Job Title:

Assistant Editor

Department:

Publishing

Status:

Full-time, exempt

Location:

New York State (remote) or Washington DC Area (DC/MD/VA) (hybrid)

Reports to:

Managing Editor

Working Hours:

Full-time (40 hrs/wk); flex-time available

Salary:

$40,000-$45,000 annually with benefits (health insurance that is 100% employer paid for the employee plus support with family coverage; paid vacation and sick leave; 10% employer contribution to retirement plan after first 6 months)

Position Summary

This is an entry-level position in the publishing program of the Ecological Society of America (ESA), the oldest and most influential ecological and environmental science organization in the U.S. The position of Assistant Editor supports publishing activities for ESA’s journals portfolio. Upon hiring, technical training will be provided to prepare the Assistant Editor to work with other ESA Publishing staff to support authors, peer reviewers, subject matter editors, and editors-in-chief in the handling of manuscripts. Tasks (and associated training) may include working within the online manuscript submission system, peer review processes, pre-production, and editorial/production processes necessary to manage accepted manuscripts through copyediting and typesetting to publication.

To learn more about the ESA journals portfolio, go here: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/

This position will require travel (supported) to Ithaca, NY and/or Washington, DC for publishing staff meetings that occur 1-2 times per year, and once per year to ESA’s annual meeting (location varies).

Principal Job Duties

Work with Senior Assistant Editors and Managing Editors on various tasks related to manuscript processing, peer review, pre-production, and production
Verify that submissions contain all required components and meet all journal requirements and policies
Correspond with authors to answer questions or request additional information to ensure completeness of submissions
Send review invitations to prospective reviewers and track progress of peer review
Log manuscript correspondence into ESA’s online manuscript tracking system
Correspond with Editors as required
Proofread decision letters and transmit decisions to authors
Troubleshoot routine manuscript issues, provide input on manuscript and workflow discussions, and escalate issues when appropriate
Coordinate with other Publishing staff as needed on all tasks
Perform pre-production checks on material for publication
Assist with preparations for and activities at ESA’s Annual Meeting
Perform other tasks as required

Preferred qualifications and experience:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (background in ecology, environmental science, conservation biology, or related area is helpful)
Outstanding oral and written communication skills
Editorial experience in a scholarly publication context
Familiarity with journal peer review systems (e.g., ScholarOne, Editorial Manager, or similar platforms)
Strong executive functioning skills, with ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks, often under deadline, while remaining focused and detail-oriented
Ability to work independently as part of a small, close-knit, remote team
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive)
Familiarity with various tools in Adobe Acrobat (including combining, editing, and annotating files and PDF processing)
Design and image editing experience (using Photoshop and InDesign, or similar)
Experience with WordPress

HOW TO APPLY - THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO APPLY - APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED ON LINKEDIN WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

Email cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to Richard Wallace, ESA Director of Publishing, at editorsearch@esa.org. Please put “Assistant Editor Search” in the subject line.

We welcome applicants that represent diversity in geography, nationality, culture, race and ethnicity, gender identity and expression, and areas of expertise. All applications will be strictly confidential.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the search will remain open until the position is filled.

Ecological Society of America jobs

Assistant Editor