Publication Ethics Specialist, Fixed Term Contract

*This position is fully remote/home based. Applications will be accepted from candidates based in the UK. This is a 12 month Fixed Term Contract.

PLOS is a non-profit organization on a mission to drive open science forward with measurable, meaningful change in research publishing, policy, and practice. We believe in a better future where science is open to all, for all.

Role Summary

The PLOS Publication Ethics team works to uphold the integrity and reliability of PLOS publications, supports PLOS journals in publication ethics-related issues and policy development, and engages with external parties and organizations to contribute to external publication ethics-related discussions and initiatives.

This role serves operational and editorial support functions on the Publication Ethics team. It is well-suited to individuals who have experience in publishing operations or in editorial assistant (or similar) roles; who bring operational strengths, an eye for detail, and a strong commitment to teamwork and integrity; and who are interested in developing expertise in publication ethics.

The Publication Ethics Specialist works closely with others on the PLOS Publication Ethics team to address PLOS’ ethics and integrity needs. The Specialist’s responsibilities, outlined below, include triaging incoming publication ethics cases, addressing the team’s reporting and workflow needs, providing operational and administrative support for ethics case investigations, independently addressing select types of cases, and contributing to team projects and discussions. You will also have various opportunities to develop expertise in the field of publication ethics.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• N/A

Responsibilities

• Contribute to operational support of publication ethics casework (triage, follow-up, and resolution) in an organized, efficient, and timely manner. Fulfil Specialist responsibilities as outlined in the team’s documentation.
• Communicate quickly and effectively with the editorial teams (Publication Ethics & journal editors), Editorial Board members, authors, external consultants/reviewers, Production, and others involved in ethics case investigations and resolution.
• Contribute to pub ethics workflow development and optimization.
  • Maintain current workflows and documentation pertaining to operational work within the Publication Ethics team.
  • Proactively identify and address any pain points, impediments, or inefficiencies related to publication ethics workflows or operations. Where applicable, raise data-driven recommendations for workflow improvements.
  • Troubleshoot issues as they arise, providing expertise and advice and exercising judgement to escalate to the Senior Editor Team Managers and/or other PLOS staff as appropriate.
  • You may be asked to serve as the team’s point-person for workflows, reporting, or other aspects of publication ethics work.
• You may be trained and thereafter expected to lead investigations for select types of publication ethics cases. You may also be asked to contribute to team-level efforts to resolve large-scale cases.
• Help to recruit and train for vacant team positions. Help to train PLOS staff on Salesforce for pub ethics and workflows relevant to publication ethics case work.
• Contribute as requested to team projects and initiatives, delivering your contributions according to set timelines.
• Attend and contribute to publication ethics team meetings.
• Attend COPE Forums or other events as opportunities arise to develop your expertise in publication ethics.
• Uphold high standards of professionalism in all internal and external communications about publication ethics issues.

Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Highly organized and efficient self-starter with excellent attention to detail and keen problem-solving and analytical skills
• Proficient in using Microsoft Office programs, Google docs, and Google sheets
• A collaborative team player who is comfortable working on a remote team in a globally dispersed environment.
• A commitment to open access and research integrity
• Experience with online systems or databases, knowledge of Salesforce, advanced Excel/spreadsheet skills are preferred

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (preferably in a scientific or social sciences discipline) required
• Work experience in publishing, preferably for a science, technical, or medical (STM) journal or publisher required
• Experience in scientific or clinical research preferred
• Work experience in a peer review operations or editorial support role that involves engagement with authors, editorial board members, and/or reviewers preferred
• Familiarity with publication ethics issues and standards, COPE guidance, and editorial standards for research publications preferred
• Demonstrated record of discretion and good judgement preferred

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Prolonged periods stationary at a desk and working on a computer.
• Some national and international travel may be required.
• Some flexibility to work across time zones.

The base salary range we’ve established for these positions is (UK) £27,000 - £36,800

 . PLOS also offers a comprehensive benefits package summarized below. 

BENEFITS: 

UK: 

• Private medical insurance 
• Life assurance 
• Income protection  
• Personal accident insurance 
• Pension with up to 10% employer match 
• 25 days holidays, market competitive Maternity and Paternity leave 
• Birthday and three winter holidays days off 
• 2 days paid time off for volunteering per year 
• Fully remote work environment with stipend on joining for home office

About PLOS 

Building on a strong legacy of pioneering innovation, PLOS continues to be a catalyst in open science, reimagining models to meet open science principles, removing barriers and promoting inclusion in knowledge creation and sharing, and publishing research outputs that enable everyone to learn from, reuse and build upon scientific knowledge.

Our work is supported by a highly skilled global in-house team, partnerships with local scholarly organizations, and the valued contributions of a diverse, international community of scientific researchers.

We’re committed to equal opportunity

We’re working to create a more equitable system of scientific knowledge and understanding. Removing barriers to inclusion and facilitating broad participation of voices is core to our success, inside and out. 

Beyond accepting distinct perspectives, we seek and support divergent backgrounds among our staff because we know differences strengthen our teams, our work, and our communities. We strongly encourage applicants of all identities to join us as we work towards a future where science is open to all, for all. 

Visit plos.org/careers to learn more.

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