Molecular Biology of the Cell seeks early-career editors to focus on curating preprints

Molecular Biology of the Cell (MBoC) is assembling an editorial board of early-career researchers dedicated to curating and classifying the impact of new articles published in MBoC and preprints posted on bioRxiv. Supported by a Learned Society Curation Award from the Wellcome Trust and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute awarded to MBoC’s publisher, the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), this new board of diverse, young editors will contribute to curation and recognition of research works across the subjects covered by MBoC.

“The recent growth of preprint servers and rapid pace of research dissemination can pose a challenge for researchers and evaluators,” says ASCB Curation Manager Michael Lacy. “It is sometimes difficult to discover the most interesting articles to read or to assess the significance and potential impact of new research. Our curators will be a valuable addition to the journal and ASCB’s community, helping to spotlight important work for a broader audience.”

Early-career editors should meet the following criteria:

• Pre-tenure assistant professors or research group leaders, or advanced post-docs or research fellows.
• Engaged in research related to any topics covered by MBoC.
• Interested in open science, preprints, and improving scientific publishing and research assessment.

Responsibilities of early-career editors include:

• Identifying preprints of interest to the molecular and cell biology research community.
• Writing brief Significance Statements and selecting appropriate Badges to be displayed alongside these selected preprints, to convey the significance of the work in a broadly accessible and visual format.
• Other activities to engage with authors, editors, and readers.

Early-career editors receive:

• Recognition of their status as emerging “thought leaders” in their field.
• Insight and involvement in the editorial process through mentorship by MBoC
• Unique opportunities for networking and future involvement with MBoC and ASCB leadership and events.

Applications should be submitted by Monday January 18, 2021 and must include 1) a CV, 2) a brief description of their research topic, interest in the position and future career plans (1 page total), and 3) a letter of recommendation. We are especially interested in recruiting a diverse group of candidates including those from under-represented backgrounds, across international regions, and from a broad range of research topics.

For more information and instructions to apply, visit our web page or contact Michael Lacy ([email protected])