verification with technicians, vehicles, equipment, and customers when assigned. Document discrepancies and drive them to closure with the appropriate technical owner.
- Resolve moderate-scope documentation problems independently, use sound judgment within established processes, and escalate issues that require engineering authority or customer direction.
- Recommend practical improvements to authoring, content reuse, quality, review, validation, and delivery processes within the technical-publications work area.
- Communicate status, risks, dependencies, and potential schedule impacts early to the Technical Publications Team Lead and affected partners.
- Maintain a safe work environment and follow all applicable GM Defense, customer, facility, and high-voltage safety requirements.
Basic qualifications
- Demonstrated experience developing, editing, or maintaining technical publications, service information, maintenance documentation, engineering documentation, or comparable structured technical content.
- Working knowledge of high-voltage and electric-vehicle systems, battery systems, propulsion, controls, or related vehicle electrical systems sufficient to author accurate content with engineering subject matter experts.
- Ability to interpret technical drawings, CAD or 3D math, parts lists, wiring schematics, requirements, and engineering changes.
- Ability to organize and complete multiple assignments independently under general supervision while meeting quality and delivery commitments.
- Strong technical writing, editing, analytical, organizational, and cross-functional communication skills.
- Experience with a structured-authoring, XML/SGML, content-management, PLM, or comparable technical-publication environment, or demonstrated ability to learn those systems.
- Ability to work safely around vehicles, high-voltage systems, test equipment, and maintenance activities as required by assigned work.
- U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a Common Access Card and any customer or program security clearance required for assigned work.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience authoring GM Service Information using Global Service Authoring, Arbortext, GM MATH, Electronic Parts Catalog, or related GM service-authoring tools.
- Experience developing military or aerospace technical manuals using one or more applicable standards, such as MIL-STD-40051, MIL-STD-3031, MIL-STD-38784, MIL-STD-2361, or S1000D.
- Experience with Teamcenter, structured XML editors, Interactive Electronic Technical Manual processes, Interactive Authoring and Display Software, Adobe Illustrator, or comparable tools.
- Experience in automotive, defense, aerospace, marine, heavy-equipment, industrial, or other safety-critical technical environments.
- Experience performing physical validation, verification, logistics demonstrations, maintenance evaluations, or technician-facing technical reviews.
- High-voltage safety training or certification applicable to the assigned program.
- Bachelor’s degree in technical writing, English, communications, engineering, computer science, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
- Experience improving technical-publication workflows, templates, content reuse, quality checks, traceability, or review processes.
- Experience leading or training others in technical writing, high-voltage safety, maintenance, or related technical skills.
- Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
About GM
Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.
Why Join Us
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Benefits Overview
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