Cherryleaf has initiated a monthly survey that tracks hiring demand for Technical Authors across the UK. Here are the results for October 2025.
Compared with figures collected for September, the October data reveal several notable trends:
- Major job boards show fewer technical writing vacancies compared to September.
- Adzuna divergence. Adzuna’s count for technical writer roles fell sharply from ~151 to 88, whereas its technical author count rose from 1,252 to 1,390. This suggests that engineering‑focused documentation roles (“technical author”) are growing even as software‑documentation roles (“technical writer”) shrink.
- Contract market still limited. The median day rate has slipped down, indicating slightly softer rates for contractors.
Open vacancies by job board
| Job board | Technical‑writer vacancies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Totaljobs | 233 technical writer jobs; 233 technical author jobs | Totaljobs remains one of the largest sources of vacancies. The count fell from 264 last month to 233, suggesting a ~12 % decline in postings. |
| Jobsite | 214 technical writer jobs; 214 technical author jobs | Jobsite’s totals dropped from ~249 in September to 214, indicating reduced hiring activity. |
| CWJobs | 144 technical writer jobs; 143 technical author jobs | The technical‑writer figure is down from 157 last month. CWJobs focuses on IT roles, so these counts reflect demand within the tech sector. |
| Glassdoor | 181 technical writer jobs | Glassdoor lists roles posted directly by employers and recruitment agencies. The count has fallen slightly from 182 last month. |
| Reed | 81 technical writer jobs | Reed’s figure is broadly steady compared with last month (81). Reed tends to have fewer duplicates than larger aggregators. |
| Adzuna – Technical Writer | 88 technical writer jobs | This is a significant drop from the 151 technical writer roles reported in September by Cherryleaf’s indicator (which used Adzuna data). |
| Adzuna – Technical Author | 1,390 technical author jobs | The number of “technical author” roles is much higher than “technical writer” because it includes many engineering and defence documentation jobs. The count is up from ~1,252 in September. |
| ITJobsWatch (contract roles) | 49 contract jobs; median day rate £380 | Contract roles represent a small share of overall vacancies. The count increased slightly from 46 in September, but the median day rate dropped from around £400 to £380. |
Interpretation and trends
Demand for technical‑writing professionals in the UK remains healthy but appears to be softening. Job boards collectively list hundreds of openings, yet the October figures are lower across most sites than a month ago. The decline may reflect seasonal factors or a short‑term pause in hiring.
The disparity between “technical writer” and “technical author” counts highlights the breadth of documentation roles. Many engineering and defence organisations advertise under the “technical author” title, leading to the 1,390 openings on Adzuna. Candidates focusing solely on software‑documentation roles should monitor both terms when job‑hunting.
The contract market remains a niche. Fewer than fifty contract opportunities were recorded over the past six months, and rates have edged down, suggesting competition among contractors or tighter budgets.
On 19 October 2025, there were roughly 233–233 technical‑writer/author vacancies on Totaljobs, 214 on Jobsite, 144 on CWJobs, 181 on Glassdoor, 81 on Reed, and 88 on Adzuna for “technical writer” roles. Adzuna lists 1,390 “technical author” positions, highlighting the abundance of engineering documentation roles. Monitoring these counts monthly provides insight into hiring trends; the October data indicate a modest decline in demand but sustained opportunities across the UK.
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