Managing Editor Position

[Chris Custer]

The Waterbird Society

The Waterbird Society is an international scientific, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the study and conservation of waterbirds. This society was created to establish better communication and coordination between the growing number of people studying and monitoring aquatic birds, and to contribute to the protection and management of stressed populations or habitats of these species.

Job Description: We seek a Managing Editor for our journal, Waterbirds, the International Journal of Waterbird Biology. The journal is published four times a year (March, June, September and December) and specializes in the biology, distribution and abundance, ecology, management and conservation of all waterbird species living in marine, estuarine and freshwater habitats.
In this role, you will manage the submission, peer review, editorial, and publication processes of the journal. It would be the role of the Editor-in-Chief to assess the submissions and peer-review comments and decide if the manuscript is suitable for publication. You will also be a key contributor to building the journal’s reputation as a publisher of high-quality research.
The Waterbird Society is beginning a subscription to the ScholarOne Manuscripts management system and your initial responsibilities will be to work with ScholarOne, the Editor-in-Chief, and the publications committee to set up this subscription. (The set-up process will take up to 12 weeks: 2 weeks consultation, 2 weeks building the web site and 8 weeks for testing).

As managing editor, your ongoing responsibilities will include:

• Initial review of submitted manuscripts to determine suitability for Waterbirds. Manuscripts of questionable quality or content would be referred to the Editor-in-Chief for a decision. Waterbirds receives between 80-130 manuscripts annually.
• Management of the peer review process by working and communicating with the Editor-in-Chief and Subject Editors, to distribute the manuscript to reviewers, tracking each manuscript and communicating with authors and reviewers to ensure timely peer review and acceptable time-to-publication. Many of these tasks will be automated with the ScholarOne system.
• Production management, working with the printer and authors to check for completeness and correct format of accepted manuscripts and ensure consistent editorial standards.
• Journal promotion and development, partnering with the Editor-In-Chief and the Waterbird Society to design and execute strategies to attract high-quality manuscript submissions to the journal. Assist the Outreach and Communication and Publication Committees to promote journal content on the Waterbirds.org website and through social media.

Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

•  Excellent communication skills to deal with authors and reviewers
• Attention to detail for copyediting and formatting manuscripts for final publication
• Strong sense of integrity and a commitment to a diverse and inclusive research community
• 2-3 years of experience in scientific writing and/or publishing
• A bachelor’s degree or higher in science or communications is highly desirable

Work Environment: This role will be 100% remote. This is a contract position with compensation of $230 per week for a part time effort averaging about 10 hours/week. Compensation rate will be re-evaluated within a year. To maximize the timely peer-review process, regular effort is required, and more work will be needed during the months that the journal is published. Computer and access to internet is required.

Application Process: To apply, please provide a resume, cover letter, and contact information for two people who can provide references to Dave Moore. The position is open until filled. Priority will be given to applications received before September 1 2021.

The Waterbird Society is an affirmative action and equal opportunity organization. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for this position without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, veteran status, or genetic information.

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