How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- applying directly
- completing specialised training courses
University
You'll usually need a degree qualification in a subject like:
- science
- computing
- journalism
- engineering
- healthcare
- communications
- modern languages and translation
You can also do technical or science communication and writing courses at postgraduate level.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
- a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
More Information
Direct Application
You can apply to companies directly. Employers will expect you to have in-depth industry knowledge and experience of writing and editing for a target audience.
You'll need to show you can research and interpret complex information and communicate it clearly. You'll also need to know about:
- content planning and strategy
- writing to a brand style or other guidelines
- user behaviour - how people read and absorb information
- project management
You can also apply for jobs advertised through agencies that recruit and place technical authors.
Other Routes
You may be able to find work after doing specialised training courses in:
- content planning
- writing styles
- quality assurance
- costing
- project management
The Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators has details of course providers.
Further information
You can find out more about how to become a technical author from the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators. The Association of British Science Writers also has information on working as a science journalist.