1

Scientific Writer Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

This role translates complex scientific, engineering, and technical concepts into concise, easy-to-understand documentation for technical and non-technical audiences. The Technical Writer works ...

Writer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$75K - $100K/yr

As a Writer on the Grassroots Editorial Team, you'll play a key role in crafting clear, concise, and compelling communications that empower millions of people across the country to advocate for ...

Writer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$75K - $100K/yr

As a Writer on the Grassroots Editorial Team, you'll play a key role in crafting clear, concise, and compelling communications that empower millions of people across the country to advocate for ...

Senior Writer Project Manager

Alexandria, VA · On-site

$108K - $128K/yr

Write and edit articles, white papers, fact sheets, blogs, press releases, web pages, and other ... Translate complex scientific and technical concepts into plain language for non-expert audiences.

Writer

Arlington, VA

$75K - $100K/yr

As a Writer on the Grassroots Editorial Team, you'll play a key role in crafting clear, concise, and compelling communications that empower millions of people across the country to advocate for ...

Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Technical Writing, Education, History, Political Science, Military Studies, or a related field. Years of Relative Work Experience: * Five (5) ...

Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Technical Writing, Education, History, Political Science, Military Studies, or a related field. Years of Relative Work Experience: * Five (5) ...

Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Technical Writing, Education, History, Political Science, Military Studies, or a related field. Years of Relative Work Experience: * Three ...

EWS Writer

Quantico, VA · On-site

$80 - $100/hr

EducationBachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Technical Writing, Education, History, Political Science, Military Studies, or a related field.Years of Relative Work Experience:

Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Technical Writing, Education, History, Political Science, Military Studies, or a related field. Years of Relative Work Experience: * Three ...

Staff Writer

Washington, DC · On-site

$120K - $180K/yr

This writer will be relentlessly curious about culinary culture and why we eat and drink the way we ... food science, the real meaning of culinary obsessions, and much more. It might involve ...

Showing results 41-60

Scientific Writer information

See Reston, VA salary details

$11.4K

$73.3K

$82.7K

How much do scientific writer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for scientific writer in Reston, VA is $73,345.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $69,700.00 and $77,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a scientific writer?

A science writer is a journalist who specializes in writing about scientific fields, with an emphasis on the emergence of research and advancements. Science writing is one of the most challenging forms of journalism because you must carefully translate scientific wording about discoveries into terms that the layman can understand while balancing conflicting views from major players in the field. Your responsibilities as a science writer are significant since it's important not to give misinformation to the masses about new research and discoveries. A science writer's day-to-day duties primarily revolve around research, interviews, and writing.

How does a scientific writer typically collaborate with researchers and subject matter experts during the manuscript preparation process?

Scientific Writers work closely with researchers and subject matter experts (SMEs) to ensure technical accuracy and clarity in manuscripts, grant proposals, or regulatory documents. This collaboration often involves interviewing SMEs to clarify complex concepts, reviewing drafts together, and incorporating feedback to meet publication standards. Effective communication and project management skills are essential, as writers must balance scientific rigor with readability, adhere to deadlines, and coordinate input from multiple stakeholders throughout the writing and revision process.

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

To thrive as a Scientific Writer, you need a solid background in science or a related field, excellent writing skills, and typically at least a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a scientific discipline. Familiarity with referencing software (like EndNote or Zotero), publication guidelines, and content management systems is often required. Outstanding attention to detail, the ability to translate complex concepts for different audiences, and strong time-management are standout soft skills. These skills ensure accurate, clear communication of scientific information, which is critical for advancing research and supporting organizational goals.

What is the difference between Scientific Writer vs Medical Writer?

AspectScientific WriterMedical Writer
CredentialsTypically requires a degree in science or related fieldOften requires a degree in life sciences, healthcare, or related fields; certifications like AMWA or EMWA are common
Work EnvironmentResearch institutions, academia, scientific publishingPharmaceutical companies, healthcare organizations, regulatory agencies
Industry UsageUsed across scientific disciplines for research papers, grant proposalsFocused on clinical, regulatory, and medical communication

Scientific Writers and Medical Writers share similar backgrounds in science and often work in related environments. However, Medical Writers specialize in translating complex medical and clinical data for regulatory submissions, medical education, and healthcare audiences, whereas Scientific Writers focus more broadly on scientific research and publications.

How much money do scientific writers make?

Scientific writers typically earn a median annual salary of around $70,000 to $100,000, depending on experience, education, and industry. Salaries can vary based on whether they work as freelancers, in academia, or for private companies, with advanced skills in research and technical writing often commanding higher pay.

Is scientific writing a good career?

Scientific writing is a viable career that involves communicating complex research findings clearly and accurately, often requiring strong writing skills and knowledge of scientific concepts. It offers opportunities in academia, publishing, and industry, with roles that may involve editing, peer review, or content development. Job stability and growth depend on the demand for scientific communication and the ability to adapt to evolving technologies and standards.

What are the most commonly searched types of Scientific Writer jobs in Reston, VA?

