A Day in the Life of a Scientific Writer

When I first became a scientific writer, I had only a vague idea of what the role would truly entail. For over a decade, I’d been a full-time scientist. My days were filled with planning and running experiments, analyzing data, presenting results, and writing grants and papers. It was a lot of time at the bench, a lot of movement, and, most importantly, I knew what to expect.

But what does a “day in the life” of a scientific writer look like? I had to step into the role to find out, and it turned out to be both surprising and rewarding.

Being a scientific writer in biotech is about much more than writing. Here are some of the key parts of the day-to-day work:

Information Gathering & Drafting

Before the true writing begins, there’s information gathering. This entails gathering details from various sources, outlining the piece, and mapping out what’s known and what’s missing. This stage is about building clarity and understanding what you know, what you don’t, and where you need input.

Writing & Editing

Yes, a large part of the job is writing and editing! I like to block focused time to write, usually starting with the easiest section to build momentum. Once I have a draft, I proofread for clarity, tone, and accuracy. Most documents go through multiple rounds of review and revision with various stakeholders, which brings me to the next part of the role.

Stakeholder Engagement

Before I started in industry, I didn’t know what “stakeholder engagement” really meant. In practice, it’s about building relationships with people across the organization who contribute knowledge, review content, and approve documents. This involves interactions through Slack messages, meetings, and sometimes in-lab conversations or observation of scientific workflows. Earning trust with stakeholders is essential as strong relationships lead to stronger documentation.

Planning & Administrative Work

Each project fits into a larger documentation portfolio, so spending time mapping out timelines, setting milestones, and coordinating reviews is key. Administrative work is part of the job too. Whether it’s answering emails, driving process improvement projects, building slide decks, or reviewing peers’ work, each responsibility contributes to the bigger picture of the role.

Project Management

Scientific writers are also project managers. I often juggle multiple projects with tight deadlines and feedback coming in from different directions all at the same time. Project management tools are invaluable for keeping track of drafts, review cycles, and stakeholder requests.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Scientific writing is rarely a solo activity. Writers work closely with R&D scientists, technical support, product managers, program managers, and marketing teams. Each function brings valuable input, and collaborating across functions ensures that content is both accurate and useful.

Visuals & Design

Words are only part of the story. Visuals such as illustrations, schematics, and photos make complex concepts more accessible and engaging. Over time, I’ve partnered with illustrators and designers to create visual assets, coordinated photoshoots, and explored interactive, digital formats beyond static documents. The clarity of the text, the readability of the document design, and the consistency of the overall presentation all work together to create content that truly resonates with its audience.

Meetings

Meetings may be inevitable, but they’re also invaluable. They provide the space to refine processes with writing teams, align messaging with stakeholders, and learn directly from product leaders about new technologies in development. Coming prepared with notes and capturing action items afterward keeps things productive and running smoothly.

Learning & Development

Finally, a big part of the job is continuous learning. To write effectively, I need to deeply understand the science and products I’m communicating about. That means constantly reading, asking questions, and keeping up to date with the latest technologies and discoveries in the field.

Life as a scientific writer in industry is dynamic, collaborative, and often high stakes. Success requires not only excellent writing, but also relationship building, project management, and strategic thinking skills. At its core, the role is about producing impactful content that empowers researchers, ultimately driving scientific progress.

Bio: Dr. Mary Rogawski is a science writer and communicator with a passion for making complex scientific concepts accessible and engaging. She most recently served as a Senior Scientific Writer at 10x Genomics, where she developed high-impact content to support a diverse portfolio of innovative life science products. Previously, she worked as a scientist at Exelixis and Genentech. Mary earned her PhD from the University of Michigan and her Bachelor of Science from the University of California, San Diego.