Co-Editor of the Journal of Museum Education
Job Description
Position Title: Co-Editor of the Journal of Museum Education
Location: Remote (legally eligible to work in the United States)
Reports To: MER Board of Directors
Work Supervisor: MER President
Stipend: $10,000 annual stipend, paid in quarterly installments
Estimated Hours: average 6-8 hours per week; available for meeting times in Eastern, Central, and Pacific time zones (GMT-7, GMT-6, GMT-5)
Closing Date: Applications accepted until 04/19/2024 at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time (GMT-5)
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Organization and Journal Overview
Formed in 1969, the Museum Education Roundtable (MER) fosters professionalism among museum educators by encouraging leadership, scholarship, and research in museum-based learning through the publication of the Journal of Museum Education (JME). The JME is the only journal that is devoted to the theory and practice of museum education. Written by museum and education professionals, JME articles explore innovations in the field of museum education, teaching strategies for use in museums and other informal learning environments, visitor research, and evaluation.
Since 2015, the JME has been published by Taylor & Francis in both digital and print formats as part of its museums and heritage studies portfolio. This publishing partnership has supported a growth in readership of the JME, while deepening its value as a peer reviewed scholarly journal, read and used by a diverse and global readership of practitioners and scholars alike. Two Co-Editors collaboratively lead the JME, providing shared leadership on the journal’s content, voices, and accessibility, all while ensuring it remains a high-quality, timely, and unique journal.
MER is committed to the core values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We believe that as an organization, we have a professional responsibility to address the intersecting histories of oppression and resistance that shape hierarchies of privilege and power related to race, gender identity, class, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, ability and national origin and their role in museum education. We are committed to serving as advocates for these values to the wider field and through the JME.
Position Overview
Aligned with MER’s commitment to advancing equity within the field of museum education, we have committed to a shared leadership model for the Journal of Museum Education. Two Co-Editors share responsibility for ensuring the overall quality and relevance of the intellectual content of the Journal of Museum Education, working with the MER Board of Directors. The Co-Editors will each oversee 2 of the 4 issues of JME produced each year, alternating the lead responsibility of overseeing the development and review process of each issue while working in concert to ensure the journal is timely, inclusive, and relevant to practitioners and scholars. The Co-Editors share responsibility for advancing the mission of MER and goals of the journal, doing outreach to potential authors and guest editors, working with peer reviewers, and for evaluating articles that provide original, relevant, and important contributions to the field of museum education.
In addition to collaborating deeply with the other Co-Editor, this Co-Editor will also work closely with the MER Board of Directors’ Editorial Team, Operations Manager, and Communications Manager, and the publisher, Taylor & Francis, in developing content for and managing production of the journal. The Co-Editors coordinate with the individuals who contribute directly to the formation of each issue: guest editors, contributing authors, and peer reviewers. Responsibilities also include writing editorial introductions, soliciting and editing manuscripts, and ensuring the successful publication of 4 issues of the Journal of Museum Education annually. Further, the Co-Editors contribute to monthly Editorial Team meetings, quarterly board and journal content meetings, production meetings, and prepare and present quarterly reports to the board.
Role Responsibilities
The Co-Editors collaboratively oversee the mission, scope, and production of the journal in consultation with the publisher and Museum Education Roundtable Board of Directors, Operations Manager, and Communications Manager. Each co-editor will take a role in co-leading the following:
Oversee the successful production of the JME, including the support of guest editors, the recruitment of authors, peer review process, and publication of the journal with Taylor & Francis.
– Effectively manage the production of journal content.
– Recruit and referee submissions from guest editors and authors for future JME issues from across diverse museums and museum scholar communities;
– Establish partnerships with other museum-related institutions to recruit guest editors;
– Work with the MER Editorial Team to select themes and/or content for future JME issues;
– Ensure that the articles published are consistent with the editorial mission of the JME to inspire innovative thinking for the field through engagement with scholarly and practice-based content;
– Continue to refine and revise editorial guidelines for contributions of all text and illustrations intended for publication in the JME in collaboration with Taylor and Francis, including without limitation, articles, letters, reviews, commentary, editorials, essays, news, research notes, and advertisements;
– Solicit, receive, review, select or reject, revise, and edit content in accordance with the editorial guidelines;
– Deliver according to schedule to the publisher sufficient editorial material for each issue of the JME, in accordance with the production requirements set forth in the contract between MER and the publisher;
– Review guest editors’ proposal submissions and submit to the MER Editorial Team for feedback;
– Provide documentation on workflow, including production schedules;
– Establish and review internal policies on conflicts of interest and the handling of ethical issues that may arise.
Work directly with and support guest editors and contributing authors to ensure the journal is inclusive of a range of perspectives.
