Section 508 Specialist, Advisor

Peraton seeks a highly technical and experienced Documentation & Accessibility Lead to drive documentation strategy, Section 508 compliance, assistive technology (AT) testing, and documentation automation for the CMS Medicare Systems Solutions (CMSS) program.  This role will be a remote position.

This role is the program’s subject matter authority on accessibility and documentation, guiding a distributed team of technical writers and interfacing with the Centers for Medicare and Medcaid Services (CMS) stakeholders and enterprise compliance reviewers.

The ideal candidate is deeply versed in federal accessibility standards, hands-on with assistive technologies, and passionate about modernizing documentation workflows—including AI-assisted drafting, automated accessibility scanning, and workflow integration.

Key Responsibilities Documentation Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and maintain the CMSS Documentation Management Plan, including standards, templates, naming conventions, version control, and lifecycle policies.
• Lead and mentor technical writers and contributors across CMSS workstreams including the Fiscal Intermediary Shared System (FISS), Multi-Carrier System (MCS), Common Working File  (CWF), and Durable Medical Equipment System (DMES).
• Serve as the primary contact for all documentation deliverables submitted to CMS, including systems and methods documents, user guides, release notes, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and architecture artifacts.
• Align documentation roadmap with sprint cycles, release schedules, and CMS reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with Program Management, Architecture & Engineering, and Operations teams to integrate documentation into delivery workflows.

Section 508 Compliance & Accessibility

• Act as the certified Section 508 Program Lead, ensuring all documents, web content, software interfaces, and digital deliverables meet Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
• Conduct and oversee 508 conformance reviews for all deliverable formats (PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML) and software interfaces prior to CMS submission.
• Develop and maintain 508 testing protocols, checklists, and remediation playbooks.
• Provide training and consultation to staff on accessible content creation, including heading structures, alt text, color contrast, reading order, and form labeling.
• Coordinate with CMS Section 508 office and enterprise accessibility reviewers.
• Maintain a compliance log and issue tracking process for timely remediation.

Assistive Technology (AT) Testing & Validation

• Perform functional testing of deliverables and digital products using industry-standard assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers, speech recognition, screen magnification, alternative input devices).
• Validate documents, web interfaces, and software against real-world AT usage scenarios—not just automated checkers—to ensure usability for individuals with disabilities.
• Maintain expertise in tools such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking, JAWS, NVDA, ZoomText, Fusion, VoiceOver, Narrator, TalkBack, Kurzweil 3000, Read&Write, BrowseAloud, Switch Access, and refreshable Braille displays.
• Document AT test results, identify failure patterns, and collaborate with development and documentation teams for remediation.
• Stay current on AT product updates, federal procurement standards, and emerging accessibility technologies.
• Advise staff on AT compatibility requirements for new documents, templates, tools, or interfaces.

Documentation Automation & Tooling

• Identify, evaluate, and implement tools and workflows to automate or accelerate documentation production, including AI-assisted drafting, automated changelog generation, and CI/CD-linked pipelines.
• Integrate automated accessibility testing tools (e.g., Axe, WAVE, PAC3, Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker, Microsoft Accessibility Checker) into review workflows.
• Pilot documentation-as-code methodologies (e.g., Markdown, AsciiDoc, Docs-as-Code via Git) for technical and API documentation.
• Leverage structured content authoring and single-source publishing for multi-format output (PDF, HTML, Word).
• Partner with Architecture & Engineering and Infrastructure & Platform teams to integrate documentation automation into DevOps/Agile environments.

Quality Assurance & Governance

Establish documentation quality review processes, including peer review, technical accuracy review, and 508 pre-clearance gates.

• Ensure all deliverables comply with CMS style guides, contract requirements, and federal standards (Section 508, Plain Writing Act, NIST).
• Maintain a master deliverables inventory and repository (e.g., Confluence, SharePoint), ensuring proper versioning, accessibility, and audit readiness.
• Track and report documentation delivery metrics (on-time delivery, 508 defect rate, rework rate) to program leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Education:  8 years with a BS/BA degree or 12 years of experience in lieu of a degree
• 8+ years of progressive technical writing and documentation experience, including 3+ years in a lead or senior role on a federal IT program
• Current Section 508 Trusted Tester Certification (DHS/GSA v5.x or later), or equivalent expertise with ability to certify within 90 days of hire
• Hands-on knowledge of assistive technologies used in federal computing environments, including Dragon NaturallySpeaking, JAWS, NVDA, ZoomText, Fusion, VoiceOver, Narrator, TalkBack, Kurzweil 3000, Read&Write, BrowseAloud, Switch Access, and refreshable Braille displays
• Experience with at least two automated accessibility testing tools (Axe DevTools, WAVE, Microsoft Accessibility Checker, Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker, PAC3, or equivalent)
• Demonstrated experience producing and managing technical documentation for federal government IT programs, preferably in health IT, CMS, or Medicare/Medicaid.
• Expert proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (including accessibility features), Adobe Acrobat Pro for PDF remediation, and Confluence or SharePoint for repository management
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and ability to integrate documentation tasks into sprint planning and delivery
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex technical content for technical and non-technical audiences
• Clearance:  U.S. Citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a federal Public Trust clearance 

Preferred Qualifications

• Active DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester Certification (v5.x) at time of application.
• Formal training or certification in assistive technology (e.g., ATACP or equivalent).
• Experience conducting AT-based user acceptance testing (UAT) with individuals with disabilities or coordinating with advocacy groups for usability feedback.
• Experience with CMS ClaimsCore, FISS, MCS, CWF, or DME systems documentation.
• Familiarity with Docs-as-Code practices (Markdown, AsciiDoc, Git-based pipelines).
• Experience integrating AI-assisted writing tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, GitHub Copilot, LLM-based drafting assistants) into federal documentation workflows.
• Knowledge of Plain Language / Plain Writing Act requirements for federal publications.
• Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC) credential from STC.
• Experience with API documentation tools (Swagger/OpenAPI, Postman).
• Prior experience as a documentation lead on CMS or HHS contracts.
• Familiarity with NIST 800-series documentation requirements and federal System Security Plan (SSP) documentation.
• Knowledge of GSA Assistive Technology Program standards and federal AT procurement frameworks.