To our valued Leidos candidates:

Coronavirus is on everyone's mind with the effects being felt around the world. The markets are volatile, and we're all concerned for the health and safety of our families, friends, and colleagues. Please know that we're taking all necessary measures to safeguard our employees, customers and the communities in which we live, including following all recommended best practices around social distancing.

With that in mind, in an abundance of caution, we are canceling all face to face career events, such as job fairs and open house events. In the coming days and weeks, we will be hosting career events virtually, using our online chat tools so that we may continue our hiring practice safely and securely. You can find available virtual career events at https://career-events.leidos.com.

We are using telephone meetings and online chats via Brazen to conduct interviews and hiring discussions, and we are offering options for video interviews so that you can have a virtual face to face meeting with your potential new leader. We do not conduct interviews or extend offers via text or chat based social media, such as WhatsApp or MySpace.

Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process, nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are generated by Leidos.com automated system. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to Chris Scalia, Leidos’ Senior Vice President of Talent Acquisition, at [email protected].

As a company, as a country, as a world, we have confronted challenging moments before. We are confident that, guided by our values and the strength of our community as well as the commitment we have to the important work we do each day, we will find our way through this time together. We will do this with the care and concern for one another and the common good that defines. Please keep those impacted by the virus in your thoughts.

Close Window
Join our talent network
Skip to main content

Job #: R-00104821
Location: Washington, DC
Category: Writing and Editing
Schedule (FT/PT): Full Time
Travel Required: Yes, 10% of the time
Shift: Day
Potential for Telework: Yes, 75%
Clearance: Public Trust
Referral Eligibility: Ineligible
Group: Civil

Share: mail twitter linkedin

Description

Job Description:

Leidos is seeking a Speechwriter / Writer-Editor to support our customer, the Office of Communications (OCOM) for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The Speechwriter / Writer-Editor develops speeches and talking points primarily for the OJP Assistant Attorney General, and as needed for other staff within the Office of the Assistant Attorney General (OAAG) and DOJ leadership.

The ideal candidate will be an exceptional writer and editor who will serve as part of a vibrant communications team. Assignments for this position include writing brief remarks, long-form speeches, talking points, op-eds, congressional testimony, blogs, and other communications on a range of criminal justice topics. A strong candidate will be a superlative expository, persuasive, descriptive and narrative writer, be able to quickly identify and synthesize key points, have excellent research skills, pay keen attention to detail, and be highly adaptable.

The Speechwriter / Writer-Editor should have a powerful command of writing for the spoken word and will also be a keen student of character and voice, with the ability to pay specific attention to the personal tone, language, and argumentative structure of the leaders for whom they are writing. OCOM is looking for a creative storyteller with a keen perception of audience and the ability to identify details that will make messages relevant and relatable.

The Speechwriter / Writer-Editor will have the ability to write and edit a range of materials and possess a comprehensive knowledge of English syntax and composition, including grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, usage, and vocabulary. An exceptional candidate will have the ability to edit material for clarity, coherence, and rational development of ideas, tailoring it to meet the needs of the intended audience.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Develop speeches and talking points primarily for the OJP Assistant Attorney General, and as needed for other staff within the Office of the Assistant Attorney General (OAAG) and DOJ leadership.

  • Write brief remarks, long-form speeches, talking points, op-eds, congressional testimony, blogs, and other communications on a range of criminal justice topics.

  • Provide ad hoc writing and editorial support for OJP internal and external communications, as needed.

  • Assist OCOM staff with researching and writing creative communication products, sometimes on complex and controversial subjects.

  • Work closely with subject matter experts to draft, review, and revise content for OJP communications/messaging.

  • Write and edit a variety of documents and digital content related to criminal justice topics.

  • Translate text into plain language for use by non-technical lay audiences.

  • Copyedit and proofread content to ensure accuracy and grammatical correctness.

  • Attend staff meetings, strategic planning and policy meetings, and other ad hoc meetings with OCOM staff and OJP senior leadership.

Basic Qualifications

  • Five years of directly relevant work history as a speechwriter and writer-editor. Excellent storytelling and oral/written communication skills are necessary.

  • Bachelor’s Degree in English, writing, journalism or related field.

  • Some travel may be expected, and occasional attendance at OJP onsite meetings may be required. The OCOM Office is located at 810 Seventh St. NW, Washington, DC.

  • Candidates will have or be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Ability to thrive in fast-paced environments and complete writing assignments on tight deadlines.

  • Adept at handling priority and evolving requests, while maintaining the high quality of the content produced.

  • Background in and knowledge of criminal justice topics is preferred, but not required.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $59,150.00 - $91,000.00 - $122,850.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

#Remote

About Leidos

Leidos is a Fortune 500® technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world’s toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company’s 45,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $14.4 billion for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2022.  For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available here.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [email protected].

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Diversity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

Apply Now    Save Job Saved

Related Opportunities

Talent Community

Join our Talent Community to create a profile, enabling a streamlined application process and to help our recruiters better understand your areas of expertise and interest.

Join our Talent Community