*This position is fully remote/home based. Applications will be accepted from candidates based in the UK and the following US states: FL, GA, MA, MD, NY, PA, VA, VT
In the US, this is a union represented position as part of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, Local 39521 of the NewsGuild-Communication Workers of America.
Role Summary
PLOS Medicine is a leading open-access medical journal. We seek an Associate/Senior Editor to help develop and strengthen this influential venue for outstanding research and commentary on the major challenges to human health worldwide.
This is an intellectually stimulating position that calls for a keen interest in the practice and communication of science. As an integral member of the editorial team on this leading open-access medicine journal, you will be responsible for recruiting and assessing research manuscripts, partnering with the Editorial Board of Academic Editors, handling peer review and commissioning articles for our Magazine section. We pride ourselves on providing a top-class service to authors thanks to direct engagement with our Editorial Board, reviewers and authors. A key aspect of the job is interaction with the scientific community, including attending international conferences and visiting research institutes. The successful candidate must therefore be dynamic and outgoing, be prepared to travel and have excellent interpersonal skills. As a PLOS Medicine editor, you will work with the editorial team to think outside of the box, trouble-shoot and innovate when necessary to respond to the needs of the scientific community.
Responsibilities
- Handling research manuscripts submitted to the journal
- Commissioning articles for the Magazine section
- Undertaking lab visits and travelling to conferences to represent the journal and PLOS, and to recruit high-quality submissions to the journal
- Participating in writing of editorials, blog posts and other related materials
- Participating in the daily running of the journal, including all editorial projects and initiatives aligned with the goals of the journal
Knowledge and Skills
- History of mentorship within publishing preferred for the Senior Editor Position.
- Experience in cross- collaboration and ability to manage projects
- Ability to understand and assess research on a broad range of topics within the medical sciences.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- A keen eye for detail
- Outstanding time-management and organizational skills
- Ability to work collaboratively, with teams across two continents, and deliver against firm deadlines.
- A passion for science, scientific communication and open access.
- Previous editorial experience in assessing research manuscripts and handling manuscripts through peer review is desired, but not required.
Qualifications
- A PhD in a relevant scientific discipline and/or an advanced medical degree
- At least 2 years’ editorial experience within scholarly publishing required for the Senior Editor position.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
- Prolonged periods stationary at a desk and working on a computer
- Some national and international travel will be required
- Some flexibility to work across time zones
The base salary range we’ve established for the Senior Editor is (UK) £42,000 - £57,000 (US) $75,000 - $100,000. The base salary range we’ve established for the Associate Editor position is (UK) £35,000 - £47,000 (US) $65,000- $85,000. The salary will depend on several factors. PLOS also offers a comprehensive benefits package that will be shared with candidates in the interview process.
The Organization:
PLOS is a non-profit, Open Access publisher empowering researchers to accelerate progress in science and medicine by leading a transformation in research communication. PLOS journals propelled the movement for OA alternatives to subscription journals. We established the first multi-disciplinary publication inclusive of all excellent research regardless of novelty or impact and demonstrated the importance of open data availability. As we continue to lead the way in making research content more open, we need to make it a system that's open for everyone. We are intentionally spreading our roots deeper, globally.
We believe in pushing the boundaries of 'Open' to create a more equitable system of scientific knowledge and understanding—it’s core to who we are, inside and out. Beyond accepting distinct perspectives, we seek and support divergent backgrounds among our staff because we know differences strengthen our teams, our work, and our communities. We’re ever-evolving in our journey for representation and equity, and strongly encourage applicants of diverse identities to apply: you’ll find a group of critical thinkers eager to challenge the status quo and learn with you as we continue breaking barriers to open science.
