Assistant Editor (Master's/PhD holder) - Plant Sciences

To strengthen our Editorial team, we are looking for recent PhD and Master's graduates who are eager to stay connected to scientific research by helping researchers worldwide publish their latest results. The position of Assistant Editor is an entry‑level, full‑time and permanent position based in our city centre office in Manchester, UK.

Full‑time In Office Role

The office is located next to Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester.

As Assistant Editor You Will

• Support the editorial process for academic research journals in your domain of expertise.
• Organize the peer review process for submitted manuscripts and coordinate editorial decisions.
• Handle email communication between the parties involved in the publication process.
• Collaborate with other members of the editorial team and the production team.
• Ensure that scholarly articles are accurately edited and published according to tight deadlines with a high degree of consistency.

Requirements

• A PhD (preferred) or Master's degree in a field related to Plant Sciences, including but not limited to: Plant Science and Technology, Agronomy, Horticulture, Plant Protection, Ecology, Biotechnology, Forestry, Seed Science and Engineering, Plant Biological Sciences, Environmental Science and Engineering, Medicinal Plant Science.
• Excellent written and spoken English skills.
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Team player with capability to work in a dynamic, international environment.
• Detail oriented with capacity to see the big picture.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Very good communication and coordination skills.

The career trajectory of this role includes work at conferences, visiting scholars, and marketing events, so applicants should be interested in working face‑to‑face with the scholarly community and be passionate about promoting open access. As a successful candidate, you will receive full training in editorial work, working closely with Managing Editors and learning how to process research articles from submission to publication. Training supervised by an assigned tutor will take place on the job during the first six months. Depending on your background, you will be assigned to work on journals related to your field of study or research. No previous editorial experience is required; however, familiarity with the academic editorial process is an advantage.

This is a great opportunity to start a first job in a dynamic multinational company which offers a range of career development options to talented, enthusiastic, and hard‑working people. If you are interested in this position, we look forward to receiving your application and welcoming you to our Manchester office.

What We Offer

• A competitive salary, including a quarterly bonus scheme that rewards high‑performing editors.
• 10% pay rise after passing the six‑month probation period (for PhD holders, 5% for Master’s holders).
• Focused support from your group leader, who is your first point of contact for any issues.
• Flexible working times: you may start work anytime between 7‑9am, and finish between 3‑6pm.
• Paid time off for life events such as marriage or moving house.
• A friendly working environment with monthly lunch parties, office snacks and seasonal events.
• Bonus incentives: depending on your role, you may be eligible for a bonus scheme that rewards high‑performing employees.
• Perkbox: access to a benefit platform providing discounts across various retailers.
• Health cash plan: after passing probation, employees are enrolled into a private health membership with Bupa; you can claim money back on dental, doctors, prescriptions and other health services.
• Modern city centre office located next to Piccadilly Gardens, 10‑minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Oxford Road train stations; tram stops are outside the building.
• Cycle scheme: save 25‑39% on a bike and accessories.
• Tech scheme: save up to 10% on tech purchases from vendors such as IKEA and Currys.

About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. Our mission is to foster open scientific exchange in all forms across all disciplines. We operate more than 400 diverse, peer‑reviewed, open access journals supported by over 66,000 academic editors. We serve scholars from around the world to ensure the latest research is openly and broadly available. MDPI is headquartered in Switzerland with additional offices in Europe, Asia, and North America. We are committed to ensuring high‑quality research is made available as quickly as possible and support sustainability projects through the MDPI Sustainability Foundation.