Technical Writer
Creative
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
- 1Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
- 2Maintain records and files of work and revisions.
- 3Edit, standardize, or make changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel.
- 4Select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.
- 5Interview production and engineering personnel and read journals and other material to become familiar with product technologies and production methods.
- 6Develop or maintain online help documentation.
- 7Assist in laying out material for publication.
- 8Study drawings, specifications, mockups, and product samples to integrate and delineate technology, operating procedure, and production sequence and detail.
- 9Arrange for typing, duplication, and distribution of material.
- 10Observe production, developmental, and experimental activities to determine operating procedure and detail.
- 11Review manufacturer's and trade catalogs, drawings and other data relative to operation, maintenance, and service of equipment.
- 12Analyze developments in specific field to determine need for revisions in previously published materials and development of new material.
- 13Draw sketches to illustrate specified materials or assembly sequence.
- 14Review published materials and recommend revisions or changes in scope, format, content, and methods of reproduction and binding.
- 15Confer with customer representatives, vendors, plant executives, or publisher to establish technical specifications and to determine subject material to be developed for publication.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
- UX Writer
- Grant Writer
- Lexicographer
- Manual Writer
- Report Writer
- Medical Writer
- Clinical Writer
- Handbook Writer
- Proposal Writer
- Contracts Writer
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
2
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
3
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
Typical entry
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- English Language96%
English
- Computers and Electronics86%
Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies
- Administrative75%
Business
- Communications and Media65%
EnglishBahasa Melayu
- Administration and Management65%
BusinessEconomics
- Public Safety and Security63%
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
- Contact with other peopleConstant contact
- Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
- Leading or coordinating othersHigh
- Handling conflict situationsOften
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
- Noisy environmentEvery day
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work
Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
Check what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Related careers
If this interests you, these are worth a look too.
About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Technical Writers
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org