Summary
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) is conducting a search for the AAS Editor in Chief. The AAS Editor in Chief is responsible for developing and implementing a long-term editorial strategy for the Society’s journals portfolio and ensuring the portfolio’s continued excellence.
The AAS’s five community-owned, peer-reviewed, open-access journals collectively received more than 9,000 submissions and published more than 6,500 manuscripts in 2025. The journals boast a diverse and international authorship, and they consistently feature some of the most-read and most-cited research results in the astronomical sciences. The Editor in Chief will oversee this prestigious portfolio and lead an international editorial board of more than 50 PhD scientists.
The Editor in Chief will work with the AAS Director of Scholarly Publishing and staff to efficiently manage workflow through editorial review processes, to maintain and motivate a high standard of performance among editorial staff, and to adjudicate any disputes that may arise during manuscript review. They will also work with the AAS Chief Executive Officer, the AAS Publications Committee, the AAS publishing team, and outside partners to develop opportunities for innovation, and they will represent and promote AAS publications at national and international conferences, including the two annual AAS meetings.
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in the physical sciences and editorial experience with scientific scholarly publishing, complemented by outstanding interpersonal and communication skills. They will demonstrate high ethical standards and the ability to engage thoughtfully with a diverse, international community of authors and reviewers. A commitment to editorial excellence, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and professionalism is essential.
This is a full-time position open to applicants with a PhD in astronomy, astrophysics, or a related field. The physical location of the Editor in Chief may be at the AAS Headquarters in Washington, DC, at any institution that provides appropriate professional resources, or may be fully remote.
More details
The AAS Editor in Chief is responsible for overseeing the editorial direction and quality of all AAS scholarly journals (the peer-reviewed Astrophysical Journal, Astrophysical Journal Letters, Astrophysical Journal Supplement, Astronomical Journal, and Planetary Science Journal, as well as Research Notes of the AAS and the Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society). This oversight includes setting the strategic direction for the journals in partnership with the AAS Publications Committee, the Board of Trustees, and the AAS Director of Scholarly Publishing (DSP); managing the peer-review process and the Lead and Scientific Editors; working closely with the AAS publishing staff and our publishing partner, IOP Publishing, to efficiently manage workflow through editorial review processes and production; adjudicating author/reviewer complaints; making final decisions on all content published while upholding the journal’s reputation within the scholarly community; and ensuring the journal maintains the highest standards.
Qualifications
- PhD in astronomy, astrophysics, or a related field.
- Strong publication record in high-impact journals in the field of astronomy or closely related disciplines.
- Experience with editorial function for peer-reviewed scholarly journals, preferably in astronomy or closely related discipline.
- Ability to manage a large team (~50) of editors and make timely decisions to facilitate their work.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, good analytic abilities, and a strong commitment to maintaining high interpersonal standards.
- Collaborative, diplomatic, and empathetic working style.
Responsibilities
Editorial Vision and Strategy
- Set the journals’ editorial vision, scope, and focus, aligning with current research trends.
- Develop and implement editorial policies to ensure high-quality submissions and rigorous peer review.
- Identify potential thematic issues or special features for the journals.
- With publishing partners, the Publications Committee, and AAS publishing staff, strategically identify, develop, and deploy enhancements for the journals and the peer-review process to support the strategic goals of the AAS and of the AAS journals.
- With the AAS Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, and DSP, ensure the journals meet the financial goals set by the Board of Trustees.
- Adapt the journals and maintain international leadership in a rapidly evolving scholarly publishing landscape.
Peer Review
- Ensure the proper evaluation of submitted manuscripts for relevance, originality, and quality, and make all final publication decisions, delegating those decisions appropriately to the Lead Editors.
- Through the Lead Editors, ensure the proper assignment of manuscripts to appropriate Scientific Editors and reviewers based on expertise, while avoiding potential conflicts of interest.
- Oversee the peer-review process — resolving any conflicts or concerns raised by reviewers, authors, or editors — and the individual performance of all editors.
- Maintain high standards for a fair, respectful, and speedy peer-review experience.
- Manage the editorial workflow through the AAS DSP, ensuring timely review and publication schedules.
- If applicable, serve as a Scientific or Lead Editor within an appropriate corridor.
- Assess requests to the AAS Publication Support Fund.
Editorial Team Leadership
- Recruit and manage a diverse and geographically dispersed editorial board of experts in astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, and related disciplines and subdisciplines.
- Provide guidance and support to editorial board and staff on editorial policies and standards, including providing training in diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the publishing process.
- Represent the editorial team at Publications Committee and Board of Trustee meetings, including preparing and presenting reports as needed.
- Delegate tasks and responsibilities effectively within the editorial team and ensure others are delegating tasks and responsibilities effectively.
- Ensure that all editors and staff adhere to the principles of diversity, inclusion, access, and equity in all journal-related activities and relationships.
- Establish written policies and procedures for the appointment, terms, review, and renewal of editors.
Ethical Considerations
- Promote and model the highest professional and ethical standards.
- Ensure adherence to publication ethics guidelines, including conflict of interest disclosure and plagiarism detection.
- Address any potential ethical issues raised during the review process.
- Investigate and resolve allegations of research misconduct in connection with manuscripts submitted to or published in the AAS journals.
Journal Promotion and Visibility
- Develop strategies to increase the journal’s professional standing and visibility within the academic community.
- Collaborate with the publisher on marketing and outreach initiatives.
- Promote the journal at conferences and through other academic channels through personal effort, and ensure the editorial team does so as well.
- Maintain regular communications with the author and reader communities via timely editorials and other updates.
To apply
Informal expressions of interest and/or questions for the search committee should be sent to EICSearch@aas.org. All inquiries will be treated as confidential.
Formal applications should contain the following documents.
- A cover letter (no more than 3 pages);
- A current CV;
- A complete list of publications over the past 10 years;
- A vision statement for the AAS journals (no more than 4 pages).
Please submit these documents in a single email to EICSearch@aas.org. Selected candidates will be asked to provide four letters of recommendation at a later date. Finalists will be asked to complete an ethics disclosure.
Consideration of applications will begin 11 May 2026. The start date is expected to be Summer 2027.
Compensation will be commensurate with the experience of the successful candidate. The AAS provides medical insurance, disability insurance, vacation leave, and sick leave. Retirement benefits are provided to AAS employees after one full year of service. The AAS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
