Help Wanted! PBSA Editorial Assistant
PBSA Editorial Assistant description and qualifications
The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America (PBSA) seeks an Editorial Assistant. PBSA is a peer-reviewed quarterly journal published on behalf of the oldest scholarly society in North America dedicated to the study of books and manuscripts. The journal focuses on textual artifacts across media, geographies, and periods, including both traditional and emerging media and perspectives. The Editorial Assistant works with PBSA Editor Sarah Werner and Associate Editor Jonathan Senchyne to support the journal’s day-to-day operations. You can learn more about the journal and browse available open-access articles by visiting https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/pbsa.
Responsibilities
The Editorial Assistant of PBSA will be responsible for the following:
Assisting authors with the Editorial Manager submission platform
Performing technical checks of submissions to ensure anonymity
Helping the Editor and Associate Editor track the status of submissions and reviews
Attending monthly online meeting with the Editorial Team (usually scheduled for late afternoon Eastern time zone)
Updating and circulating lists of works to be reviewed with the Editor and Associate Editor’s recommendations
Corresponding with publishers to ensure books are sent to reviewers
Working with reviews authors to meet deadlines
Required qualifications
Attention to detail and deadlines
Familiarity with academic content management systems like Editorial Manager or a high comfort-level with learning new software systems
Strong professional communication skills
Familiarity with Word and Google Workplace systems
Desired qualifications
Familiarity with scholarly journals and the basics of peer-review processes
Awareness of the fields of bibliography and book history
Compensation and terms
We expect the position to require 3–5 hours of work per week.
One-year term with opportunity for renewal depending on available budget and needs of the journal.
Compensation is an annual honorarium of $5000.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the US
To nominate yourself please complete the form at https://forms.gle/kSYpxV9ZB9H2pxWx6. The form will ask you to identify your qualifying skills; you will also be asked to submit your CV and a 1–2-page letter expressing your interest in the role. Reviews of nominations will begin on September 1, 2026, and will continue on a rolling basis until September 15, 2026. The expectation is that the successful candidate will begin work in early October. Questions should be directed to PBSA Editor Sarah Werner at sarah.werner@bibsocamer.org.