– Work with the MER Editorial Team to provide feedback and recommendations for guest edited proposals to diversify authorship;
– Provide orientations to guest editors (and authors as necessary) on process, guidelines, scheduled, etc.;
– Provide each guest editor with full production schedule and other project management tools to keep the issue on schedule;
– Meet regularly with guest editor to check on progress and provide additional support as needed to ensure articles are submitted on time;
– Work with authors to shape ideas and polish writing both before and after the peer review process;
– Support potential unsolicited submission authors through timely response to queries and guidance on online article submission process;
– Maintain positive, supportive relationships with guest editors and contributing authors throughout the process.
Work directly with the publisher in the production of the journal.
– Provide guidance and information as requested in maintaining the online project management and article submission systems;
– Establish production schedule in collaboration with publisher and meet scheduled deadlines;
– Communicate important developments to the publisher and respond to queries in a timely manner.
In collaboration with the Co-Editor, Editorial Team, Operations Manager, and Communications Manager, ensure that the peer reviewers represent a diverse range of perspectives and contribute to making the JME a more equitable publication.
– Work with the MER Board of Directors to strategically identify and recruit appropriate candidates to serve on as peer reviewers as well as one-time reviewers with expertise to review a particular article;
– Provide orientation to all new peer reviewers;
– Communicate in a timely manner with peer reviewers about when to expect articles to review;
– Manage the review process with the peer reviewers and assign articles to peer review;
– Maintain a positive, professional relationship with peer reviewers throughout their service;
– Inform MER Board of changes in peer reviewers, including updates on new reviewers and retiring reviewers as well as recruiting needs.
Develop and sustain an effective working relationship with the MER Board of Directors, Operations Manager, and Communications Manager with a shared commitment to MER’s values, vision, and mission.
– Communicate regularly with MER to provide information about upcoming issues, including JME updates and discuss production and distribution schedules, etc.;
– Serve as ex-officio member of the MER Board of Directors;
– Maintain a positive, professional relationship with MER and the publisher;
– Participate actively in MER Editorial Team monthly meetings, and meet with editorial team co-chairs to collaboratively integrate team members into editorial projects;
– Provide leadership in board initiatives related to author development, and work with board members and staff on programs such as writers’ workshops to creatively support first time and practitioner authors;
– Through a focus on the JME as both process and product, the co-editor joins MER’s work to addressing the intersecting histories of oppression and resistance that shape hierarchies of privilege and power related to race, gender identity, class, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, ability and national origin and their role in museum education;
– Make recommendations to the MER President, regarding the contract with the publisher as necessary;
– Provide annual orientation to JME policies, procedures, and history for all new MER Board members;
– Attend the annual MER board retreat (in-person or virtual) and other quarterly MER Board meetings via video conference call, etc.
Develop and sustain an effective working relationship with the additional Co-Editor.
– Determine the best working relationship to evenly distribute work responsibilities for the successful publication of the JME;
– Ensure editorial cohesion across JME issues;
– Work together to ensure that the JME can support the equity goals of MER, prioritizing transparency, accessibility, and intentionally undoing White and Western hegemonic ways of thinking and writing;
– Collaborate on quarterly and annual reports for the MER Board of Directors;
– Monitor JME gmail account and share responsibilities for responding to inquiries in a timely manner.
Tools Used in this Position:
– Editorial Manager – for online submissions and manuscript tracking
– Central Article Tracking System (CATS) – a Taylor & Francis database used to track and progress manuscripts through the production process
– Zoom – for MER-related meetings
– Google Workspace – MER email, document sharing, etc.
– Google Drive – storing and accessing files
– Adobe PDF Editor
– Chicago Manual of Style
Terms & Compensation
– New Co-Editor will be provided onboarding and training with other Co-Editor, MER Board of Directors, Operations Manager, and Communications Manager.
– The initial term of each Co-Editor contract will be a minimum of two years with renewal upon mutual agreement.
– Each Co-Editor will receive an annual stipend of $10,000 paid in quarterly installments.
– The positions are fully remote. MER is a U.S. based 501(c)3, registered in Washington, DC. Co-editors must be available for meeting times in Eastern, Central, and Pacific time zones (GMT-7, GMT-6, GMT-5).
Review Criteria
– We are looking for candidates who possess many of the following qualities:
– Demonstrated broad curiosity and knowledge of the museum education field and scholarship, including its people, institutions, curricula, pedagogies, programs, and history. Extensive knowledge of informal teaching and learning theories.
– Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and antiracism.
– Familiarity with the Museum Education Roundtable and the Journal of Museum Education.
– Experience in editorial work and/or publications as an editor.
– Experience publishing either with the JME or as an author in related publications.
– Experience with the peer review process and communicating with authors and reviewers.
– Demonstrated ability to collaborate across multiple stakeholders.
– Proven track record as a strong communicator and a collaborative educator with extensive teaching or mentoring experience.
– Strong project management skills with attention to detail, including the ability to establish priorities, meet deadlines, and balance competing demands.
– Demonstrated experience working with practitioners and scholars for whom English is an additional language.
– Asset to have fluency in an additional language.
– Familiarity and experience working with the Chicago Manual of Style.
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