Thanks for the advice. I will call KForce in Hagerstown during business hours tomorrow.

Re the HR Departments: During three decades of being a freelancer I have learned that HR Departments DO NOT want to hear from you. Anyone who is a contractor/freelancer cuts into their fiefdom. You are persona non grata with HR departments!

I am just so tired of having to go to Northern Virginia and DC, which is where my clients are. I live in Westminster and am hoping against hope that I can once again find something in Frederick (in addition to the writing I do for The Fort Detrick Standard).

As you said, you must know the right people, and I guess I don’t in this area.

About 15 years ago I was a contract technical writer at Fort Detrick, but they don’t seem to have individual contractors any more.

Your gig sounds VERY interesting, by the by!

Thanks again!

Part-time and consultive Technical writing positions are not that difficult to find, if you know the right people. As a matter of fact, I am doing that right now: writing Preventive Maintenance SOP’s for a local Biotech company on a contracted basis.

Getting into the “Media” trade publication side would be a bit more difficult, since companies tend to have PR groups or scientific staff doing this kind of work.

You might want to try local Agencies (Kforce in H’town come to mind) to see if they have any client needs in that area.

you are correct, most temporary and part time positions aren’t on the companies web sites, but it can’t hurt to call their HR departments, or email them, asking if they are looking for anyone with your background/experience.

Good luck!

I am a veteran journalist/technical writer/technical editor.

I have experience as a technical writer at Fort Detrick. The publications I write for regularly include Tech Journal South, Military Medical Technology Magazine, Homeland Defense Journal, and The Business Monthly.

The easiest way to see my clips is to go to http://www.techjournalsouth.com and put WHITNEY in the site’s search function. You will see that I wrote many biotech company profiles/articles for them).

I also have considerable experience as a marketing consultant and writer (business plans, marketing plans, marketing collateral materials).

I am NOT looking for a full-time, onsite position. I am looking for either a part-time position or consulting/freelance work as a writer/editor/journalist in the Frederick area…most particularly with a biotech firm because that is where I have the greatest experience.

This is not something that “human resource” departments are equipped to handle.

Any thoughts????

THANKS!

Thanks for dropping by.

If by “contort” you mean “cut and paste”, then it is actually quite simple. Have you ever heard the expression that goes something like “a mind is like a parachute”?

In the scientific method, different people review the same data set and derive different theories to explain their observations.

Case in point: http://www.wunderground.com/education/ozone_skeptics.asp

Congratulations accepted.

Thank you for setting the record straight.

The “conspiracy theorists” continue the hamper effective “progress” at Ft Detrick and are putting thousands of jobs at risk, directly. I don’t think they understand they are also putting millions of people at risk of contracting infectious diseases that are being researched by NCI and the Biodefense initiatives.

I wish these wackos would spend their spare time learning about the benefits and necessity of basic research and the measures in place to assure safety of workers and surrounding communities instead of making up baseless rumors that distract from the mission of the good people in government-funded research & development.

A total of 55 buildings formed the National Cancer Institute, Frederick Cancer Research Center. Basic research into the cause of AIDS was indeed conducted in this location; however; large quantities of the HIV virus were produced by Litton Bionetics in their Kensington facility and this virus was used in the development of a rapid AIDS diagnostic test. This test was approved by the FDA for screening blood in blood banks to prevent HIV transmission by this route. This diagnostic test was used throughout the world to cut back the transmission of HIV and later hepatitis through blood transfusions.

At no time was Ebola or any other biologic weapon of mass destruction ever investigated or researched at the National Cancer Institute, Frederick Cancer Research Center. Research with these agents was being carried out safely and with competence in the Dept. of Defense biologic defense laboratories which occupied the remaining portion of Ft. Detrick.

These facts replace the gossip of conspiracy theorists.

Michael G. Hanna Jr., PhD
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Vaccinogen Inc.
5300 Westview Drive, Suite 406
Frederick, MD. 21703

I guess I should have MedImmune on the list, to be consistent. Technically, MedImmune is a Montgomery County company with a Manufacturing facility in Fred. Co., but I have Lonza & Invitrogen on the list and they are not HQ’d in Frederick County either.

I guess I should have said MedImmune is technically now Astra Zeneca, a UK company with Swedish roots. We will have to give them credit for their Frederick County connection. I’ll fix it momentarily.