The Physiological Society is seeking a visionary Editor-in-Chief for The Journal of Physiology, one of the world’s most distinguished scientific publications. The editorship is a highly influential position in physiology and gives the Editor-in-Chief a unique opportunity to shape The Journal and the direction of physiological research.
The Journal has published leading research in physiology since its launch in 1878, including the work of 42 Nobel laureates. It plays a central and active role in physiology as a research discipline, as novel techniques and concepts open up new horizons. In addition to research papers it features a range of types of article, including commissioned reviews and commentaries. The scope of The Journal can be found here.
The publishing team is continually looking for ways of enhancing the impact of The Journal’s content. An example is its popular new Physiology Shorts feature: 2-minute videos in which the authors explain the research they are reporting in their paper. The new Editor-in-Chief should contribute his or her own ideas for new features.
The Society works closely with its publishing partner, John Wiley & Sons, to ensure that The Journal responds to changes in the publishing and research landscapes, especially initiatives around open research, reproducibility and statistical reporting. The Journal is on a transformative path from subscription to Open Access.
The Editor-in-Chief receives excellent support from The Society’s in-house publications team, working particularly closely with the Managing Editor. The high standards of The Journal’s peer review are well known. The role of Editor-in-Chief requires daily attention and prompt communication with staff and Editorial Board members.
A full description of the role of the Editor-in-Chief can be viewed here.
The appointment panel is seeking the best person for the post irrespective of their area of physiological research, their location and their previous association with The Journal.
The successful candidate will initially become Editor-in-Chief Elect, working alongside Professor Kim E. Barrett, the outgoing Editor-in-Chief, for up to 6 months before assuming the editorship on 1 April 2022. The appointment is for an initial term of three years, with the option of renewal for a further three years. Confirmation of the appointment will follow a 6-month probationary period.
Skills:
• A clear vision for the future direction of JP and how to achieve it
• An international track record in scientific research
• A broad knowledge of physiology and related disciplines, and an awareness of new directions in research
• Leadership and influencing skills
• Experience in a senior position on an editorial board
• An ability to work effectively with and respond promptly to The Society’s publications staff
• Engagement with initiatives in journal publishing (Open Science, new models of peer review)
• Diplomacy, judgement and fairness in dealing with author appeals, misconduct cases, etc
• The willingness and skills to be an ambassador for JP, including openness to using social media
Candidates should submit a CV together with a letter of no more than two pages of A4 summarising the following:
Please address all formal correspondence concerning your application to Simon Rallison, Director of Scientific Programmes via email or +44 (0) 20 7 269 5715.
After assessing the applications the recruitment panel will draw up a shortlist and invite those candidates to give a presentation on their vision for The Journal.
A summary of The Journal’s metrics can be found here. If you need any additional data or metrics before making your application, or if you want to discuss the position informally, please contact Sally Howells, Publisher and Managing Editor, The Journal of Physiology via email or +44 (0)20 7269 5719.
