Calling for Editorial Assistants, Anthropology & Aging journal

2023-10-19

Anthropology & Aging (SCOPUS indexed; https://anthro-age.pitt.edu/) is the only peer-reviewed academic journal focusing on the anthropology of aging and the life course. To fulfill its mission, A&A depends upon the support of AAGE and the efforts of a dedicated volunteer staff. The larger the staff, the easier it is for everyone to review, manage, edit, and produce quality issues.

A&A is now seeking a qualified student to support the editorial staff in the production and publishing of the journal. The position of editorial assistant is non-remunerative. It requires a commitment of approximately 5-8 hours per week with a slightly heavier workload just prior to publishing each issue.

THE JOURNAL’S BACKGROUND, MISSION, AND COMMITMENTS

Anthropology & Aging began in 1979 as Anthropology and Aging Quarterly and first acquired an ISSN in 2006. The journal is the official publication of the Association for Anthropology, Gerontology, and the Life Course (AAGE – https://anthropologyandgerontology.com/). A&A plays a vital role as a resource for sharing theoretical, methodological, and empirical breakthroughs in our field. All issues are free and open-access, published online twice a year by the University Library Systems (ULS) with the support of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, USA. The mission of A&A is to bring together the work of scholars, students, and applied anthropologists from around the world in a variety of disciplines to address fundamental issues of aging and the human experience.

It is an exciting time in the journal’s history. We are working with ULS to link to scholarly indexing/abstracting services, and to gain recognition as a serious journal that can attract high-quality work from around the world. We continue to remain independent and dedicated to disseminating research freely and respecting our contributors’ rights to their work. In light of past events regarding exploitative practices in open-access publishing and, more broadly, academic precarity, A&A is dedicated to ensuring that its editorial staff (who are all volunteers, including the assistant position) are well-supported and respected. We are committed to fostering diversity, inclusivity, and equity within our internal practices as well as in our scientific publishing efforts. We look forward to welcoming an editorial assistant who can contribute to the journal’s future development within this framework of fair and inclusive practices.

 

BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH THE JOURNAL

There are several benefits of working in the journal, such as ample opportunities to network with scholars and students around the world, building leadership experience, participating in professional meetings and conferences, gaining a better understanding of the publication process, and becoming more familiar with the wide range of new research within the anthropology of aging. Successful candidates may also have an opportunity to manage a special section of A&A, such as “Aging Talks” or the "Debate", depending on their interests.

In general, the editorial assistant’s main responsibilities are to:

  • Work alongside the co-editors to plan, implement, and manage the production schedule
  • Monitor and track the status of multiple manuscripts in review and editing
  • Oversee the peer-review process of manuscripts, including contacting and securing two peer reviewers per manuscript
  • Correspond with authors and reviewers, including delivering editorial decisions
  • Ensure that manuscripts follow section policy and standards, including having a strong empirical and theoretical foundation within anthropology, aging studies, and gerontology
  • Proofread and copyedit manuscripts to identify any grammatical and/or spelling errors
  • Review the layout of articles and ensure they are in the proper template for publication
  • Help to copy edit book reviews as well as the Portfolio, Commentary, and Debate sections

 

The editorial assistant’s preferred qualifications are:

  • Undergraduate or graduate student with a focus on anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, or a related field. Academic and/or professional interests related to gerontology, aging studies, and the anthropology of aging, are a plus
  • Ability to manage and balance multiple manuscripts, journal issues, and production schedules
  • Excellent time-management and organizational skills; the ability to work to deadlines
  • Availability to have meetings with editors based in different time zones (i.e., Europe and India)
  • Ability to communicate respectfully with authors and reviewers as well as with the journal’s editors and other colleagues
  • Knowledge of the Chicago Manual of Style Guide
  • Prior experience with a digital journal or online publication platform (i.e., CMS systems)
  • Proficiency in MS Office package (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint), Windows OS (XP and above), and/or Mac OS (9.X and 10.X), and familiarity with Photoshop and HTML design

 

APPLYING FOR THE POSITION

If you are interested or have questions about the position, please contact us at:<anthro-age@mail.pitt.edu>.To be considered for the position, please email a brief statement of interest outlining your qualifications and a CV. 

All applications received on or before NOVEMBER 20, 2023 will be given full consideration. The position is expected to begin on or around JANUARY 2024 and will be a two-year term with the possibility for renewal.