Associate Editor - Journals

About RSTMH

RSTMH is a membership society which has been dedicated to improving global health since 1907.

The society is committed to serving the long-term goals of researchers’ career development by facilitating scholarly communication and providing mentoring, training, networking opportunities, funding, and awards. 

About our journals

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene and International Health are official journals of RSTMH, published via Oxford University Press. Both journals publish a comprehensive range of multidisciplinary research and review papers, covering topics ranging from public health and infectious diseases to health economics, healthcare systems, and more. We also regularly publish Supplements, Special Features, and specially curated article collections to support and celebrate the wider global health community. 

Purpose of the role

Accountable to: Editor-in-Chief and RSTMH Managing Editor
Appointment: 2-year term, renewable for maximum of 6 years. 
Time commitment: Estimated to be 2-3 hours per week, 2 papers maximum assigned per month.

Each Associate Editor will work within a specific thematic area, taking ownership of manuscripts that are assigned to them. They will have the responsibility of deciding whether new submissions will be considered by the journal, overseeing the peer review process, and actioning any relevant decisions thereafter. Full administrative support will be provided by the Editorial Office, which means that Associate Editors can focus their efforts and time on assessing the science and wider implications of each article. 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, contribute to journal development ideas, and are encouraged to submit their own work to the journal. 

This is a voluntary position. However, Associate Editors will receive a year’s free membership to the RSTMH upon completion of a 6-month probationary period. Membership benefits include, amongst other things, discounted rates to our events and meetings, access to our journal Transactions, a 10% discount on OA fees for our journals, eligibility for our grants and award programmes, and exclusive access to our Member Directory and Members Area on our website (full list of benefits can be found here). 

There are no geographic restrictions with these posts, and all are welcome to apply – particularly those from underrepresented groups/regions. Individuals with expertise in the following areas are also strongly encourage to apply: 

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene 

• Vector-transmitted diseases: 
  • Viral diseases e.g., dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, JE 
  • Parasitic diseases e.g., Chagas disease, African trypanosomiasis, LF, Leishmania. 
  • Malaria – specifically;
    • Vector control and surveillance studies
    • Prevalence of pathogen in vector
    • Disease prevalence
    • Drug resistance
•  Helminths e.g., STHs (esp. prevalence studies) 
• Food-borne pathogens e.g., bacteria (e.g. salmonella, trematodes etc.)
• Bacterial diseases (e.g., leprosy etc.) 
• Water-borne pathogens (e.g., cholera) 
• TB; 
  • Disease prevalence
  • Drug resistance
• HIV/AIDS
• STDs 
• NTDs close to elimination e.g., onchocerciasis, trachoma, schistosomiasis, guinea worm
• Non-communicable diseases (e.g., podoconiosis) 
• Snakebite
• One health

International Health

• Clinical/research experience in Infectious diseases (NTDs and broader) 
• Clinical/research experiences in non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
• One Health (veterinary, zoonosis, public health)
• Broad Epidemiology
• Statistician / health economist (cost effectiveness, cost befit etc.)
• Social scientists (Social aspects of infectious and non-communicable diseases)
• Mental health
• Gender issues  
• Health systems and Health systems strengthening
• Evaluation, Surveillance
• Vaccines/ immunology 
• Access to medicines (broadly to include devises, diagnostics, services etc.) 
• Health care delivery 
• Policy
• Maternal and child health, reproductive Health

Responsibilities

Management of Peer Review 

1. Ensure that submissions assigned to them have been conducted ethically and presented to the 
highest scientific standards of writing, integrity, validity, and reliability. 

2. Work proactively on manuscripts to minimise unnecessary delays and to ensure a timely review 
process.

3. Collaborate with the RSTMH editorial office in managing manuscript submissions through our online submission and peer review system: 

a. Become competent in the use of the Editorial Manager peer review system (training will be 
provided). 

b. Make an initial decision on the suitability of articles assigned to them within 7 working days 
(a maximum of 2 manuscripts will be assigned each month).

c. Use professional judgement to select and invite suitable referees for each paper, avoiding 
conflicts of interest, bias, or unethical peer review. 

d. Proactively follow up with late reviewers to maintain a timely review process and minimise unnecessary delays.

e. Select and invite new reviewers if initial contact reviewer declines, fails to respond, or does not provide sufficient feedback.

f. Make informed decision judgments on reading of referees’ reports within 7 days of final review being received and provide their own feedback to authors as part of the decision letter.

g. Handle subsequent revisions of manuscripts which they served as editor on (as above), determining whether to have the papers re-reviewed, or handled internally.

h. Assist in dealing with relevant communications from EiCs, reviewers, and authors, where appropriate.

i. Work with Managing Editor and EiCs to resolve any appeals, expressions of concern, allegations of misconduct, etc.

4. Provide feedback to the Managing Editor on the journal’s peer review process, identifying problems and making suggestions for improvement.

Strategic Development

1. Flag interesting and noteworthy articles at early stages of review to Managing Editor, to facilitate effective marketing and promotional activities.

2. Enhance the quality and reputation of the Journal by feeding into the RSTMH journal strategy.

3. Attend online biannual Editorial Board meetings to discuss journal processes and development ideas.

Curating & creating content

1. Suggest potential contributors and/or types of papers that we could commission, as well as ideas for Supplements, Special Issues, and curated article collections.

2. Encourage colleagues and collaborators to submit their work to the Journal, or to offer their services as peer reviewers.

Advocating for the Journal

1. Promote and share relevant articles published in the journal through their own networks e.g. via Twitter, Facebook, etc.

2. Contribute to RSTMH social media output e.g., writing short blog posts to promote journal content.

3. Represent and promote the journal at conferences/events and contribute to journal development initiatives.

Person specification

• PhD or other doctoral degree in a relevant subject area (essential)
• Strong publication record and experience of reviewing manuscripts (essential)
• Knowledge and understanding of the topics covered in the journal (essential), with an interest in emerging themes (desirable)
•  Ability to think strategically and act decisively (essential).
• Commitment to the strategic aims of the RSTMH and a willingness to identify ways the journal can contribute to this (essential)
• Willingness to act as an advocate for the journal and the RSTMH (essential)

To apply

All applications should be sent via email to the RSTMH Managing Editor, Tom Pinfield (Thomas [dot] pinfield [at] RSTMH [dot] org). Applications will be reviewed by the Managing Editor, EiCs and RSTMH CEO, and should include:

• A covering letter which outlines academic interests, any previous editorial experience, and your vision for the future development of the journal to which you are applying to work on.
• A current CV

Deadline for applications is 26 May 2023