Technical Writer – Disaster Recovery Documentation
Austin, TX (Hybrid)
6 months Contract
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Technical Writer to develop, maintain, and continuously improve disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity documentation. This role focuses on creating clear, accurate, and actionable documentation that enables technical and non-technical teams to respond effectively during system outages, cyber incidents, natural disasters, or other disruptive events.
You will partner closely with Infrastructure, Cloud, Security, Application, and Business Continuity teams to translate complex technical processes into well-structured recovery runbooks, playbooks, policies, and supporting materials.
Key Responsibilities
Develop and maintain comprehensive disaster recovery documentation, including:
Recovery runbooks and playbooks
System recovery procedures (on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments)
Business Continuity Plans (BCP) and Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP)
Failover and failback procedures
Communication and escalation matrices
Post-incident review templates
Collaborate with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to gather technical details, validate procedures, and ensure documentation accuracy and completeness.
Document recovery time objectives (RTO), recovery point objectives (RPO), dependencies, and critical system prioritization.
Create and update process flows, architecture diagrams, decision trees, and checklists to support recovery operations.
Ensure documentation aligns with industry standards and frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 22301, ISO 27031) and internal compliance requirements.
Maintain version control, review cycles, and document repositories (e.g., Confluence, SharePoint, Git-based platforms).
Conduct regular reviews and updates of DR documentation based on infrastructure changes, tabletop exercises, and actual incidents.
Support DR testing and simulation exercises by preparing test scripts, observation guides, and after-action documentation.
Improve documentation usability through clear language, consistent structure, and audience-appropriate tone (technical vs. executive).
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Technical Communication, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
3+ years of experience as a Technical Writer in an IT, cloud, cybersecurity, or infrastructure environment.
Proven experience writing disaster recovery, business continuity, or incident response documentation.
Strong ability to understand and document complex technical systems and processes.
Excellent written communication skills with a focus on clarity, precision, and actionability.
Experience working with cross-functional technical teams and translating SME input into usable documentation.
Familiarity with documentation tools such as Confluence, Markdown, Microsoft Word, or similar platforms.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, especially regarding version control and document governance.
Soft Skills
Ability to work independently while coordinating effectively with multiple stakeholders.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Comfortable working under time-sensitive conditions during documentation reviews or post-incident updates.
Collaborative mindset with excellent interpersonal communication skills.
This role is ideal for a technical writer who thrives in high-stakes documentation environments and takes pride in creating materials that directly support organizational resilience.
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