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Writing Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

La Sierra University

Writing Center Tutor

Riverside, CA · On-site

Writing Center Tutor La Sierra University Position: Writing Center Tutor Location: HUM 101, La Sierra University Position Overview: Writing Center Tutor (Student Position) Writing Center Tutors will ...

La Sierra University

Writing Center Tutor

Riverside, CA · On-site

Writing Center Tutor La Sierra University Position: Writing Center Tutor Location: HUM 101, La Sierra University Position Overview: Writing Center Tutor (Student Position) Writing Center Tutors will ...

CIA

College Writing Adjunct

Saint Helena, CA · On-site

$4K/wk

College Writing - 3 Credits Students will write and revise essays that demonstrate their ability to read and think critically, to incorporate evidence into the development of their ideas, and to ...

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Writing information

See California salary details

$10.9K

$29.6K

How much do writing jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for writing in California is $28,126.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $27,100.00 and $29,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Writing vs Copywriting?

AspectWritingCopywriting
Primary FocusCreating various types of content, such as articles, blogs, reportsCreating persuasive content to promote products or services
Skills NeededResearch, storytelling, clarityPersuasion, marketing, concise messaging
Work EnvironmentMedia companies, publishing houses, online platformsAdvertising agencies, marketing departments, freelance
Common CertificationsWriting courses, journalism degreesCopywriting certifications, marketing courses

Writing involves producing a wide range of content for various purposes, focusing on clarity and information. Copywriting specifically aims to craft persuasive messages to drive sales or engagement. While both roles require strong writing skills, copywriters often focus more on marketing strategies, whereas writers may work in journalism, publishing, or content creation.

What Are Writing Professionals?

Writing professionals, or writers, are content creators who use language to entertain, inform, or persuade audiences. Writers produce all written work available to the public, including books, newspaper articles, blog posts, website content, social media posts, and advertising copy. Examples of conventional writing careers are journalists, novelists, poets, screenwriters, technical writers, and copywriters. Writing professionals may work independently or as a staff writer for a company. Typical job duties include researching, organizing, planning, and outlining written work, in addition to writing, editing, and revising the pieces. To create quality content, writing professionals need excellent language skills, proficiency in computer programs, and a mastery of online tools and resources.

What are some common challenges writers face when working with editors, and how can they effectively navigate them?

Writers often encounter challenges such as receiving extensive feedback, reconciling different editorial perspectives, or adapting their style to fit a publication's voice. To navigate these challenges, it's important to approach feedback with an open mind, communicate clearly with editors about any uncertainties, and be willing to revise work as needed. Building a collaborative relationship with editors not only improves the quality of your writing but also helps you grow professionally and adapt to various editorial standards.

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

To thrive as a Writer, you need strong command of language, grammar, and storytelling, often supported by a degree in English, communications, or journalism. Familiarity with word processing software, content management systems, and sometimes SEO tools is typically required. Creativity, adaptability, attention to detail, and effective communication make a writer stand out in this field. These skills are crucial for producing engaging, accurate, and audience-appropriate content across various platforms.

What is writing as a profession?

Writing as a profession involves creating content for various purposes, such as articles, books, advertisements, websites, or technical manuals. Professional writers may work as journalists, novelists, copywriters, content creators, or technical writers, among other roles. Successful writers need strong language skills, creativity, and the ability to adapt their style to suit different audiences or industries. Many writers are self-employed or work on a freelance basis, while others are employed by companies, publishing houses, or media organizations.
More about Writing jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Writing jobs in California? The most popular types of Writing jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Writing jobs in California? For Writing jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Writing jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Writing jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Writing jobs? Cities in California with the most Writing job openings:
Writing jobs near you
Infographic showing various Writing job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 74% Full Time, 23% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $28,126 per year, or $13.5 per hour.

