Editor in Milton

Role Overview

The Editor, PeerJ, supports the editorial and strategic development of our PeerJ and PeerJ Computer Science journals by providing guidance to the manuscript assessment team, individually managing complex peer review issues, and advising the Chief Editor on scientific and editorial standards. The Editor will conduct ethical investigations as required, commission content, promote submissions, and represent the journal at conferences. Additionally, the Editor will support the PeerJ Editorial Community team in recruiting for and managing PeerJ’s Editorial Board, including conducting meetings of the Editorial Board with the Chief Editor. The Editor will collaborate across departments to address the needs of publishing academics, drive growth, and champion open research.

Key Accountabilities

• Provide Expert Peer Review Support: Serve as an escalation point for the manuscript assessment team (desk editors) in handling complex or novel scenarios, offering guidance and expertise.
• Recruit and manage Editorial Board Members: Actively recruit, vet, train, and maintain strong communication with Editorial Board members across diverse subject areas.
• Advise on Scientific and Editorial Standards: Offer insights and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders on scientific, technical, and editorial matters within your subject expertise.
• Contribute to Journal Policies: Provide input on updates and improvements to the Scope, Editorial Policies, and Author Instructions for PeerJ journals.
• Promote Manuscript Submissions: Actively encourage manuscript submissions through targeted journal promotion and outreach efforts.
• Oversee Peer Review Processes: Manage the full peer review process for manuscripts when an academic editor is unavailable, ensuring timely and high-quality reviews.
• Represent the Journal at conferences: Attend local and international conferences to enhance market knowledge, network with the academic community, gather feedback, and promote PeerJ and open research initiatives.
• Support Content Commissioning: Proactively suggest topics and assist in commissioning high‑quality content to align with journal goals.
• Drive Journal Promotion: Ensure the journal is effectively promoted through all relevant channels and platforms.
• Strategic Development: Collaborate with the Chief Editor to provide strategic input for developing a robust and competitive journal program.
• Conduct Ethical Investigations: Lead and manage ethical investigations as required, ensuring adherence to publishing and industry standards.
• Collaborate Across Departments: Work closely with colleagues in other departments to communicate the needs of publishing academics and develop strategies to address those needs.
• Implement Process Improvements: Identify and implement process enhancements to improve key performance indicators (KPIs) for the peer review process.
• Foster Team Collaboration: Partner with the Editorial Community and Desk Editor teams to ensure seamless operations and alignment with organisational goals.

Qualifications

• An advanced degree (minimum PhD, but ideally postdoctoral)
• Excellent English comprehension and communication skills (written and verbal)
• Good analytical, decision making and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work independently, contribute to building a positive team spirit and support everyone’s efforts to succeed.
• Knowledge of the academic publishing industry.

Skills and Behaviours Required

• Capable of understanding complex scientific topics
• Able to confidently converse with academics, and able to communicate academic concepts to a broader audience.
• Capable of handling multiple responsibilities, working independently, and meeting strict deadlines.
• Ability to communicate both upstream and downstream within the organisation.
• Positive and flexible attitude
• Willingness to travel as required by the company.
• A high level of personal motivation and demonstration of persistence to overcome obstacles.
• Effective presentation and organisational skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills

Additional Information

We believe that great things happen when people connect face‑to‑face. That’s why we work in‑person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at a conference – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely. The successful candidate will be able to utilise our balanced working model. We ask that candidates live within a commutable distance of our offices to ensure that, as a balanced worker, they can make it to our office locations to collaborate as required. There is an expectation for a minimum of 3 days per week in‑person time, with those 3 days a week spent in our office in Milton Park, Oxfordshire. Please note that our Milton Park office will be relocating to Oxford city centre in late 2027 / early 2028, offering an exciting new workplace in the heart of the city. If you have a disability, or face another barrier, and would like to request an adjustment to assist your participation in the hiring process and/or in the advertised position, please. Your request will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Benefits

• An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture
• 25 days annual leave per year plus a day off for your birthday
• 3 additional discretionary days off during the holiday season at the end of the year
• 4 paid volunteering days each year
• Company funded single cover private medical insurance
• Employee assistance programme – offering 24/7 well‑being support
• Share Match – Plan that matches every share purchased with two free shares.
• Pension scheme
• Life assurance, plus optical and medical care

Recruitment Support

We want all our candidates to shine in our recruitment process. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to ensure you can show us your best self. This could include having the application form in a different format, having more time for questions, or anything else.