Contract Managing Editor for website update, network/storage exp req’d, ~4 months, onsite San Jose (CSM-421)

Contract Managing Editor for website update, network/storage exp req’d, ~4 months, onsite San Jose (CSM-421)

Job code:	CSM-421
Compensation:	Open, 1099 or corp-to-corp (or W2 by request)
Audience:	IT/network/storage managers, directors, and C-level executives
Location:	Entirely onsite in San Jose (required)
Starts:	ASAP
Duration:	Full-time, 40 hrs/week, four (4) months (through November 1)
Relo/Visa help:	No
Representation:	Principals only, please

This leading networking storage industry company needs a contract Managing Editor to coordinate the efforts of up to five copywriters updating multiple web sites to make the experience seamless and the content clear, concise, and findable.

You’ll work onsite in San Jose reviewing and editing copy for 800+ web pages from three distinct web domains, overseeing and driving all aspects of content creation by collaborating with in-house SMEs and managing copywriter and editor resources.

You’ll focus on enhancing existing product, solution, and technology-related content and will add approximately 10% original material, so you’ll need a working understanding of contemporary networking and/or storage products.

Of course you’ll also need superior copyediting and project-management skills.

The audience for this content includes IT, network, and storage managers, directors, and C-level executives and the content will be deployed via direct sales, OEMs, channel partners, distributors and system integrators.

This will be full-time (40 hours/week), fully onsite work in San Jose, through November 1, 2014. The pay rate is open but the client is price-sensitive and the bidding is currently in the proposal stage.

Required:

• Solid working knowledge of storage and networking technology
• Excellent copyediting and proven project-management skills
• Track record of productive collaboration with cross-functional teams as well as autonomous productivity
• Full-time availability
• Ability and willingness to work entirely onsite in San Jose (travelling at your own expense)

Desired:

• Experience writing about storage technology for Hitachi Data Systems, NetApp, Brocade, EMC, etc.
• Technical publications management background

To apply:

Please email your Word-formatted resume (and a cover letter highlighting any relevant but less-than-obvious experience) to Andrew Davis, synergistech@gmail.com, citing “CSM-421” in your Subject line.

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Contract Technical Writer, mobile dev ecosystem API doc from scratch; 2/5 onsite Menlo Park (CME-420)

Contract Technical Writer, mobile dev ecosystem API doc from scratch; 2/5 onsite Menlo Park (CME-420)

Job code:	CME-420
Compensation:	Up to $85/hr 1099 or corp-to-corp (or W2 by request), with potential to convert to staff/FTE
Audience:	Two dozen mobile handset + applications vendors, part of new non-Android, non-iOS alliance
Location:	Average of two (2) meetings/week onsite in Menlo Park
Starts:	ASAP
Duration:	Full-time, 40 hrs/week, three (3) months, renewable long-term
Relo/Visa help:	No
Representation:	Principals only, please

This thriving multinational electronics vendor’s entrepreneurial incubator team needs a contract Technical Writer to create original API reference content for a novel mobile developer ecosystem.

In addition to researching, designing, and writing their new product’s programmer reference guide, you’ll advise on the best RESTful API content delivery tools and processes; this team has no content infrastructure yet.

You’ll work as independently as possible to support new releases every three-to-four (3-4) months. To that end, you’ll need to be able to write sample code, ideally in Scala but otherwise in Java, C++, Python, and/or JavaScript. Once you’re up to speed, onsite meetings in Menlo Park (near Hwy 280) should only be necessary a couple (2) times/week.

The incubator’s longer-term deliverables will include mobile products leveraging big data, cloud, and Internet of Things technology. In addition to writing API reference documentation, you’ll have the chance to contribute to the style guide, FAQs, articles, best practices, and developer tutorials as well as represent the company at developer conferences, hackathons, and (via forums) to its users.

The ideal candidate has solo-mode experience creating original RESTful API reference documentation for mobile platform technology, strong Java skills, and exposure to Scala and/or the Play framework.

