Job Description

The Chief Editor is responsible for driving the success and growth of PeerJ by focusing on external engagement and strategic initiatives that elevate the journal's reputation and impact within the scientific community. This role emphasizes building strong relationships with external stakeholders, representing PeerJ at key events, and fostering collaborations that align with the journal's mission and audience expectations. The Chief Editor will also oversee editorial operations, ensure scientific integrity, and shape publication policies to reflect emerging trends and community needs.

Key Accountabilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Define and implement PeerJ's strategic editorial vision in collaboration with the publishing team, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and the needs of the scientific community.
• Maintain strong connections to external stakeholders, including the journal's Editorial Board, key funding bodies, and author communities, to ensure the journal meets the needs of its constituencies.
• Develop innovative strategies to enhance PeerJ's visibility, reputation, and impact globally.
• Establish editorial priorities and content strategies that reflect emerging research trends and disciplinary developments.
• Monitor significant trends in research areas within PeerJ's scope and execute plans to ensure the journal is at the forefront of scientific discovery.
• Gather editorial intelligence via attending conferences, conducting focus groups, holding individual meetings with Editorial Board members, etc., to ensure a complete and current understanding of researcher priorities and pain points.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to shape the future direction of PeerJ's open access publishing model.
• Lead and mentor a team of editors and senior editors, ensuring alignment with external engagement goals.

Editorial Excellence

• Oversee the scientific quality and editorial integrity of all published content.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Editors, Editorial Board members, and reviewers, including organizing in-person meetings and editorial board events to foster engagement.
• Manage recruitment and training of new Editorial Board Members (EBMs) to ensure subject matter expertise.
• Implement rigorous peer review processes that uphold the highest standards of scientific validity and reproducibility.
• Resolve pre- and post-publication issues raised by staff, EBMs, and readers, including direct communication with authors and external stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement of editorial workflows and decision-making processes.
• Ensure adherence to publication ethics and best practices in scientific publishing.

Community Engagement

• Represent PeerJ at high-profile scientific conferences, meetings, and industry events to promote the journal and its mission.
• Build and nurture relationships with key opinion leaders, research institutions, and funding organizations to expand PeerJ's reach.
• Actively engage with the scientific community to understand evolving needs and incorporate feedback into editorial policies.
• Develop strategic partnerships with scientific societies, research organizations, and other external entities to enhance PeerJ's visibility and impact.
• Serve as the public face of PeerJ, advocating for its open access publishing model and fostering trust within the scientific community.

Operational Management

• Assist in the daily management of the journal workflow, ensuring rapid and constructive peer-review and publication decisions, acting as handling editor on manuscripts as required.
• Monitor key performance indicators related to submissions, acceptance rates, time-to-decision, and citation metrics, with a focus on external impact.
• Support the implementation of innovative technologies and tools to improve editorial efficiency and manuscript handling.

Team Development

• Recruit, mentor, and retain a diverse and high-performing editorial team that prioritizes external engagement.
• Work with internal colleagues to expand PeerJ's Editorial Board, ensuring comprehensive subject matter expertise and external representation.
• Provide leadership and guidance to PeerJ's external Editors and Editorial Board members, fostering collaboration and innovation.
• Create a culture of editorial excellence that encourages external partnerships and community-driven initiatives.

Qualifications

Knowledge and Experience

• PhD or equivalent terminal degree in a relevant scientific discipline preferred
• Significant experience in scientific publishing, with a key number of years in senior editorial roles
• Demonstrated track record of editorial leadership and strategic vision
• Extensive knowledge of open access publishing models and trends in scientific communication
• Strong understanding of publication ethics and industry best practices

Key Competencies

• Strategic vision and ability to translate vision into actionable editorial strategies
• Excellent scientific judgment and broad understanding of interdisciplinary research
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate a diverse team
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to build relationships with key stakeholders in the scientific community
• Excellent English comprehension and communication skills (written and verbal)
• Exceptional analytical skills and data-driven decision-making capabilities
• Demonstrated commitment to open science principles and practices
• Impeccable scientific and professional integrity
• Forward-thinking mindset with openness to innovation
• Commercial acumen and a drive for results
• Collaborative approach to leadership and problem-solving
• Passion for advancing scientific communication and open access publishing
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in scientific publishing

Additional Information

Closing date 25th June 2026

The successful candidate will be able to utilise our balanced working model. We ask that candidates live within a commutable distance of our US offices in either Philadelphia or Boca Raton,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.

You must have the right to work and live in United States.

What we offer in return:

• Base salary range of $115,000 - $130,000 + annual bonus
• An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture
• 10 days paid sick time
• 15 days paid annual leave per year plus an extra day off for your birthday
• 3 additional discretionary days for the holiday season at the end of the year
• Up to 8 weeks of paid parental leave
• Medical, vision, and dental benefits
• 4 paid volunteer days per year
• 401(k) + employer match
• Seasonal social and charitable events
• Continuous training and development

If you're excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don't fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and make a contribution regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life.