Senior Associate Editor

We are seeking applications for two Senior Associate Editors for the journal Conservation Science and Practice.

Conservation Science and Practice (CSP) is a journal of the Society for Conservation Biology, published by Wiley https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25784854. CSP provides an outlet to papers that are sound scientifically and help advance the science, practice and polity of biodiversity conservation. Part of our target audience is conservation practitioners. In contrast to its sister journals, Conservation Biology and Conservation Letters, novelty or broad applicability are not evaluation criteria at CSP. CSP is in its 5th year, and has an impact factor of 3.1, (Q2).

Since its creation in 2018, CSP has been growing steadily. In 2022, we published 253 papers in 12 issues. We are looking to expand our editorial team at the senior level to accommodate this growth.

Responsibilities:
Senior Associate Editors are in charge of:

• Conducting the first assessment of a manuscript (incoming manuscripts are divided among the SAE and the Editor-in-Chief),
• Determining the fit of the manuscript to the journal and the potential for the manuscript to undergo a review process,
• Assigning the manuscript to an Associate Editor, if the manuscript is a good match for the journal,
• Overseeing the peer review process,
• Making final decisions regarding a manuscript based on the recommendation of the Associate Editor and their own assessments, in an equitable, fair, objective, transparent and timely manner. These decisions are approved by the EiC,
• Providing guidance and support to AEs when requested,
• Reviewing the AE recommendation, making a decision, and generating a draft decision letter,
• Participating in strategic planning of the journal.

SAEs process about 8 new manuscripts per month and they are retained by a contract with SCB with a modest stipend.

In 2024, Drs. Carly Cook, Maartin Strauss and Toni Lyn Morelli will be serving as Senior Associate Editors that support the EiC in the content review phase of the manuscripts.

Qualifications:

AEs are expected to have:

• Ample experience publishing papers in scholarly journals in any field related to the conservation of biodiversity.
• At least two years of experience as Associate or Handling Editor in Q1 or Q2 international journals. Familiarity in leading the manuscript content (peer) review, and understanding of the author-reviewers-Associate Editor dynamic.
• Broad thinker. There are 4-5 SAEs in the journal, and manuscripts are assigned to match the SAE´s general area of expertise, but that is not always guaranteed, given the expanding breadth of the field.
• Capacity to assess different perspectives from the reviewers and AEs and synthesize the final guidance to authors.
• Availability to handle manuscripts and following up with the reviewers. Although SAEs mostly assign manuscript o Associate Editors for the review process, they are also expected to handle a few (2-3) each month.
• Willingness to provide constructive criticism that supports the advance of early career scientists and of practitioners and authors from groups under-represented in international journals.

Application:
This search will be open until both positions are filled.
To apply, send an email to the Editor-in-Chief Dr. Carolina Murcia (csp_eic@conbio.org) with describing your experience in serving as editor, other qualifications, the reasons for your interest in this position, and two references of people who can speak of your work as editor. Please attach a CV.
Dr. Carolina Murcia (Editor-in-Chief) will be happy to provide you with additional information or talk more about this position over the phone or via a virtual meeting.