This will be full-time (40 hours/week), partially onsite work in Menlo Park, lasting at least three (3) months and (potentially) renewing long-term. You’d be paid on a 1099 basis, unless you prefer W2. If all goes well and you’re amenable, there’s the potential to convert to staff status.

Required:

• Strong experience writing original API reference documentation in solo mode
• Solid knowledge of RESTful web services, HTTP, and web service technologies
• Proven ability to read (and create commented code samples) in Java, C++, Python, and/or JavaScript
• Track record of autonomous productivity in a software development startup environment
• Sharable, relevant writing samples and reachable references
• Full-time availability
• Ability to work onsite in Menlo Park, CA, up to twice a week (traveling at your own expense)

Desired:

• Exposure to Scala
• Familiarity with the Play framework
• Working knowledge of cloud computing
• Degree in Computer Science or directly related discipline

To apply:

Please email your Word-formatted resume (and a cover letter highlighting any relevant but less-than-obvious experience) to Andrew Davis, synergistech@gmail.com, citing “CME-420” in your Subject line.

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Contract-to-Staff Senior Technical Writer, API + netadmin doc, unstruct’d FM, mostly offsite/Mountain View, >12 mos (SNA-419)

Contract-to-Staff Senior Technical Writer, API + netadmin doc, unstruct’d FM, mostly offsite/Mountain View, >12 mos (SNA-419)

Job code:	SNA-419
Compensation:	Up to $58/hr W2 (with no-cost health + dental insurance & matching 401k) or $67hr 1099 or corp-to-corp, then competitive base salary and excellent benefits
Audience:	Software developers, network administrators, system administrators, IT operations staff in IPTV data center
Location:	Two visits/week to Mountain View for information-gathering and review meetings, otherwise all offsite while on contract, then two partial days/week onsite after converting to staff
Starts:	ASAP
Duration:	Full-time, 40 hrs/week, on contract for up to 12 months then converting to staff
Relo/Visa help:	No
Representation:	Principals only, please

This multinational mobile technology company needs a contract-to-staff Senior Technical Writer to create API reference as well as network administration manuals for its sophisticated internet TV (IPTV) services.

You’ll use unstructured FrameMaker and Webworks ePublisher to update and augment developer reference content as well as installation, configuration, and tuning documentation for programmers as well as network administrators, system administrators, and other IT personnel managing its 36-server TV services platform. You’ll collaborate with teams in India, the UK, and Canada as they migrate their platform product to a PaaS (cloud) service.

You’ll need at least a modicum of software development experience and a good basic understanding of object-oriented programming (OOP). For example, you’ll need to know the meaning, significance, and use of a method, property, class, subclass, object, event, and exception. In addition, you’ll need solid experience creating installation, configuration, and tuning documentation for complex client/server enterprise systems, a working knowledge of virtualized server technology, and high-quality, relevant portfolio samples.

The ideal candidate can read some object-oriented code and create simple code examples, or at least determine whether the samples the SMEs provide are useful and sufficient.

This will be full-time (40 hours/week), mostly offsite work with approximately two in-person visits per week to Mountain View for information-gathering and review sessions. The initial contract engagement will last up to 12 months, working either on a 1099 (paying to $67/hr) or W2 (paying to $58/hr) basis. Thereafter you’ll convert to staff status, working onsite in Mountain View an average of two days/week and earning a competitive base salary plus excellent benefits.

Required:

• Working knowledge of object-oriented programming
• Solid background creating API reference documentation for complex systems
• Experience researching, documenting, and validating complex client/server network-administration procedures
• Proficiency with (unstructured) FrameMaker
• Knowledge of server virtualization technology from an IT operations perspective
• Sharable, relevant writing samples and reachable references
• Full-time availability
• Ability to work onsite in Mountain View, CA, twice a week (traveling at your own expense)

Desired:

• Understanding of one or more broadcast TV technologies such as MPEG/H.264 video, AC3/AAC audio, IPTV, and set-top boxes
• Casual hands-on experience reading and writing object-oriented code, even if just for personal curiosity

To apply:

Please email your Word-formatted resume (and a cover letter highlighting any relevant but less-than-obvious experience) to Andrew Davis, synergistech@gmail.com, citing “SNA-419” in your Subject line.

