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Principal Writer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Proposal Writer Principal

Reston, VA · On-site +1

$120K - $160K/yr

What You'll Do The Proposal Writer we seek is a principal-level proposal professional and is a key member of the Proposal Development Center (PDC). You will provide full lifecycle, Federal proposal ...

Proposal Writer Principal

Chantilly, VA · On-site +1

$120K - $160K/yr

What You'll Do The Proposal Writer we seek is a principal-level proposal professional and is a key member of the Proposal Development Center (PDC). You will provide full lifecycle, Federal proposal ...

Proposal Writer Principal

Reston, VA · On-site

$120K - $160K/yr

What You'll Do The Proposal Writer we seek is a principal-level proposal professional and is a key member of the Proposal Development Center (PDC). You will provide full lifecycle, Federal proposal ...

ViiV Healthcare is seeking a Principal Medical Writer who will lead and deliver high-quality medical writing for complex clinical and regulatory projects. You will work closely with clinical ...

Principal Medical Writer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$169K - $201K/yr

We have an excellent opportunity for a Principal Medial Writer to join our team. This position is a hybrid role with 2 days a week on-site in our San Diego, Ca. office Summary: Responsible for ...

ViiV Healthcare is seeking a Principal Medical Writer who will lead and deliver high-quality medical writing for complex clinical and regulatory projects. You will work closely with clinical ...

ViiV Healthcare is seeking a Principal Medical Writer who will lead and deliver high-quality medical writing for complex clinical and regulatory projects. You will work closely with clinical ...

ViiV Healthcare is seeking a Principal Medical Writer who will lead and deliver high-quality medical writing for complex clinical and regulatory projects. You will work closely with clinical ...

Trilogy Writing & Consulting,anIndegeneCompany, ishiring Senior/Principal Medical Writers (USA) to support our growing company in producing regulatory documentation for the international ...

Principal Medical Writer

$119K - $159K/yr

Document Writing: * Manages the assigned writing tasks and ensures that the documents adhere to relevant regulatory guideline(s), as well as BeiGene SOP/WI(s), template(s), and style guide. * Be able ...

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Principal Writer information

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$11K

$186.5K

How much do principal writer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal writer in the United States is $185,359.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $185,000.00 and $185,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Principal Writer typically collaborate with subject matter experts and other team members on complex projects?

Principal Writers often serve as key liaisons between subject matter experts (SMEs), editors, and project managers, ensuring that technical or specialized content is accurately translated for the intended audience. They frequently lead content development meetings, coordinate feedback from various stakeholders, and mentor junior writers on best practices. Effective collaboration requires strong communication skills, adaptability, and the ability to synthesize input from multiple sources while maintaining consistency and clarity in the final deliverables.

What is a Principal Writer?

A Principal Writer is a senior-level professional responsible for creating, managing, and overseeing high-quality written content, often in specialized fields such as technical writing, medical communications, or corporate communications. They serve as subject matter experts, provide strategic guidance on content development, and may mentor or supervise other writers. Principal Writers ensure that documentation or publications meet organizational standards and are clear, accurate, and effective for their intended audiences.

What is the difference between Principal Writer vs Senior Writer?

AspectPrincipal WriterSenior Writer
CredentialsBachelor's degree in English, Communications, or related field; extensive writing experienceBachelor's degree; several years of professional writing experience
Work EnvironmentLead role in content strategy, overseeing multiple projects and teamsFocus on producing high-quality content, often mentoring junior writers
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in corporate, publishing, and media companies for senior content leadershipCommon in marketing, publishing, and media industries for experienced writers

The Principal Writer typically holds a higher level of responsibility, overseeing content strategy and managing teams, whereas the Senior Writer focuses on creating and refining content with less managerial duties. Both roles require strong writing skills and relevant experience, but the Principal Writer often leads projects and sets content direction.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Principal Writer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Writer, you need advanced writing and editing expertise, a deep understanding of subject matter, and often a relevant degree in English, communications, or a specialized field. Familiarity with content management systems, document collaboration tools, and style guides like AP or Chicago Manual of Style is typically required. Exceptional communication, leadership, and project management skills help distinguish top performers in this senior role. These abilities ensure the production of high-quality, consistent content and effective guidance of writing teams or projects.
More about Principal Writer jobs
Infographic showing various Principal Writer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $185,359 per year, or $89.1 per hour.
Proposal Writer Principal

