Technical Illustrator and Writer, HQ

About

United Wheels is hiring a Technical Illustrator and Writer to own the manuals, diagrams, and assembly guides that help millions of people safely assemble and enjoy our bikes, e‑bikes, ride‑ons, and scooters.

If you’re the kind of person who looks at an exploded view or assembly diagram and immediately starts thinking, “I could make this clearer,” this role is for you.

This is not a pure “text-only” technical writing role. We are specifically looking for someone who is strong in illustration and layout and uses words to support the visuals.

Summary

The Technical Illustrator & Writer is responsible for developing, updating, and maintaining owner’s manuals and other product literature that support safe, easy assembly, use, and maintenance of United Wheels products. This role owns the clarity, accuracy, and usability of consumer-facing technical documentation, including written content and supporting illustrations.

Working closely with Product Development, Category Management, Design, Quality, and Customer Experience, this role translates complex product and assembly information into clear, concise, and visually intuitive instructions. The Illustrator also maintains a digital library of manuals, graphics, and reusable content modules to drive consistency, reduce errors, and support efficient updates across brands and product lines.

What Success Looks Like (3 Core Outcomes):

• Clear, User-Friendly Documentation
  • Owner’s manuals and inserts are easy to follow, visually intuitive, and reduce consumer confusion, assembly errors, and support calls.
  • Documentation consistently meets brand standards, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations.
• Fewer Issues, Faster Updates
  • Measurable reduction in documentation-related complaints, returns, and warranty claims.
  • New and updated manuals are delivered on time to support product launches, customer requests, and regulatory changes.
• Organized, Reusable Content Library
  • A well-structured digital library of manuals, illustrations, and text modules is maintained, enabling quick retrieval, reuse, and translation.
  • Content is standardized across products and brands, improving quality and reducing rework.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Content Development & Maintenance

• Develop owners’ manuals and other instructional documentation (e.g., assembly guides, safety inserts, maintenance instructions, warranty information) for new products.
• Revise existing manuals and documents to improve clarity, usability, and consumer assembly success.
• Update documentation to reflect new customer requirements, product changes, or government/regulatory standards.
• Create assembly inserts and supplemental instructions for new accessories or components not covered in current manuals.
• Coordinate translation of manuals and inserts, including preparing files, sending to translation vendors, and integrating translated content.

Product Understanding & Validation

• Review new products with Category Managers, Designers, Engineers, and other stakeholders to understand features, assembly steps, and key risks.
• Assemble and evaluate products to determine optimal assembly methods and identify potential consumer pain points.
• Validate instructions and illustrations against actual product builds to ensure accuracy and ease of use.

Illustration & Visual Communication

• Create clear, accurate technical illustrations, diagrams, and exploded views to support written instructions.
• Use 3D CAD and graphics software to generate and refine visual assets that align with brand and design standards.
• Ensure all visuals support safe use, highlight critical steps, and minimize ambiguity for consumers.

Content Management & Standards

• Develop and maintain a digital library of graphic images, templates, and text modules to standardize content and reduce errors.
• Organize and maintain all finished manuals, assembly inserts, and related documents on shared platforms (e.g., SharePoint) for easy access by internal teams and factories.
• Maintain a prioritized project list with clear deadlines and status updates.
• Contribute to documentation standards, style guides, and best practices for technical content and illustrations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Meet regularly with Category Managers and Product Development to understand upcoming projects, timelines, and documentation needs.
• Partner with Design, Quality, Customer Experience, and Compliance to ensure documentation supports safety, brand, and regulatory requirements.
• Incorporate feedback from internal teams, customer service, and end users into continuous improvements of manuals and inserts.

Education and/or Experience

• Associate degree in Technical Writing, Technical Communication, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3–5+ years of experience creating technical manuals, assembly instructions, or similar documentation for consumer products or mechanical assemblies.
• Experience working with cross-functional product development teams and supporting multiple concurrent projects.