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Contract Technical Writer, netadmin doc, unstruct’d FM, mostly offsite/Mountain View, 6+ months (CNA-417)

Contract Technical Writer, netadmin doc, unstruct’d FM, mostly offsite/Mountain View, 6+ months (CNA-417)

Job code:	CNA-417
Compensation:	Up to $54/hr W2 (with no-cost health + dental insurance & matching 401k) or $63/hr 1099 or corp-to-corp
Audience:	Network administrators, system administrators, IT operations staff in IPTV data center
Location:	Two visits/week to Mountain View for information-gathering and review meetings, otherwise all offsite
Starts:	ASAP
Duration:	Full-time, 40 hrs/week, six (6) months (renewable)
Relo/Visa help:	No
Representation:	Principals only, please

This multinational mobile technology company needs a contract Technical Writer to create network administration manuals for its sophisticated internet TV (IPTV) services.

You’ll use unstructured FrameMaker and Webworks ePublisher to update and augment installation, configuration, and tuning documentation for network administrators, system administrators, and other IT personnel managing its 36-server TV services platform. You’ll collaborate with teams in India, the UK, and Canada as they migrate their platform product to a PaaS (cloud) service.

The ideal candidate has solid experience creating installation, configuration, and tuning documentation for complex client/server network-based enterprise systems, a working knowledge of virtualized server technology, and high-quality, relevant portfolio samples.

This will be full-time (40 hours/week), mostly offsite work with approximately two in-person visits per week to Mountain View for information-gathering and review sessions. The initial (renewable) engagement will last six (6) months. You can work on either a 1099 (paying to $63/hr) or W2 (paying to $54/hr) basis.

Required:

• Experience researching, documenting, and validating complex client/server network-administration procedures
• Proficiency with (unstructured) FrameMaker
• Knowledge of server virtualization technology from an IT operations perspective
• Sharable, relevant writing samples and reachable references
• Full-time availability
• Ability to visit Mountain View, CA, for mid-day meetings twice a week (traveling at your own expense)

To apply:

Please email your Word-formatted resume (and a cover letter highlighting any relevant but less-than-obvious experience) to Andrew Davis, synergistech@gmail.com, citing “CNA-417” in your Subject line.

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Staff or Contract Technical Trainer, JavaScript req’d, JSON + jQuery pref’d, 100% offsite, $open (TTJ-407)

Staff or Contract Technical Trainer, JavaScript req’d, JSON + jQuery pref’d, 100% offsite, $open (TTJ-407)

Job code:	TTJ-407
Compensation:	$Open
Audience:	IT-savvy marketers implementing enterprise websites
Location:	Fully offsite, with one (1) week in Silicon Valley to train, and three (3) 2-3 day/quarter trainings in NYC, Chicago, and Atlanta (12 trainings/year total, < 36 days of travel)
Starts:	ASAP
Duration:	Full-time, 40 hrs/week, indefinite (if staff), 3+ months (if contract)
Relo/Visa help:	No
Representation:	Principals only, please

This fast-growing digital marketing technology startup needs a JavaScript-savvy Technical Trainer to deliver in-person ILT (instructor-led training) ~12 times/year.

The product lets digital marketers increase the flexibility, precision, and privacy compliance of online campaigns. Running on any web, mobile, console, kiosk, or e-reader device, it lets marketers easily deliver a personalized experience to every visitor, resulting in much more actionable data.

When not travelling, you can work fully offsite/remote, from anywhere in the continental US. You’ll only need to visit the company’s headquarters in Silicon Valley for a week to get trained, then travel to and lead the onsite trainings (2-3 days each in New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta each quarter).

This role could be a pure contract Technical Trainer, renewed in three month increments and with no fixed term.

Or it could be a staff, salaried role – complete with full benefits and pre-IPO stock options – for a Technical Trainer who’d do double duty as either 1) an Instructional Designer (creating e-learning materials using Articulate), 2) a Technical Support/Help Desk expert, or 3) a Technical Writer (creating and producing reference, implementation, and user guides in MS Word).