Proposal Writer Principal

SAIC

Reston, VA • On-site, Remote

$120K - $160K/yr

Full-time

Posted 13 days ago


SAIC rating

7.9

Company rating: 7.9 out of 10

Based on 79 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

69th of 210 rated it services


Job description

Job ID: 2614238

Location: Reston, VA, US

Date Posted: 2026-07-13

Category: Business Development

Subcategory: Proposal

Schedule: Full-Time

Shift: Day Job

Travel: Yes - 10% of the time

Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None

Potential for Remote Work: ORA_HYBRID


Description

SAIC is looking for a seasoned, cleared senior level Proposal Writer who is accomplished with writing original content for all sections of Federal RFx, with minimal oversight. This position offers hybrid work opportunities, with primary work to be completed in the Reston or Chantilly, Virginia areas. The candidate should be local to the Northern, Virginia area. 

Candidates must have an active TS/SCI Clearance.

What You’ll Do

The Proposal Writer we seek is a principal-level proposal professional and is a key member of the Proposal Development Center (PDC). You will provide full lifecycle, Federal proposal support, from content planning, template development, and writing and editing key sections (resumes, past performance, and narrative volumes), through submission. You’ll also coach and mentor junior writers and participate in process improvement initiatives. You’ll share your wisdom in peer and color reviews and apply analytical skills to process efficiencies and proposal quality through the use of proprietary AI tool.

What You’ll Bring to the Table

In this role you will join the PDC family that enjoys a team culture, and collaborative engagement with all levels of proposal contributors and stakeholders. 

You have a hunger for knowledge, a thirst for quality, and an eye for accuracy. You have strong critical thinking skills and easily digest technically complex information. You have experience with writing proposals or technical documents for the Federal Government. Each proposal offers you an opportunity to learn about exciting innovations that sustain and support our government, including our military. 

Your strengths with the written word, communications, and the English language (grammar nerds welcomed and embraced), will be appreciated throughout the proposal development process. Your expertise weaving in win strategies, themes, and discriminators into proposal artifacts means you are making an impact to important solutions supporting our customers.

What SAIC Offers

We empower you to paint our proposals with your creative and analytical skills. SAIC is dedicated to your professional development and career growth with our mature mentor-protégé program and robust training opportunities (e.g., emerging technologies, including AI, leadership development, and industry best practices).

In this deadline-driven industry, we offer you competitive compensation, a flexible work schedule, and work-life balance.

Don’t take our word for it… some of SAIC’s recognition includes: 

  • Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work 2026, Glassdoor, 2026
  • America’s Best Midsize Employers, TIME, 2024
  • Forbes best Large Employers, Forbes, 2023
  • Ranked #1 of Top Companies for Veterans - DiversityInc – 2022 
  • Ranked #7 of Top 25 Veteran Employers – Military.com - 2022 

Day in the Life of a Proposal Writer

  • You’ll interview candidates and SMEs, and engage with fellow contributors to develop proposal artifacts that are clear, concise, persuasive, compliant, and compelling 
  • You’ll ensure accurate content that is error free and aligned to RFx requirements, company process, capture strategies, and industry best practices
  • You’ll peer review your teammates work, and ask them to review your work
  • You may be a reviewer in our formal color reviews— sharing your crucial insight, knowledge, and expertise
  • You’ll coach and mentor less experience writers
  • You may be engaged in the earliest stages of capture strategy development

Qualifications

You Need to Have:

  • BA or BS degree or higher (or equivalent) in Journalism, English, Business, Information Technology, Communication Arts, or other relevant fields and 10 years of solid Federal proposal writing experience. 8 years of experience with a  Masters Degree. 4 additional years can be used in lieu of a degree.
  • Candidates must be a US Citizen
  • TS/SCI Clearance required

We Really Wish You Would Have:

  • Experience with FEDSIM/AAS, OTA, and Self-Scoring bids a plus
  • Be a champion of AI tools for quality improvements and efficiency
  • Knowledge of infrastructure modernization, applications/software development and sustainment, cloud solutions, warfighter solutions, and agile methodologies for defense, civilian, space, and National security sectors of the federal government
     

Target salary range: $120,001 - $160,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.

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