Technical Writer

Technical Writer – Government Digital Service | Grade 7 | £56,850–£68,570

UK-based applicants only

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is recruiting a Technical Writer to join its Digital Identity & One Login programme.

This is a permanent Grade 7 position based in Bristol, London or Manchester, with flexible working options including hybrid working, part-time and compressed hours.

Important: This vacancy does not offer visa sponsorship.

Job Overview

About the Government Digital Service

The Government Digital Service is the digital centre of government and is responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for modern digital government.

GDS works on major digital programmes that affect millions of people across the UK, including GOV.UK, digital identity and public-sector digital infrastructure.

The organisation employs more than 1,000 people across the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The successful candidate will work alongside highly skilled digital professionals and contribute to projects designed to improve government services and make them easier and more inclusive for people across the country.

About the Technical Writer Role

As a Technical Writer within the Digital Identity programme, you will create and manage user-centred documentation for teams integrating with and using GOV.UK One Login.

You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, user-centred design colleagues and subject matter experts to understand complex technical information and system behaviour.

Your role will be to turn this information into clear, accurate and accessible documentation written in plain English.

You will also work within docs-as-code workflows and an agile development environment.

Key Responsibilities

The successful Technical Writer will be expected to:

• Design and maintain technical documentation, including API documentation.
• Work with technology experts and stakeholders to understand technical details and system behaviour.
• Produce technical content using GOV.UK style and plain English.
• Collaborate with technical writers and content designers to maintain consistency across user journeys.
• Understand user journeys and information architecture principles.
• Structure information effectively around user needs.
• Follow established review processes.
• Review your own work and the work of other colleagues.
• Promote user-centred design practices within technical writing.
• Showcase technical writing work.
• Help promote technical writing as a discipline across the Digital Identity programme, GDS and wider government.

Person Specification

GDS is looking for candidates who can demonstrate relevant technical writing experience and strong communication skills.

You should have:

• Experience writing technical documentation for digital services or software, including API documentation.
• Experience using development tools and workflows to collaborate with developers.
• Experience with tools such as Git and GitHub and a docs-as-code approach.
• The ability to write clear, accessible and user-focused documentation using plain English.
• Strong written and verbal interpersonal skills.
• The ability to obtain and understand technical information from subject matter experts.
• The ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• The ability to meet deadlines and coordinate work across distributed teams.
• Confidence to showcase your work.
• The ability to give and receive constructive feedback.
• The confidence to challenge poor documentation practices.

Technical Skills and Experience

Candidates will be assessed against relevant skills within the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework for Technical Writers.

These include:

• Agile working
• Prototyping
• Stakeholder relationship management
• Strategic thinking
• Technical understanding
• User-centred design
• User focus
• User-centred content design

Civil Service Behaviours

The recruitment process will assess candidates against:

• Working Together
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Salary

The advertised salary range is £56,850–£68,570 per year.

The base salary for this grade is:

• £61,620 for London
• £56,850 for other locations

The position is permanent and offered at Grade 7.

Working Arrangements

The role offers:

• Full-time working
• Part-time working
• Flexible working
• Compressed hours
• Hybrid working

The department operates a discretionary hybrid-working policy combining work from the employee’s designated workplace and home within the UK.

The current expectation is for staff to attend the office or another non-home-based location approximately 40–60% of the time over the accounting period.

DSIT does not normally offer fully home-based working, although various flexible-working options are available.

Employee Benefits

Benefits include:

• Flexible hybrid working
• Flexi-time
• Part-time and condensed-hours options
• Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days’ annual leave
• Annual leave increasing by one day each year up to 30 days
• An additional day off for the King’s birthday
• In-year bonus scheme
• Career progression and coaching
• Training budget for personal development
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Travel season-ticket advances
• Death-in-service benefits
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Employee discount scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• Five special-leave days for volunteering
• Access to Civil Service learning opportunities

Visa Sponsorship – Important

This vacancy does not offer visa sponsorship.

The advert specifically states that DSIT cannot offer visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

Although DSIT holds a visa sponsorship licence, it can only be used for certain roles, and this particular campaign does not qualify.

Applicants requiring new Skilled Worker visa sponsorship should take this restriction into account before applying.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undergo security checks.

The role requires SC clearance.

The advert states that this would normally require approximately five years of UK residency within the previous five years.

This is not described as an absolute requirement, but applicants who have not lived in the UK for the required period may require supplementary checks.

Insufficient UK residency may result in additional checks, delays to clearance or, in some cases, inability to obtain the required clearance.

Other Security Requirements

Successful candidates must:

• Complete a basic or equivalent criminal record check.
• Meet the required security requirements before appointment.
• Complete relevant government personnel security checks.

Nationality Requirements

The vacancy is broadly open to eligible:

• UK nationals
• Republic of Ireland nationals
• Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK
• Eligible EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein nationals and qualifying family members with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• Certain individuals with limited or indefinite leave to remain who met the relevant EUSS eligibility requirements
• Turkish nationals and certain qualifying family members who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Applicants should check the official nationality rules to confirm eligibility.

Recruitment Process

The standard GDS selection process includes:

Stage 1 – Application Screening

Candidates submit:

• A CV
• A cover letter of up to 750 words

Your cover letter should clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements listed in the person specification.

Stage 2 – Written Exercise

Shortlisted candidates will complete a written exercise.

Stage 3 – Video Interview

Candidates progressing through the process will attend a 60-minute video interview.

Depending on application numbers, GDS may introduce an additional stage, such as a telephone interview or technical exercise.

Initial Sift

If there is a high volume of applications, the initial sift will focus on the lead criterion:

Experience writing technical documentation for digital services or software, including API documentation.

Candidates should make this experience particularly clear in their application.

Recruitment Timeline

Candidates who do not pass the interview but demonstrate an acceptable standard may potentially be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

A reserve list will be maintained for 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence and Applications

Applicants may use artificial intelligence tools to support their applications, but all examples and statements submitted must be:

• Truthful
• Factually accurate
• Based on the applicant’s own experience

Applications may be withdrawn where plagiarism is identified, including presenting other people’s ideas or AI-generated content as the applicant’s own experience.

Applicants should ensure their CV and cover letter accurately represent their own qualifications, skills and professional experience.

Who Should Apply?

This opportunity may be particularly suitable for professionals with experience in:

• Technical writing
• Software documentation
• API documentation
• Digital services
• Content design
• User-centred content
• Developer documentation
• Git and GitHub
• Docs-as-code
• Agile environments
• Information architecture
• Digital identity
• Software development environments

Key Opportunity Highlights

Technical Writer | Government Digital Service

• Permanent Grade 7 position
• Salary up to £68,570
• Bristol, London or Manchester
• Hybrid working
• Full-time or part-time options
• Compressed hours available
• Civil Service Pension
• Technical writing and API documentation experience required
• GOV.UK One Login / Digital Identity programme
• SC security clearance required
• No visa sponsorship for this campaign
• Closing date: 31 August 2026

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply through the official Civil Service Jobs vacancy.

Job reference: 476281

Closing date: Monday 31 August 2026 at 11:55 pm.

Important Notice for Applicants

This post provides a summary of the advertised vacancy. Applicants should review the official Civil Service Jobs advertisement and confirm all eligibility, security, nationality, working-location and application requirements before submitting an application.