The American Chemical Society is the world’s largest scientific membership association and one of the top ten science publishers in the world.  The Publications Division of the American Chemical Society provides to its members and the worldwide scientific community a comprehensive collection of high quality information products and services for the practice and advancement of the chemical sciences. The Division publishes a weekly magazine, and 50 high-quality scholarly journals focused on chemistry and chemistry-related topics. 

The Editorial Development Department is focused on maintaining and improving the editorial performance of existing titles and the development of new products. The unit is responsible for reporting to staff and external editors, and governance committees on performance of journals; collaborating with external editors to ensure they have the appropriate resources to help their journals perform ably; collaborate with staff and editors create and implement strategic plans for journals; and for a number of titles, work directly with editors on the day to day management of peer review, author/reviewer outreach, and journal issue management.

ACS Nano and ACS Central Science are leading journals of the ACS, which serve the global community of researchers in chemistry and interfacing areas of science.

Position Summary

The Development Editor will be responsible for writing and editing front matter content in addition to promoting research content, alongside performing journal data analytics.

This work includes selecting and evaluating manuscripts for their scientific and broad interest, and writing press releases and summaries. A high degree of professionalism in both written and oral communications, in-depth technical knowledge of the field and ability to translate complicated concepts to multiple audiences is essential. Ideally, s/he will come with a proven track record in science communication and coordinating projects across teams.

A key aspect of the job is providing in-depth data, analysis and research to guide the strategic growth of the journals. A creative eye towards graphics and data visualization would serve him/her well. The incumbent will assist the Managing Editors, Publishers and Editors-in-Chief in improving the peer-review process for the journal and the author’s peer review experience, and be able to juggle multiple tasks to meet deadlines.

This person will be tasked with liaising with the scientific community and science communication professionals. The incumbent will be required to communicate with Editors on a routine basis, building a strong rapport to ensure the highest quality science is acquired and promoted. The qualified candidate will be comfortable working with editors, authors, communications offices and the press. S/he should also be willing to learn new scientific fields, to understand the breadth of research published in the journals and to learn publishing trends.

In this role, the incumbent will have the opportunity to collaborate with an exceptional team of internationally respected editors and journal staff in addition to the office of External Affairs & Communication. The position reports to the Associate Publisher overseeing the materials science portfolio of ACS journals.

Work design: Works under general managerial supervision direction on journal goals and objectives. Work involves creative and adaptive thinking. Resolves non-routine problems by applying general policies, practices, procedures, and principles. Performs in-depth analyses of standard problems and recommends resolutions.

This position will be based in the Washington D.C. offices of the American Chemical Society.

Position Accountabilities

• Support editorial team by evaluating submitted manuscripts to assess suitability for promotion within the journal and externally, including providing quality graphics.
• Assist the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors, Editorial Advisory Board members, and Managing Editor with
  1. Identifying high impact content for promotion within the journal and to external audiences. This includes pitching research for consideration for embargoed press releases, providing lay summaries of papers for university press offices, and contributing to editorial content including First Reactions and the In Nano sections
  2. Acquisition and Managing front matter content including news, commentary and editorials. Tasks include commissioning, scheduling, copy editing and coordination with editors and production team
  3. Lectureships: Manage Lectureship nominations, and provide onsite support, as requested, to ensure successful events.
  4. Soliciting manuscripts and reviews for ACS Nano
  5. Developing special issues including any associated web-only features
• Assist the Managing Editor with monitoring competitor activities and developing strategies to enhance the journal research content to surpass that of the competitor journals.
• Assist the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor with the preparation of materials for the yearly editorial board meeting.
• Maintain contact with authors, reviewers and outside experts.

Combined 5+ years of relevant training and experience in an academic or industrial chemistry setting. Advanced degree (Ph.D.) in the sciences preferred, ideally in chemistry, materials science, or materials engineering; experience in STM publishing and/or journalism or communications a plus. Excellent written and verbal communication with both technical and nontechnical audiences, decision making, leadership, and analytical skills required. Graphics background a plus. This position is based in the Washington, DC offices of the American Chemical Society. Travel required.

EEO/Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran

Job Location

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Position Type

Full-Time/Regular