Managing Editor, Physical Science and Physics Education

The American Physical Society is a nonprofit membership organization working to advance physics by fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and global community dedicated to science and society. APS represents more than 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories, and industry in the United States and around the world.

Position Summary:

The American Physical Society publishes the Physical Review, a portfolio of world-leading journals covering physics and physics-related research. As Managing Editor, you will provide operational leadership and strategic input for a diverse collection of journals within the portfolio. Collaborating closely with each journal’s Chief Editor and the APS Publishing team, you will shape and develop editorial scope, guide direction, drive strategy, commission high-impact content, and oversee performance. Critical to this role, you will manage new and established journals, bringing your expertise to launches and strategic development.

The ideal candidate will have successfully managed multiple journals in the physical sciences and will relish the opportunity to work with diverse research communities and strategic goals. They will have a proven track record of collaborating with external editors to shape and position journals. They will be an exceptional communicator and a team player, working collaboratively to support the success of the entire Physical Review portfolio. They must be committed to rigorous peer review and research integrity, and an advocate for Open Science.

APS has a “remote first” concept that promotes equal treatment and equal access within the United States, independent of physical work location, with a majority of staff working primarily from home. APS values diversity and welcomes candidates from a variety of backgrounds. APS offers a dynamic work environment with an outstanding total compensation package, including salary, outstanding benefits, and excellent paid time off.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy & Performance:

Collaborate with the Chief Editor and the editorial team on development initiatives (internally and externally) that drive growth and sustainability of the journal
Work with the Chief Editor to regularly monitor the competitive landscape, mitigate risks, and monitor performance, including decision and publication times, submissions, and representative quality factors (citations, downloads, etc.)

Partner with the Chief Editor to plan future developments and design and execute strategies to attract high-quality submissions to the journal and, where appropriate, to the entire portfolio

Actively contribute to ensuring the journals are diverse, equitable, and inclusive

Be an ambassador for their journals in communications and at outreach events, site visits, strategic scientific conferences, and exhibits, fostering a deep understanding of community needs and emerging trends within the journals and portfolio

As a member of the Editorial Management Team, advise the Executive Editor and Chief Publications Officer, foster internal communication, and support initiatives as needed

Operations:

Oversee the day-to-day running of the journal and the operational processes and procedures underpinning activity, ensuring they remain effective and efficient
Responsible for reviewing and reporting on the data and metrics for the journals and translating that information into actions for the team

Support the hiring of new editorial staff and academic editors, being involved with interviews where necessary

Manage the editorial team, establishing and communicating transparent expectations for performance and, when applicable, supporting the career development of staff members

Work alongside the Chief Editor to support the selection, recruitment and onboarding of editorial board members, ensuring diversity of membership and maintaining expertise

Support the Chief Editor with the effective running of the editorial team and board and ensure consistent engagement of its members

Assume responsibility for allocating the annual travel budget

Support the review and appeals process

Work with the editorial team and other APS departments to attract sponsorships, promote journal content and initiatives through a variety of outlets, including social media

Maintain and promote a productive and positive work environment focused on professional excellence and in alignment with APS Core values

Scope & Relationships:

Internal: member of the Editorial Management Team

External: Manages 10 or more external editors

Direct Reports: none

Indirect Reports: none

Qualifications:

Education:

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in the physical sciences or related field required. PhD in the physical sciences or related field is strongly preferred but not mandatory. Willingness to learn relevant scientific concepts as needed is essential.
Experience:

Minimum of 5 years of experience managing multiple STEM journals at various stages of development.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Exceptional journal-management skills
Experience designing and executing workflows to improve efficiency and performance

Proven track record of successfully leading projects and managing teams

Excellent stakeholder management and interpersonal skills with a proven track record of making the right connections to build networks both internally and externally

Impeccable written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly, engage diverse audiences, and foster effective collaboration

Commitment to quality peer review

Leverages data and key performance metrics to evaluate outcomes, identify trends, and inform strategic decision-making for continuous improvement

Proven track record of identifying opportunities for improvement and planning/executing delivery plans to implement

Familiarity with (or ability to learn) scientific topics of relevance to the journal

Strong sense of integrity and a commitment to a diverse and inclusive research community

Ability to make prompt independent evaluations and decisions

Expertise in managing multiple priorities and adapting to shifting workloads with efficiency and precision

Travel:

The position requires travel up to 10% to relevant events and conferences, client sites, representation at key meetings and events, and through leadership activities with like-minded organizations as well as to APS offices located in Long Island, NY and Washington DC, and other offsite locations for periodic meetings, training, and strategy sessions.

Salary:

The salary range for this position takes into account various factors influencing compensation decisions, such as skill sets, experience, training, and other business and organizational requirements. The salary listed within the specified ranges considers relevant experience. Our compensation philosophy at APS aims to maintain salaries at the midpoint of the market. As a result, we typically hire within the target starting range. Exceptional, rare cases may merit reviews above target starting range for specialized or niche skills aligned with strategic operational goals.

Hiring Range: $92,250/year – $125,691/year (USD)
Target Starting Range: $92,250/year – $102,628/year (USD)