The most popular types of Scientific Writer jobs in Reston, VA are:

What are popular job titles related to Scientific Writer jobs in Reston, VA?

For Scientific Writer jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Scientific Writer jobs in Reston, VA look for?

The top searched job categories for Scientific Writer jobs in Reston, VA are:

What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Scientific Writer jobs?

Cities near Reston, VA with the most Scientific Writer job openings:

Infographic showing various Scientific Writer job openings in Reston, VA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 75% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 21% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $73,345 per year, or $35.3 per hour.

Scientific Program Manager (52499)

Rockville, MD • On-site

$100 - $125/hr

Other

Posted 7 days ago


Job description

Job Details
  • Level: Experienced
  • Job Location: National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Rockville Campus - Rockville, MD 20852
  • Position Type: Full Time
  • Education Level: Bachelors Degree
  • Salary Range: $110,000.00 - $120,000.00 Salary/year
  • Travel Percentage: None
  • Job Shift: Day
  • Job Category: Public Health
Position Objective

National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) is seeking a Scientific Program Manager that will work with National Institutes of Health (NIH) program staff on performing tasks in relation to the NIH Common Fund's Complement Animal Research in Experimentation (Complement-ARIE) program and provide comprehensive administrative and program support to ensure efficient program operations. This individual will coordinate across multiple NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices and across multiple partner agencies. In addition, this individual may support other NCATS programs as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities
  • Coordinate and document projects from beginning to completion; monitor and report the status of completion, funding and results attained; provide progress reports.
  • Collaborate with staff on the planning, implementation, coordination and evaluation of programs and initiatives in the assigned specialty area of research.
  • Provide technical and management support to NIH program staff during the execution of day-to-day functions, planning and implementation of the program, including supporting program staff in setting priorities, managing assigned tasks, monitoring project status, reviewing work products.
  • Oversee all data management activities and development of data files for internal and external use as necessary.
  • Create both internal and external materials in the form of reports, summaries, emails, website content, video scripts, newsletters and social media. 2
  • Develop periodic and special reports and procedures; search records and files, the internet, background materials and precedent references.
  • Plan, initiate, monitor and conduct administrative/portfolio analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in meeting established goals.
  • Review and summarize materials and data; gather and coordinate information for review; conduct data entry and file maintenance; edit and/or prepare text, data and charts.
  • Prepare program documents such as meeting notes, summaries of conference calls (including action items), semi-annual meetings and workshops; prepare quarterly reports, content for the annual OSC annual progress reports and milestones reports including presentations. 1
  • Prepare briefing materials and summaries of meetings, workshops, and conferences.
  • Use science writing skills to extract science themes and priorities during multidisciplinary science meetings.
  • Prepare for a variety of information exchanges with public and private sector science colleagues working on research, programs, and policy related to research program priorities. 3
  • Attend review, scientific, in-house and various other meetings; provide minutes/reports and self-directed analysis when requested.
  • Attend committees and report relevant programmatic and scientific information to Institute leadership.
  • Work with staff on organizing and participating in symposia and discussions with national and international scientific leaders. 4
  • Take and compile comprehensive notes and organize and edit content of meeting reports.
  • Plan, organize and participate in technical meetings and consultations that convene diverse experts to advance key issues in scientific research.
  • Provide regular program updates to internal and external stakeholders
  • Evaluates current scientific programs and determines if changes need to be made.
  • Conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses of Institute funded extramural research programs.
  • Review short and long range planning proposals to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and mission.
  • Evaluate program activities to identify issues and develop recommendations for improvement. 5
  • Provide comprehensive administrative and program support to ensure efficient program operations.
  • Assist in conducting literature searches and provide summaries of findings as part of preliminary planning for new research activities and directions.
  • Confer with other government agencies, extramural researchers and the broader scientific community on future projects, policy and general research
  • Work with staff on planning and implementing project-based activities; e.g., workshop planning, resource evaluation, communication strategy, assist with report writing/editing, etc.
  • Collaborate with program staff on the development and implementation of grants, cooperative agreements, challenges, and other transactions.
  • Collaborates with management and prepares reports to keep them updated on new and ongoing programs and activities.
  • Meet with leadership on a regular basis to provide oral reports and discuss the status of on-going projects and to receive new assignments.
  • Prepare presentations to Institute leadership; attend monthly meetings; report to multiple divisions in the Institute on the status of the program budget.
  • Contribute to the writing and development of executive summaries and reports to share with key partners.
  • Provide advice to upper-level management on the latest published research findings and trends.
  • Provide a facilitative role among the team leaders aimed at coordinating strategies and goals into a focused Project Plan.
  • Track implementation of the Project; review progress in relation to the plan; work with the Project Team to revise the plan as needed; develop and maintain a project-tracking document.
  • Meet with upper level management on a regular basis to provide oral reports on the status of on-going projects and to receive new assignments.
  • Collaborate with program staff to develop the agenda and logistics for workshops and conferences, including semi-annual meetings; coordinate activities across all stakeholders.
  • Work with staff on the development and coordination of scientific initiatives.
