Technical Writer

Suncast Corporation is the leading US-based designer, manufacturer, and distributor of high-quality resin products for the home and industrial markets. A privately held company headquarters in Western Chicago, Illinois, Suncast prides itself on 35 years of innovation and sustainability across a wide range of product categories with materials proudly sourced in the USA. Everything we do is supported by the strength and ingenuity of American workers and we are committed to helping families across the country make the most of their unique spaces.

We utilize state-of-the‑art machinery and innovative manufacturing techniques to consistently engineer products of the highest possible quality.

The Technical Illustrator is responsible for developing and updating all product instruction manuals. The candidate will assist in overseeing relationships with print and other third‑party suppliers to ensure we meet production deadlines. Interaction with various supporting departments (Purchasing, Legal, Customer Service, Sales, and Marketing) requires clear and proactive communication. A meticulous attention to detail is crucial, along with the ability to create visuals that communicate effectively.

The following duties are considered essential to this position. Other responsibilities may be assigned.

• Development of product instruction manuals and updating of existing manuals
• Manual content, planning and sequencing.
• Development of installation and operating instructions using isometric views with insets and bubbles as needed.
• Manual development for multiple languages utilizing internal and external translations resources.
• The ability to assemble and evaluate products to ensure manual accuracy and completeness.
• Partnering with the Purchasing Department for the evaluation and awarding of print and third‑party illustrator contracts.
• Managing and monitoring supplier performance related to the creation, development, and printing of Suncast manuals.
• Ensuring that manuals are properly reviewed and approved, with sign‑off, prior to printing.
• Manual revision management including tracking active revisions, in progress revisions, archiving of manuals.
• Stay informed and make recommendations on changes and trends related to product manuals.
• Integrate feedback from other business units to improve manuals.
• Prioritize manual creation and revisions to meet varied production deadlines.
• Support and comply with safety policies, quality standards, and housekeeping methods.
• Ensure that manuals are compliant with product safety commission requirements and any other regulations.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below 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.

• Bachelor's degree is preferred, but not required. Minimum of a two‑year diploma from an accredited community or technical college, in Technical Illustration or Technical Communication.
• Minimum of 3+ years' experience in technical writing and technical illustration, including demonstrated experience managing technical product manuals.
• Strong writing and communication skills in English required. Technical writing skills required.
• Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Ability to work under strict deadlines. Possess information management skills. Must have sharp eye for detail.
• While performing this job, the employee will use a computer extensively. This includes Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, 3D CAD software, Adobe Creative Suite, Solid Works Composer, change control software, workflows, and tools to transmit large files.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met…