Technical Author

Our client is currently recruiting for the position of Technical Author based in Aberdeen. This has been released on a 6 month PAYE contract.
 
Role Overview
The Client is seeking an experienced Technical Author & Information Management / Document Management Lead to establish, structure, and govern project documentation across a major energy project. This role combines technical writing, information architecture, document governance, and SharePoint-based information management. Working alongside the Senior Document Controller, you will be responsible for developing project procedures, HSE documentation, standards, guidance materials, and document frameworks while creating the systems and controls required to manage information throughout the project lifecycle. The successful candidate will act as the project's documentation authority, ensuring all technical and operational information is clear, consistent, auditable, and aligned with industry best practice.
This is a hands-on position requiring someone who can both author technical content and design the information management structures that support it.
 
Key Responsibilities
Technical Writing & Content Development

• Lead the authoring, editing, and maintenance of project procedures, management plans, work instructions, technical standards, and guidance documents.
• Translate complex engineering, operational, and HSE requirements into clear, structured, and user-friendly documentation.
• Work with engineers, project managers, HSE specialists, and operational stakeholders to gather, validate, and develop technical content.
• Ensure all documentation follows a consistent writing style, terminology, format, and structure.
• Create document templates, writing standards, and style guides to drive consistency across the project.
• Develop and maintain linked documentation sets, ensuring traceability between procedures, standards, plans, and supporting records.

Documentation Governance & Quality Assurance

• Establish and implement document governance processes covering creation, review, approval, publication, revision, and retirement.
• Conduct quality reviews to ensure documentation meets project requirements, company standards, and regulatory expectations.
• Define document numbering, coding, version control, supersedence, and document status conventions.
• Review legacy documentation and standardise content to create a consistent project document set.
• Oversee the integration and rationalisation of HSE documentation into a coherent management system.

Information Management & SharePoint Development

• Design and implement the project's document management framework and information architecture.
• Configure and optimise SharePoint document libraries, metadata structures, content types, permissions, workflows, and search functionality.
• Establish document relationships, taxonomy, classification systems, and information hierarchies.
• Develop document control procedures and workflows that support efficient collaboration and governance.
• Ensure information is managed in a manner that supports audit readiness, compliance, and operational handover.

User Support & Continuous Improvement

• Produce user guides, quick-reference materials, and documentation standards for project personnel.
• Provide guidance and coaching to document users and project contributors.
• Identify opportunities to improve document quality, usability, and information accessibility.
• Support the Senior Document Controller in transitioning the system into business-as-usual operation.
• Recommend best practices for information management and technical documentation throughout the project lifecycle.

Essential Experience

• 5+ years' experience in technical authoring, technical writing, document control, information management, or documentation governance within energy, oil & gas, engineering, or process industries.
• Demonstrable experience producing technical procedures, standards, operating instructions, management system documentation, or HSE documentation.
• Strong technical editing, proofreading, and document quality assurance capability.
• Experience developing documentation frameworks, standards, templates, and governance processes.
• Advanced Microsoft SharePoint administration and configuration experience, including metadata, content types, permissions, workflows, and information architecture.
• Strong understanding of document lifecycle management, version control, review processes, and approval workflows.
• Experience working within operational or asset-owner environments.
• Proficiency with Adobe Acrobat Pro and Microsoft Office Suite.

Desirable Experience

• Experience supporting major Oil&Gas, Engineering or power-generation projects.
• Knowledge of ISO management systems and document control principles.
• Familiarity with API, IEC, ISO, and operator standards.
• Experience supporting project handover, commissioning, operations readiness, or asset management programmes.
• Understanding of enterprise document management systems and digital information management practices.

Personal Attributes

• Exceptional written communication and technical writing skills.
• Ability to transform complex technical information into clear and accessible documentation.
• Strong editorial judgement and attention to detail.
• Highly organised with a structured approach to information management.
• Comfortable engaging with engineers, operational personnel, and HSE specialists.
• Self-sufficient and capable of developing documentation frameworks with limited supervision.
• Continuous improvement mindset focused on quality, usability, and compliance.

 
Key Deliverables
By the end of the engagement, the successful candidate will have delivered:

• A full suite of standardised project procedures, work instructions, standards, and HSE documentation.
• A documentation style guide and document governance framework.
• A documented document management process covering review, approval, version control, publishing, and retention.
• A fully configured SharePoint-based document management environment.
• A structured document hierarchy and information architecture model.
• User guidance materials and training documentation.
• A sustainable framework for ongoing document management and project handover.

 
If you feel that you are well suited to the above opportunity and would like to find out more then please contact Orion Group for more information or apply by forwarding your current CV quoting reference: TR/083826


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Orion Group was founded in 1987 and is now one of the largest, independent, international recruitment companies. We have a network of 200 employees working from 24 offices, delivering a range of services – Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Outsourcing Services, Retained Search, Global Workforce Solutions, Completions & Commissioning and Materials Management – across 68 countries. As a global leader in workforce solutions, we recruit personnel across the Engineering & Technical, Office & Commercial, Scientific and Skilled Trades disciplines, for sectors including Oil & Gas, Life Science, Power & Utilities, Constructions & Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Renewables.