Principal Medical Writer - Regulatory and Medical Writing

Ionis

Carlsbad, CA • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Posted 29 days ago

Job description

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We're pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs. With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.
At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.
With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive.
We're building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If you're passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!
PRINCIPAL MEDICAL WRITER - REGULATORY AND MEDICAL WRITING
SUMMARY:
The Principal Medical Writer will collaborate with internal teams to lead, write, and manage completion of clinical regulatory documents. This role is for an individual contributor, reporting to the Executive Director (Head) of Regulatory and Medical Writing. This role includes responsibilities throughout the lifecycle of a document including working cross-functionally to interpret source information (including leading data interpretation meetings), leading key messaging meetings, writing content following US and international regulations (including Marketing Application Module 2 summary documents), conducting quality control (QC) reviews, resolving Quality Assurance (QA) audit findings, and working with Regulatory Operations for publishing and submission. The Principal Medical Writer will be assigned to projects that require advanced regulatory writing expertise compared with a Senior Medical Writer. This position may be fully remote; however, preference will be given to San Diego-based applicants.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Working with the Executive Director, Regulatory and Medical Writing, collaborate with internal teams (e.g., Clinical Development and Biostatistics) to lead, write, and manage complex clinical regulatory documents (e.g., clinical study reports, Investigator Brochures, clinical study protocols, briefing documents, marketing application summary documents [Module 2], etc.).
  • Serve as Medical Writing department lead on multiple project/core teams.
  • Function as subject matter expert within the department for assigned therapeutic/product areas.
  • Responsible for planning (in collaboration with Global Project Management) and leading cross-functional teams to meet timelines for deliverables.
  • Lead complex scientific key messaging/storyboarding cross-functional meetings, ensuring the messages are clear and consistent within and across documents.
  • Understand, assimilate, and interpret sources of information with appropriate guidance.
  • Ensure compliance with appropriate conventions, proper grammar usage, and correct format requirements, as needed (e.g., formatting, hyperlinking).
  • Manage review cycles for documents; schedule and lead data interpretation meetings, comment resolution meetings, and other document-related meetings.
  • Perform quality control (QC) reviews as necessary.
  • Interact with Quality Assurance (QA) to resolve audit findings for specific documents.
  • Maintain expert knowledge of US and international regulations, requirements, and guidance associated with preparation of regulatory documentation.
  • Effectively coordinate with Regulatory Operations to ensure on-time preparation and publication of regulatory submission documents.
  • Support Global Regulatory Lead with preparing information/responses requested by regulatory agencies.
  • Mentor junior writers as needed.
  • Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:
  • Bachelor's Degree required, advanced degree in a relevant scientific/clinical/regulatory field a plus.
  • A minimum of 8 years of direct experience as a medical writer preparing regulated documents in the pharmaceutical industry. Marketing application experience (e.g., lead writer of Module 2.5, 2.7.3, or 2.7.4) required. Rare disease experience is a plus.
  • Experience as lead writer of key documents included in major US and/or international regulatory submissions comprising, but not limited to, clinical study reports (all sections including safety narratives), Investigator Brochures, clinical study protocols, marketing application summary documents, Investigational New Drug applications, clinical sections of New Drug Applications, and other regulatory documents (e.g., Briefing Documents).
  • In depth experience writing Safety sections of regulatory documents preferred.
  • Ability to independently write and complete documents to completion.
  • Extensive working knowledge of relevant FDA, EMA, and ICH guidelines, particularly ICH E3 and ICH E6.
  • Experience mentoring junior writers a plus.
  • Deep understanding of the drug development process.
  • Strong ability to assimilate and analytically interpret scientific data. Experience preparing data tables and basic figures required.
  • Proficient knowledge of American Medical Association (AMA) style guidelines.
  • Advanced abilities to find and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, consistency, clarity, and accuracy.
  • Excellent attention to detail and time-management skills. Ability to balance multiple projects simultaneously.
  • Technical expertise in typical Office applications (Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat). Experience working in Veeva and with StartingPoint templates is a plus.
  • Ability to follow style guides, lexicons, and eCTD templates etc.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills with an ability to clearly present technical information within and across functional areas.
  • Energetic, self-motivated, and a hands-on professional with a strong work ethic.
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic environment.
  • Strong desire and ability to be a team player, working and leading towards common goals.
  • An ability to be productive and successful in an intense work environment.
  • Personable and outgoing.

Please visit our website, http://www.ionis.com for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position; reference requisition #IONIS003825
Ionis offers an excellent benefits package! Follow this link for more details: Ionis Benefits
Full Benefits Link: https://ionis.com/careers#:~:text=Highly%20competitive%20benefits
The pay scale for this position is $126,339 to $160,340
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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