This is a small, young (average age = under 30), innovative company with teams in the UK and Australia. They don’t bring in lunch. They do expect you to pitch in and help solve problems whenever possible, to truly be a team player regardless of where you’re located or your job title. They’re well-funded, well-managed, and with customers like Capital One, Microsoft, monster.com, and United Airlines they’re well-positioned to thrive.

If you only want to work on contract as a travelling Technical Trainer, include your desired hourly pay rate in your reply. If you want to pursue a full-time (40 hours/week), salaried, blended Technical Trainer/Instructional Designer (or /Technical Support, or /Technical Writer) role and receive a competitive salary, complete employment benefits, and pre-IPO stock options, include your desired alternate roles in your reply and (optionally) your desired salary range.

Required:

• Solid JavaScript programming skills
• Stand-up technical training experience
• Working knowledge of regular expressions (regex)
• Willingness to learn Charles proxy (www.charlesproxy.com) before interviewing
• Track record of teamwork as well as autonomous productivity
• Ability and willingness to travel

Desired:

• Experience working with JSON and/or jQuery
• If doubling as an Instructional Designer, substantial course development experience
• If doubling as a Technical Support/Help Desk expert, hands-on customer support background and working knowledge of JavaScript
• If doubling as a Technical Writer, strong writing and organization skills, and an understanding of web infrastructure

To apply:

Please email your Word-formatted resume (and a cover letter highlighting any relevant but less-than-obvious experience) to Andrew Davis, synergistech@gmail.com, citing “TTJ-407” in your Subject line.

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Contract Managing Editor for website update, network/storage exp req’d, ~4 months, onsite San Jose (CSM-421)

Contract Managing Editor for website update, network/storage exp req’d, ~4 months, onsite San Jose (CSM-421)

Job code:	CSM-421
Compensation:	Open, 1099 or corp-to-corp (or W2 by request)
Audience:	IT/network/storage managers, directors, and C-level executives
Location:	Entirely onsite in San Jose (required)
Starts:	ASAP
Duration:	Full-time, 40 hrs/week, four (4) months (through November 1)
Relo/Visa help:	No
Representation:	Principals only, please

This leading networking storage industry company needs a contract Managing Editor to coordinate the efforts of up to five copywriters updating multiple web sites to make the experience seamless and the content clear, concise, and findable.

You’ll work onsite in San Jose reviewing and editing copy for 800+ web pages from three distinct web domains, overseeing and driving all aspects of content creation by collaborating with in-house SMEs and managing copywriter and editor resources.

You’ll focus on enhancing existing product, solution, and technology-related content and will add approximately 10% original material, so you’ll need a working understanding of contemporary networking and/or storage products.

Of course you’ll also need superior copyediting and project-management skills.

The audience for this content includes IT, network, and storage managers, directors, and C-level executives and the content will be deployed via direct sales, OEMs, channel partners, distributors and system integrators.

This will be full-time (40 hours/week), fully onsite work in San Jose, through November 1, 2014. The pay rate is open but the client is price-sensitive and the bidding is currently in the proposal stage.

Required:

• Solid working knowledge of storage and networking technology
• Excellent copyediting and proven project-management skills
• Track record of productive collaboration with cross-functional teams as well as autonomous productivity
• Full-time availability
• Ability and willingness to work entirely onsite in San Jose (travelling at your own expense)

Desired:

• Experience writing about storage technology for Hitachi Data Systems, NetApp, Brocade, EMC, etc.
• Technical publications management background

To apply:

Please email your Word-formatted resume (and a cover letter highlighting any relevant but less-than-obvious experience) to Andrew Davis, synergistech@gmail.com, citing “CSM-421” in your Subject line.

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Synergistech’s view of the Silicon Valley job market

What’s hot, what’s not, and what to do about it?

Synergistech Communications recently posted its perspective on the state of the job market for technical communicators in Silicon Valley, together with candid advice on where the money is and how to remain in demand.

Synergistech’s take on current Silicon Valley contract rates for ten kinds of technical communications services appear here, along with answers to almost 50 other frequently asked questions from candidates.

Comments welcome!

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