Senior Technical Writer/Editor
Resume:
SAMANTHA J. OSMER
acr3n2@r.postjobfree.com
Scientist and Writer
Physical scientist with several years of experience as a technical writer and editor. Exceptional ability to quickly understand and synthesize complex ideas and information and communicate in clear language with precise grammatical skill and attention to detail. Aiming to apply my diverse educational background and skill set to a challenging position with growth potential in technical writing and/or training in a dynamic scientific, medical/pharmaceutical, engineering, or software development environment.
Education
MS in Physics (2005), Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
BA in Astronomy and Philosophy (1991), Smith College, Northampton, MA
Coursework in Life Sciences (2008-2011): Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Statistics, at Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA
Certification
Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, License 220***********
Technical Writing
Technical Writer (10/12-present), Comcast (Technology + Product), Philadelphia, PA
Comcast is the largest cable company in the U.S. It provides cable television, broadband Internet, telephone service, and, in some areas, home security to residential and commercial customers in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Collaborate with engineers to compose, edit, and revise:
oRequirements documents for consumer premise equipment, including hardware, firmware, and security.
oNew invention description documents for products or other potentially patentable intellectual property. Includes researching past work, determining feasibility, creating use cases.
Rework and refine Documentation Process guidelines adhered to by the Technology and Product (T&P) writers group.
Design and implement training for T&P members on the Documentation Process.
Tools/Skills: Microsoft Office Suite including Visio; SharePoint; Adobe Acrobat; Jama Requirements Management
Technical Writer and Editor (05/07-10/12), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Philadelphia, PA
The Informatics division of Thermo Fisher Scientific provides a complete range of advanced LIMS and laboratory software products, enabling lab managers to automate and integrate their operations to cost-effectively manage samples and resources, capture and analyze quality data, provide reports and ensure regulatory compliance.
Work closely with subject matter experts (SMEs) and requirements documentation to plan and write user guides and SOPs for laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and chromatography data systems, software widely used throughout the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
Work adeptly in tandem with software development in both Waterfall and Agile environments.
Edit content created by all authors within the Documentation Group: correct grammar, remove ambiguity, and outline improvements in style and structure to optimize users’ ability to find what they need quickly and efficiently.
Reduce the size of product user manuals by 30% by eliminating repetition and excessive wordiness, using clear and concise language.
Maintain and update procedures and style guidelines used by the Documentation Group.
Tools/Skills: Agile; Waterfall; Writing for Translation (Localization); Adobe FrameMaker, RoboHelp & Acrobat; Microsoft Office Suite including Visio; SnagIt; ePublisher; Author-it; SharePoint; XML; HTML
Technical Writer (01/00-08/02), Appligent, Lansdowne, PA
Appligent is the leading third-party provider of server-based tools, Acrobat plug-ins, and stand-alone desktop applications for the on-demand customization, manipulation, redaction, and delivery of electronic documents in Portable Document Format (PDF).
Primary writer and editor of end-user documentation and promotional copy for all software products.
Tools/Skills: Waterfall; Adobe FrameMaker, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat; XML; HTML
Scientific Research
Graduate Student and Teaching Assistant in Physics & Astronomy (09/02-12/05), Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Drexel is a top-ranked, comprehensive university recognized for its focus on experiential learning through co-operative education, its commitment to cutting-edge academic technology and its growing enterprise of use-inspired research.
Conducted research projects in high velocity clouds and active galactic nuclei.
Taught undergraduate students as a recitation instructor for Physics for Engineers (year 1), and as the teaching assistant for Observational Astronomy.
Conceived and organized special events for the Transit of Venus in 2004, including presenting a public lecture on the transit.
Tools/Skills: C, Fortran, IDL, Maple, Matlab, Open Office, Linux
Research Assistant in Astronomy (11/91-12/95), Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, MD
The Space Telescope Science Institute operates and manages the Hubble Space Telescope and its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, enabling excellence in astronomical research by optimizing the science from state-of-the-art observational instruments in space.
Reduced and analyzed imaging and spectroscopic data from the Hubble Space Telescope, leading to co-authorship of several refereed publications.
Co-organized the first HST calibration workshop and co-edited the proceedings from the workshop.
Tools/Skills: IRAF, FrameMaker, Fortran, HTML, Unix
Teaching and Scientific Outreach
Tutor (10/05-04/11), Kaplan Premier Tutoring, Villanova, PA
Kaplan is the world leader in test prep, annually preparing hundreds of thousands of students for high-stakes admissions and professional licensing exams.
Tutored high school and middle school students one-on-one to optimize their standardized test preparation. Tests covered: SAT, ACT, SSAT, and SAT Subject Tests in Physics, Math Levels 1 & 2, and Biology.
Tutored high school students to improve comprehension and performance in physics and calculus courses (including AP Calculus: AB and BC syllabi).
Public Outreach Officer (02/97-05/99), Royal Observatory Edinburgh Visitor Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland
On the site of one of the UK’s premier astronomical institutions, the Visitor Centre provides astronomical outreach and education programs to the Edinburgh community.
Led group visits, interpreting the Centre’s exhibits for visitors.
Presented informal talks on the history of astronomy in Edinburgh and current astronomical research in the UK, and demonstrated use of the Observatory’s 36-inch telescope and its dome.
Led public Open Night observing and information sessions.
User Support/Help Desk
Computing Support Officer (09/96-05/99), School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
The School of Informatics hosts the largest and longest established informatics research group in the UK; it is a hub for prolific and award-winning faculty and students throughout the country.
Provided front-line support for over 100 faculty, staff, and graduate students and 300 undergraduates.
Lectured for Computer Literacy 1 modules “Using Spreadsheets with Microsoft Excel” and “HTML Authoring.”
Tools/Skills: Linux, Unix, HTML, Java
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