JXB Editorial Internships – Call for Applicants
We are excited to announce that we are inviting applications for the third round of JXB Editorial Internships. The aim of these internships is to provide early career researchers with experience of scientific publishing from the editorial side, as an opportunity for career development as a researcher or with a view to a career in scientific publishing. The successful applicants will be involved in quality control and scientific assessment of 6-12 submitted manuscripts under the mentorship of JXB’s Editors and will be fully supported by the JXB editorial office. They will receive guidance on how to review a manuscript and also help communicate the journal’s most exciting content and new developments in the field of plant science by writing 1-2 Insight articles to be published in the journal, and other content for the JXB website and social media accounts.
These part-time internships will run for one year, starting on January 1st 2025, and the journal will offer a small honorarium and free SEB membership for one year to each Editorial Intern. All editorial work associated with the internships will be conducted online.
The deadline for applications is 30th September 2024, and the call is restricted to researchers with 2–8 years postgraduate/postdoctoral experience, excluding periods of leave. If you would like to apply to become a JXB Editorial Intern, please submit the following documents via e-mail to JXB’s Managing Editor at [email protected]:
- An up-to-date copy of your CV (max. 2 pages) including the names of two referees.
- A cover letter (max. 500 words) to briefly explain your motivation for applying, and to convey anything not highlighted in your CV.
- A commentary in the style of JXB’s Insight articles (max. 1500 words), on a JXB research paper published on or after 1st July 2023. If you have trouble accessing the paper you intend to write your Insight on, please contact the editorial office ([email protected]). A style guide for Insight articles can be accessed here.
Some feedback from JXB’s current interns:
"My JXB editorial internship was an amazing experience to further my career. The training under the mentorship of renowned researchers in the field enhanced my editorial and writing capacity, critical thinking, and scientific communication skills. This editorial internship is designed to fit into the busy schedule of a post-doctoral life. I was able to time-manage to complete the editorial assignments and also published an insight article with JXB within the first 6 months of my internship." Nishat Shayala Islam, Western University, Ontario
“My experience as an intern has been a positive one. I've learnt not only about the publishing process, but my mentor has also taught me about areas of biochemistry I was not familiar with. The papers we handled together were on topics I had not previously worked on before, which made me do a lot of background reading which has since been useful for my research. I have gained a lot of extra knowledge through this internship that I perhaps wouldn't have independently sought out. My mentor has been brilliant (and very patient!) and given me lots of support. The editorial staff have also been very helpful and kind throughout the year, answering all my queries. I would thoroughly recommend this internship and would encourage people to apply. Thank you so much for this experience!” Catherine Walsh, University of Lancaster, UK
“This internship is a great opportunity for early career researchers to learn about and understand what happens behind the scenes when a manuscript is submitted to a journal and how that process works. It was a very nice experience writing an Insight article - gaining insights and improving my writing with the help of editors on board.” Arpita Yadav, University of Massachusetts Amherst
“For me, the program gave an insight into what kind of manuscripts are likely to make it through peer review, and how to identify suitable reviewers. These experiences greatly benefited me in preparing my own manuscripts.” Chao Su, University of Freiburg, Germany
“As an intern at JXB, I familiarized myself with the process of scientific editing at multiple levels; from the first steps of manuscript evaluation, to the search for suitable reviewers, and the final decision on publication. Moreover, I've had the chance to write a couple of Insight articles, which are commentaries on new articles published by JXB. I've particularly enjoyed the encounter with a variety of topics, and the exercise of considering a study in its wider context when preparing an Insight. Moreover, it has been a pleasure to work with the JXB editorial office and to meet the editorial board during its annual meeting. I really appreciate the friendly working atmosphere and how everyone is passionate about serving the scientific community with their work, which is aimed at maintaining the high-quality standards and ethics of scientific publishing.” Francesca Bellinazzo, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
