Rapid Reviews\Infectious Diseases is an open-access, rapid-review initiative of the MIT Press and UC Berkeley that was developed in June 2020 to accelerate peer review of COVID-19-related preprints covering the pandemic and its impacts. We: 1) provide student-supported editorial review and curation of current infectious disease preprints, powered by AI tools and platforms (also created and developed by RR\ID) 2) invite expert peer reviewers to provide reliable rapid peer reviews on newly released research that clinicians, researchers, journalists, and policy-makers worldwide can rely on to make sound judgements about disease priorities and amelioration. We create a shorter runway for open source peer-reviewed research produced in the wake of new findings. This helps accelerate productive academic, medical, and social science research on infectious diseases while reducing the likelihood of false and misleading scientific news being consumed by the public.
Rapid Reviews\Infectious Diseases (RR\ID) editors help advance the science community’s understanding of infectious diseases and emerging outbreaks across five key domains, including the Medical Sciences. We currently have editors overseeing teams in the U.S. (based in Berkeley), India, Mexico, Vietnam, and Rwanda.
We are recruiting for the position of Assistant Editor (AE) of Medical Sciences for our U.S. (Berkeley) based team to begin immediately. This is a senior level position for someone who has completed the majority of their medical school training and who is currently pursuing or has previously had specialized training focusing on infectious diseases (i.e., graduate degree, PhD, etc). AE’s are expected to:
Guide a student team who will be scanning preprints to review and critically assess infectious disease preprints within the medical sciences field. The AE will identify compelling preprints and, with their team, efficiently justify the selection (or non-selection) of notable preprints each week. Lead discussion and presentation of a paper’s scholarly weaknesses/strengths at weekly domain and editorial meetings.
Oversee their team’s selection of peer reviewers; and adhering to predetermined timelines, provide and oversee the identification, quality check and feedback of peer reviewers selected for each preprint
Work closely with the editor-in-chief and the RR\ID Central Team on all aspects of prioritizing preprints for review by the senior editorial team and subsequent peer review.
Support the Editor-in-Chief and editorial team in their review and publication of peer reviews.
Qualifications
Current medical/doctoral student, medical resident/student, or post-doctoral fellow strongly preferred.
Strong research methodology background relevant to the domain and familiarity with infectious disease research methods.
Experience conducting extensive literature reviews is expected; experience reviewing/writing grants and contributing to peer-reviewed publications/papers is desired.
Excellent English writing and verbal skills. Ability to synthesize and summarize (verbally and written) potentially dense and complex research methods and findings into clear and easy-to-understand synopses/abstracts.
Extremely organized and reliable -- comfortable with organizing and managing a continuous flow of research papers on a set timeline. Comfortable working in teams towards timelines.
Be comfortable with (and ideally enjoy) a frontline view of the latest research into emerging infectious diseases like COVID-19. Appreciation of how different disciplinary approaches within the domain may affect the wider global scientific, policy and social response to infectious diseases.
Experience managing people and working in a team environment is preferred.
Requirements & Application instructions: We are currently hiring an Assistant Editor who can work 5-10 hours a week. The role is available immediately. To apply, please fill out a short application: https://forms.gle/jwxstiYS6tinNRCJ8.The hourly pay rate will commensurate with experience.