Engineering Technical Writer/Document Translator

Engineering Technical Writer/Document Translator

BB&E is a full service civil and environmental engineering and consulting firm, headquartered in Northville, Michigan, which services both the Federal and Industrial sectors throughout the United States. BB&E team members provide Environmental Consulting, Facilities Engineering and Program/Project Management Services to Federal and private sectors.

Position Summary

BB&E is seeking a dynamic and detail-oriented Engineering Technical Writer/Document Translator to join our team to provide project delivery business process support services to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Caribbean District (South Atlantic Division [SAA]) in Puerto Rico and the USACE, Jacksonville District, in Jacksonville Florida which is responsible for managing the planning, design, and construction of Civil Works, Military and Interagency and International Support (IIS) Projects throughout the Caribbean region. The role focuses on creating, editing, and translating complex technical documents and public outreach and marketing documents in both English and Spanish, ensuring clarity, precision, and accessibility for projects in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  There are two positions: one supporting USACE Caribbean District located in San Juan, Puerto Rico and one supporting USACE Jacksonville District located in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Job Duties & Responsibilities

·     Technical Writing

o  Develop, write, and edit a variety of technical documents, including reports, manuals, procedures, guidelines, presentations, and proposals

o  Assist with writing statements of work (SOW) and other USACE related contracting and construction documents

o  Ensure technical documents are clear, concise, and adhere to USACE standards and industry best practices

o  Collaborate with engineers, project managers, and subject matter experts to gather technical information and accurately translate it into user-friendly documents

·     Document Translation

o  Translate technical and non-technical documents from English to Spanish and Spanish to English with a high level of accuracy, maintaining the intent, style, and tone of the original content

o  Ensure translated materials meet linguistic, cultural, and technical standards for the intended audience (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands)

o  Proofread and edit translations for grammatical, syntactical, and formatting consistency

·     Collaboration & Communication

o  Work closely with project teams to understand document objectives, technical requirements, and audience needs

o  Serve as the linguistic and technical liaison between English- and Spanish-speaking stakeholders

o  Assist in creating bilingual glossaries and style guides to maintain consistency across projects

·     Formatting & Quality Assurance

o  Format documents to ensure readability, visual appeal, and compliance with project standards

o  Conduct rigorous quality control reviews to ensure documents are free from errors and meet professional standards

·     Process Improvement

o  Identify opportunities to improve documentation and translation processes, tools, and workflows

o  Stay updated on new trends, tools, and methodologies in technical writing and translation to enhance project efficiency

Requirements

Key Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship and theability to obtain/maintain a NACI/CAC is required
• Knowledge and Competencies

• Strong understanding of engineering, and construction terminology and concepts

• Ability to produce accurate and error-free documents under tight deadlines
• Familiarity with cultural nuances and linguistic differences in Spanish-speaking regions, particularly the Caribbean
• Knowledge of graphic design principles for document presentation (e.g., layout, typography) is preferred
• Familiarity with project management tools like Smartsheet or Trello is preferred
• Experience developing bilingual training materials or user guides is preferred

• Strong Communication and Language Skills: Native or near-native proficiency in both English and Spanish (written and spoken) with exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills in both languages is required
• Software: Proficiency using MS Office software including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint and familiarity with tools such as Adobe Acrobat and translation software (e.g., SDL Trados or MemoQ)
• Self-Starter: Highly motivated, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines autonomously

Experience & Education

• Experience: A minimum of 5 years professional experience in technical writing, document review, and document translation for engineering, construction, or related fields with demonstrated experience translating complex technical materials between English and Spanish is required; experience working with USACE in a federal contracting environment is required.

• Education: A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Communication, Translation, Linguistics, Engineering, or a related field from an ABET accredited university is required

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand/walk/climb/kneel/crouch and remain in a stationary position/sit at least 60% of the time
• Ability to operate office equipment, including computer, copy machine, phone, etc.
• Ability to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects or controls; reach with hands and arms
• Capable of lifting up to 10 lbs.
• Ability to see details of objects that are less than a few feet away
• Ability to understand the speech of another person, speak clearly so listeners can understand, and talk or hear both in person and by telephone

Benefits

Compensation, Benefits & Perks

• Competitive compensation packages
• Discretionary bonus
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance with health care concierge *Employer provided Short-Term & Long-Term disability
• *Employer provided Life insurance
• *Employee options for supplemental life, supplemental accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and Identity theft protection benefits
• Tuition reimbursement & professional development
• Employee referral program
• Employee discounts
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Pet insurance discount

*Applies only to full-time employees

* Equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.