OWP - Technical Editor - Part-Time/Non-Student

Office of Water Programs is an internationally recognized provider of training materials in a variety of media, as well as a source of engineering and scientific research that fills the niche between academia and consulting engineering. Our team of nearly 50 professionals, trained in a variety of academic disciplines, collaborates to produce high-caliber work that furthers our mission to provide cost-effective solutions for protecting and enhancing water resources, public health, and the environment through training, scientific research, and public education. OWP is a self-supported academic center within and located at Sac State. OWP develops and publishes training manuals for operators of water treatment plants, water distribution systems, wastewater collection systems, and municipal and industrial wastewater treatment and reclamation facilities. OWP also offers programs and materials for pretreatment facility inspectors, environmental compliance inspectors, and utility managers. All training is offered as distance learning, using correspondence, video, or computer-based/online delivery modes with opportunities for continuing education units and contact hours for operators, supervisors, managers, and administrators.

To learn more, please visit: owp.csus.edu.

The Office of Water Programs (OWP) at Sacramento State is seeking to hire one part-time employee to provide editorial expertise on printed and on-line training materials. This position edits book-length manuscripts of training manuals and collateral materials, as well as documents authored by research engineering staff specializing in water issues. The training manuals serve as curriculum for approximately 50 distance learning print and online courses for drinking water and wastewater treatment plant operators.

Conditions of Employment

This is a part-time, temporary, non-benefited position. Employment in all positions with University Enterprises, Inc. is dependent upon the mutual consent of University Enterprises, Inc. and the employee. This means that either University Enterprises, Inc. or the employee can, at any time, terminate the employment relationship at will, with or without cause.

UEI does not allow employees to hold more than one UEI Job at a time, or work in more than one account per pay period. UEI employees who are considering leaving their current UEI position for a different UEI position should inform their supervisor in writing and provide at least a week’s notice.

Depending on the type of position you are applying for, a pre-employment background check consisting of one or more of the following may be conducted: employment history, professional references, criminal check: educational verification (i.e., degree, license, or official transcript), DMV clearance. Applicants will be required to pass required pre-employment checks to the satisfaction of University Enterprises, Inc. (UEI) and the hiring Agency or Department.

Majors/Fields of Study

Technical writing/editing, Journalism, Instructional Design, or related field

Work Schedule

Flexible workdays and work hours, Monday – Friday, between 8 AM – 5 PM. Final work schedule to be determined by supervisor.

Additional Work Schedule

Casual employees are limited to 19.5 hours per workweek (Sunday – Saturday).

Compensation

$25.00 - $35.00 per hour

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited institution in technical writing/editing, journalism, instructional design, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and/or work experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the mechanics of the English language, including usage, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Writing, proofreading, and editing skills, including demonstrated ability to review and edit materials for accuracy, consistency, readability, and overall quality.
• Demonstrated experience in analyzing, editing, and paraphrasing content from publications such as process and procedure manuals, research literature, industry-specific materials, and government documents.
• Demonstrated skill in preparing documents or manuscripts for review by other editors, contributors, or peer reviewers.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize work, consistently meet deadlines, and shift between projects with competing schedules.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member to complete assigned tasks with a high level of quality.
• Ability to maintain ongoing communication and coordinate tasks with internal and external project team members to ensure completion of interconnected tasks and to keep project schedules on track.
• Demonstrated proficiency with using Microsoft Office Suite or similar word processing, spreadsheet, email, and internet browsers applications.
• Knowledge of basic math concepts and ability to check equations for correct units of measurement.
• Must pass a background check, which may include fingerprinting.
Must continue to meet the established standards.

• Knowledge of concepts and vocabulary related to fields of drinking water and wastewater collection, treatment, and distribution.
• Demonstrated knowledge of concepts and practices related to instructional design or digital content development.
• Experience with Adobe publication and design applications, such as FrameMaker, Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign; and with screen capture/editing tools such as SnagIt.
Experience developing technical illustrations, such as figures and infographics, for publications and presentations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Reviews, analyzes, organizes, and edits drafts written by OWP staff and consultants to produce technical training materials, contract/grant reports, software user guides, outreach and training materials, online content, and other project deliverables. Ensures finished documents meet project deadlines and are written in a consistent voice that is appropriate for the target audience.
• Works collaboratively and cohesively with other Publications staff to deliver new editions of water/wastewater operator training manuals for print production and completes other project assignments within scheduled deadlines.
• Edits and updates style, voice, and reading level of existing content and integrates revisions from consultants and OWP staff in a consistent voice that conveys complex information clearly and accurately.
• Initiates and maintains communication with OWP staff and consultants to collaborate on manuscript revisions and deliverables, ensuring the accuracy of finished documents.
• Reviews accuracy, quality, and positioning of graphical elements such as figures, photos, and infographics.
• Researches and requests permission to use third-party graphics. Works with internal design staff to revise and develop graphics.
• Develops and edits review question/answer sets that are relevant to learning objectives.
• Reviews, edits, and creates answer keys, glossary entries, and index entries.
• Marks instructions to typesetters on page proofs using standard proofreading marks in a clear, concise, and orderly manner.
• Prepares errata and revised content for current and future editions.
• Edits and develops questions for exam question database to ensure accuracy and clarity. Coordinates with other OWP staff to produce course exam materials.
• Acts as liaison with content developers; peer reviewers; publishing partners; and OWP design, IT, and other staff. Uses productivity and project management tools to track and report on assigned tasks and projects in a timely manner.
• Reviews and corrects page proofs for annual reports, course catalogs, outreach materials, and other project deliverables.
• Conducts research to accurately edit, prepare, and produce technical documentation.
• Researches and drafts responses to customer inquiries about training materials in coordination with customer service staff.
• Participates in project meetings.
• Cross-trains on various duties to provide backup support to other positions within the Publications group.
Performs other related duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements

Sit for extended periods; frequently stand and walk; manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; verbal communication; use of office equipment including computer workstations, telephones, calculators, copiers, printers, and scanners with or without reasonable accommodation.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in an office environment.

Application Instructions

Please complete all fields of the employment application, including your educational background in the "Educational Experience" section and your work history in the "Employment Experience" section. In addition to your resume, please upload a cover letter.

Apply by June 26, 2026.