Acquisitions Editor

Nashville Public Radio; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Job summary

MIT Press in Cambridge, MA seeks an Acquisitions Editor to strategically acquire and develop books for general, professional, and scholarly audiences across science, education, and scholarship. The role involves managing project pipelines, coordinating with authors and peer reviewers, and serving as primary contact with authors while building relationships with MIT faculty and advisors.

The position emphasizes strong negotiation, contract knowledge, and discretion, with a hybrid work environment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field; minimum 3 years in book publishing or related field.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong negotiation ability; knowledge of publishing contracts and terms; discretion with confidential information.
• Preferred: Advanced or bachelor’s degree in science, literature, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Acquire and develop books for general readers, professionals, and scholars across science, education and scholarship.
• Manage a pipeline of projects and work with authors and peer reviewers to develop manuscripts.
• Oversee a backlist of projects and serve as the primary contact with authors; establish relationships with MIT faculty and advisors.
• Promote growth and success of the portfolio through careful planning and judgment.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Discretion

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree in science or literature

Job description

Posting Description

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR, MIT Press, will strategically acquire and develop books for general readership, professional readers, and scholarly and academic audiences across science, education, and scholarship, as determined by signing goals; manage a pipeline of projects and work with authors and peer reviewers to develop the highest quality manuscripts for general readers, academics, students, and professionals; actively oversee a backlist of projects and serve as the primary point of contact with authors; establish robust relationships with MIT faculty members and wider networks of advisors and prospective authors; and will exercise good judgment to promote the growth and continued success of this portfolio.

Job Requirements

REQUIRED : Bachelor’s degree in a related field; a minimum of three years of experience in book publishing, scientific or academic publishing, journalism, environmental or political science or a related field; excellent written and verbal communication skill; strong negotiation skills; knowledge of publishing contracts and terms; knowledge of the higher education community; ability to work with academic authors and deal with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and judgment. PREFERRED : Advanced or bachelor’s degree in science, literature, or a related field.

Campus and conference travel are required.

The MIT Press is based in Cambridge, MA. The MIT Press offers a hybrid work environment.

8/19/2026