Editorial Assistant

National Academy of Sciences; Remote; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent organization for research and science in Washington, DC is looking for an Editorial Assistant. This remote role involves providing administrative support for manuscript submissions and peer review processes. Responsibilities include overseeing peer review coordination, performing quality control checks, and communicating with authors and reviewers. Candidates should possess excellent communication skills, teamwork, and the ability to handle sensitive information. The compensation ranges from $18.44 to $23.05 per hour, including benefits.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits plan

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Transportation subsidies

Educational assistance

Qualifications

• Ability to compose clear and professional communications with stakeholders.
• Ability to work successfully in a team environment.
• Ability to solve problems with supervisory consultation.
• Demonstrated concern for quality of work and stakeholder experiences.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Experience in complex environments with organizational effectiveness.
• Ability to navigate and manage competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing peer review coordination from submission to transmittal.
• Perform quality control checks for incoming research articles.
• Correspond with authors and reviewers about needed items.
• Notify authors of manuscript decisions.
• Screen revisions for plagiarism.
• Monitor updates to online submission systems.
• Transmit manuscripts to production vendor.
• Act as point of contact for production queries.
• Contribute input for enhancements to submission system.
• Perform clerical and administrative tasks.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Decision Making

Quality and Service Orientation

Integrity and Professional Judgment

Organizational Effectiveness

Education

High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent knowledge

Job description

Job Description Summary: The Editorial Assistant provides administrative support for the processing and peer review of standard manuscript submissions. Handles routine phone and email inquiries from authors and reviewers. Works closely with the journal's editorial board to facilitate the peer review process for articles submitted to PNAS. Reports to the Assistant Managing Editor or Senior Editorial Coordinator and keeps them informed about problem papers.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing all aspects of peer review coordination from submission to transmittal for research articles (Direct Submission and Brief Reports)
• Complete quality control checks for incoming research articles
• Correspond with authors, editors, and reviewers about needed items, deadline extensions, pending submissions, and status inquiries
• Notify authors of manuscript decisions
• Screen revisions for plagiarism and escalate to editorial ethics manager as needed
• Monitor updates to the online submission systems and ensure requisite changes are made to the Information for Authors
• Merge or update reviewer records with current information to maintain an up-to-date database/reviewer pool
• Transmits manuscripts to production vendor
• Act as the point of contact for production queries received from the production vendor
• Contribute input for enhancements to the submission system
• Perform a variety of clerical and administrative tasks such as answering general queries sent to the editorial inbox and answering the telephone
• Special projects and additional tasks as assigned

Nonessential Duties

• Related duties and special projects as assigned

Job Specifications

• Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Communication — Ability to compose clear and professional communications with various stakeholders. Excellent communication skills with a proven ability to effectively interact with all levels of employees and external stakeholders.

• Teamwork — Ability to work successfully in a team environment. Ability to develop relationships with co-workers and employees in other National Academies' departments through effective communication.

• Decision Making/ Problem Solving — Ability to solve problems with supervisory consultation and by following rules, procedures, and precedents.

• Quality, Excellence & Service Orientation — Demonstrated concern for excellence in quality of work and the experiences of stakeholders involved.

• Integrity & Professional Judgment — Ability to handle sensitive or confidential information with discretion and exercise sound professional judgment.

• Experience working in complex environments with a high degree of organizational effectiveness.

• Organizational Effectiveness / Navigating Complexity — Ability to operate effectively in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, manage competing priorities, and maintain organizational alignment.

Minimum Education/Training Requirements: High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent knowledge.

Minimum Experience: One year of related experience.

Physical Capabilities: Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time.

Required Licenses, Certification or Registration: None.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Controls: Reports to an Assistant or Associate Managing Editor or a Senior Editorial Coordinator. Supervisor is available to assign work and assist in problem resolution.

Compensation & Benefits: An estimated compensation range for this position is $18.44 - $23.05 per hour, plus potential overtime. Compensation offered to the selected candidate will be based on the candidate's relevant knowledge, skills, and work experience, commensurate with compensation of current employees in comparable positions with similar knowledge, skills, and work experience, and subject to budget parameters. Note it is not typical for a candidate to be hired at the higher end of the range. This is a benefits-eligible position. Our Benefits Plan offers competitive and comprehensive benefit options, including medical, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement and savings benefits, leave benefits such as paid holidays and paid personal leave, transportation subsidies, and education assistance.

Work Environment: This role has been approved for 100% remote status, with occasional travel between National Academies' facilities and to off-site meeting/sponsor locations. Any remote work arrangement will need to be reviewed and approved.

Equal Opportunity Employer: It is the policy of the National Academies to recruit, hire, transfer, compensate, and promote people in all job categories and to administer all other personnel actions, terms and conditions of employment in a manner that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. It is also the institution's policy to recruit, hire, promote, and provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and covered veterans who are otherwise qualified.

Any qualification to be considered equivalent, in lieu of stated minimum, requires the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Some functions in this description may be specific to a particular unit of the National Academies and not applicable to other units.

Job Family: PUBL

Employee Type: Employee

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 37.5

City/State: Washington, District of Columbia