Associate Editor, Transactions of the RSTMH, 2018
RSTMH are looking for Associate Editors for Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
To apply to be an Associate Editor, please send a brief version of your CV, a short paragraph summarising your areas of expertise and a brief account of why you want to take up this position (maximum of 250 words) to Tamar Ghosh, tamar.ghosh@rstmh.org.
Accountable to: Editor-in-Chief and RSTMH Managing Editor
Appointment: two-year term, renewable for maximum of six years
Time commitment: Estimated to be 2-3 hours per week, two papers maximum assigned per month
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene is an official journal of RSTMH. It publishes authoritative and impactful original, peer-reviewed articles and reviews on all aspects of tropical medicine.
The journal offers a respected voice for clinicians, health-related scientists, development organisations and students.
Purpose of the role
The key role of the Associate Editors is to ensure that Transactions publishes authoritative and impactful articles through rigorous manuscript screening and peer review procedures.
Each Associate Editor will work within a specific thematic area of tropical medicine or global health, taking ownership of manuscript submissions that are assigned to them.
They will have the responsibility of deciding whether submissions will be considered by the journal, and then oversee the peer review process, with full administrative support from the Editorial Office.
The Associate Editors will also be expected to promote the journal to colleagues, with the goal of raising the publication’s profile within the field. They will also suggest journal content for RSTMH to promote through its digital communication channels.
Responsibilities
Management of Peer Review
1. Ensure that published material has been conducted and presented to the highest scientific standards of writing, integrity, validity and reliability.
2. Collaborate with the RSTMH editorial office in managing manuscript submissions through our online submission and peer review system:
- Become competent in the use of the Editorial Manager peer review system (training will be provided).
- Make an initial decision on the suitability of assigned articles which have been submitted to the journal (up to 4 manuscripts will be assigned each month).
- Make appropriate professional judgements about suitable referees for each paper submitted, avoiding conflicts of interest, bias or unethical peer review.
- Inviting suitable referees as appropriate.
- Collaborate with the RSTMH Editorial Office in following up late reviewers to maintain timely review submission and decision feedback to authors.
- Assign new reviewers if initial contact reviewer declines, fails to respond or does not provide sufficient feedback.
- Collaborate with RSTMH to resolve any expressions of concern or allegations of misconduct regarding submitted content.
- To make informed decision judgments on reading of referees’ reports.
- To provide their own feedback to authors as part of the letter when communicating decisions to authors.
- To handle subsequent revisions of manuscripts which they served as editor on, determining whether to have the papers re-reviewed, or handled internally.
- Make the final decision on the publication of all assigned papers.
- Assist in dealing with relevant communications from authors, where appropriate.
3. Provide feedback to the Managing Editor on the journal’s peer review process, identifying problems and making suggestions for improvement.
Strategic Development
1. Flag up interesting or potentially citeable articles for promotion at early stages of review, to help create a timely marketing and promotion campaign.
2. Enhance the quality and reputation of the journal by feeding into the RSTMH journal strategy.
3. Be willing to attend Associate Editor meetings (in person or by phone) with the Managing Editor to discuss journal processes and developments.
Curating and creating content
1. Suggest potential contributors and types of papers they could submit, as well as ideas for special issues.
2. Similarly, encourage younger researchers to submit their work to the journal, or to offer their services as peer reviewers.
3. Submit own work to journal (one article per year).
Advocating for the journal
1. Help to raise awareness of the articles published in the journal through own networks.
2. Contribute to RSTMH social media output, i.e. suggesting posts for Twitter.
To find out more, and how to apply, visit the RSTMH website.
Closing date: Rolling recruitment currently
