Call for Applications: Join Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions as an Assistant Feature Editor
Apply by August 1, 2025
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions is looking for creative, innovative communicators who eagerly want to volunteer their time to engage with both the scientific and nonscientific communities in accessible ways. As an Assistant Feature Editor, you'll get to be a part of a journal editorial team, see the inner workings of the MPMI journal, interact with the greater MPMI scientific community, and be directly involved in science communication projects, including the writing of commentaries, press releases, and author spotlights.
These positions will be suitable for highly engaged postdoctoral fellows who would like to gain experience and behind-the-scenes knowledge of publishing in Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, develop multimedia (written, audio, video, etc.) communication skills of their interest, and be mentored in areas outside their current lab environment. We anticipate a commitment of approximately 10–15 hours per month, realizing that there will be some variability each month depending on the projects the Assistant Feature Editor chooses.
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions values the diversity of our community and seeks out Assistant Feature Editors who will contribute to equity and inclusion through their projects. A key role of Assistant Feature Editors is amplifying the impact of our research publications through multimedia content creation, targeting different audiences in an inclusive way.
Assistant Feature Editors create their own niches based on their interests, skills, and ideas in diverse areas of nonscientific and scientific community engagement—including but not limited to the following:
writing online research summaries
highlighting articles on X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky, LinkedIn, etc.
interviewing authors and working with our staff amplification specialist to write news stories and press releases for a nonscientific audience
writing MPMI commentaries highlighting articles being published in MPMI
being mentored by MPMI Senior Editors in manuscript review
New Assistant Feature Editors will likely contribute to current projects and tasks but are also encouraged to suggest and initiate novel ways to promote MPMI and its content.
Assistant Feature Editors work closely with the Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editor-in-Chief and with other Senior Editors and members of the journal staff. These interactions, as well as interactions with authors and the greater community, provide additional opportunities for networking with scientists beyond the connections formed based on their research.
To apply, provide the following to Tim Friesen (timothy.friesen@usda.gov), MPMI Editor-in-Chief.
● One-page cover letter outlining your research focus area and current position, expertise, and interest in this position—including the following areas as applicable to you:
○ Experience with social media, writing, and other forms of communication
○ Experience working to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within or outside the scientific community
○ Engagement with aspects of science beyond your own research
○ Participation in or leadership of communication projects for a nonscientific audience (Describe the target audience and strategy for engagement.)
● Current CV
● Contact details for two professional references
● A short, nontechnical communication sample based on any recent publication from the MPMI Journal
○ We are looking for people who will be creative about ways to engage the scientific and nonscientific communities. This can be audio, video, written (<500 words), or visual—be creative!
Applications are due by August 1, 2025, and will continue to be reviewed until all positions are filled.