  • Implement issues and strategies to enhance successful completion of current projects; prepare conceptual plans and other written products.
  • Analyze and evaluate research portfolios, synthesizing scientific data to report on scientific advancements and outcomes, and identify gaps or issues and develop recommendations for improvement as requested by the Program Coordinators.
  • Facilitate cross-functional team meetings, track action items, and ensure accountability across scientific and administrative stakeholders.
  • Analyze program activities to identify issues and develop recommendations for improvement.
  • Meet with staff on a regular basis to provide oral reports on the status of on-going projects and to receive new assignments.
  • Provide advice to the team regarding unique conditions and issues which affect scientific and administrative functions.
  • Identify operational and technical problems; work with staff to identify a recommended action plan and solutions.
  • Assists in preparing and developing future strategic plans.
  • Prepare, a variety of routine and special reports on the research goals, current activities, accomplishments, and strategic planning efforts.
  • Prepares and provides educational materials to staff.
  • Document all program activities, maintain content on program SharePoint site and other web sites.
  • Collaborate with project lead to assess and make recommendations for appropriate initiatives and strategies to move forward; develop new initiatives.
  • Work with staff on the development and coordination of scientific activities within the initiative.
  • Identify and resolve operational and technical challenges with staff collaboration.
  • Collaborate with staff on the development and implementation of cooperative agreements
  • Collaborate with staff on development of outreach strategies for the initiatives
  • Develop quarterly reports from data and updates provided by the program awardees
  • Schedule and conduct participate in periodic conference calls Andor site visits, including tools such as WebEx, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc
  • Collaborate with staff to develop the agenda and logistics for semi-annual meetings of investigators; coordinate activities with NCATS partners and other stakeholders
  • Work with staff to develop the agenda and logistics for workshops relevant to program development and expansion
  • Provide regular updates and communication to NCATS program leads and other partners
  • Work with staff on tracking and evaluating the yearly milestones and progress reports; prepare dossier for each and the program, including presentations
  • Work with staff on management of program budget, including a wide range of administrative and analytical duties; formulate operating budget projections and annual allocations; monitor and track program expenditures; maintain fiscal oversight over office awards and contracts; track awards and obligation of funds; ensure adequate funds for program coverage
  • Generate weekly, quarterly and various other budget reports of program funds for internal use, for senior management, and as requested
  • by the program officers
  • Consolidate financial data for budget presentations; provide overview of the financial status of operations; maintain internal records and
  • analyze proposed funding plans to identify trends, surplus or shortage of funds; recommend new or changed methods or procedures for monitoring tracking budgetary information
  • Analyze program activities, via internal systems and or NIH enterprise systems, to identify issues and develop recommendations for improvement; draft standard operating procedures and guidelines for implementation of programmatic and administrative activities
  • Provide technical and management support to program staff during execution of day-to-day functions, planning and implementation of projects, including setting priorities, managing assigned tasks, monitoring project status, reviewing
  • Work product and documents related to preparing meeting summary of conference calls, semi-annual meetings and workshops; prepare quarterly reports, annual progress reports and milestones reports.
  • Work products and documents related to developing and updating standard operating procedures and policies for analyzing program activities and administrative oversight; development of analyses and evaluations of proposed funding plans in meeting established goals, measures, and objectives.
  • Work products and documents related to provision of management support to upper level management and ad hoc expert committees; write responses to correspondence pertaining to the tissue chip program for the signature of upper level management.
  • Work products and documents related to gathering and summarizing of materials and data; develop reports required by NCATS, NIH or others, interagency agreements; edit and prepare text and figures for reports, and materials preparation and file maintenance.
  • Work products and documents related to maintaining and updating SharePoint site and other web site improvements.
  • Computer-generated work including database module maintenance and development, budget tracking, data entry and spreadsheets; work with staff on budget management, program expenditures, budget forecasts, spreadsheets and statistical reports information
Basic Qualifications
  • Master's degree in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Physiology, Biomedical Engineering or similar
  • 3 years of specialized experience plus a Bachelor's degree is equivalent to a Master's degree
  • Minimum of two (2) years of related project management experience
  • Four years of experience in biology or other related field
  • Experience with databases and working knowledge and ability to use NIH IMPAC
  • Demonstrates expertise with Microsoft MS Office Suite
  • Ability to develop detailed reports and analyses and general knowledge of biomedical terms
  • Knowledge of NIH funding mechanisms that support biomedical research
  • Experience with independently performing budget execution and administration duties requiring tracking, review and analysis
  • Knowledge of NIH grants and funding mechanism
Preferred Qualifications
  • Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with non-technical and technical staff
  • Detail-oriented and possess strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks and projects

*This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required by this position.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

GAP Solutions provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need an accommodation to apply for a job, email us at recruiting@gapsi.com. You will need to reference the requisition number of the position in which you are interested. Your message will be routed to the appropriate recruiter who will assist you. Please note, this email address is only to be used for those individuals who need an accommodation to apply for a job. Emails for any other reason or those that do not include a requisition number will not be returned.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

This position is contingent upon contract award.

#J-18808-Ljbffr