About Scientific Editing Jobs

For those not in the field, scientific editing may seem like more of a liberal arts career than a scientific one, but the truth is that scientific editing requires a firm scientific grounding and the ability to learn about diverse subjects in short amounts of time. Still, the field is a fascinating one, which allows you to learn new things each day and to explore a broad field of scientific knowledge.

Scientific editing comes in many specific forms, depending on the exact position, the type of journal, and more. The basic idea is to assess papers for accuracy and competency, rework aspects like wording, grammar, and the like, figure out how the paper could fit in the journal, and then fit it to the rest of the issue. There are more details than this, of course, with many intricate levels needed to make the process work. The work is far more fast-paced than that of a standard scientific career, with very few days to rest.

For those interested in pursuing the field, the most important thing is a strong scientific background, particularly a broad one. Knowing things without research – or even knowing where to start your research – is invaluable. Depending on the exact journal, you may be called to edit many papers and articles that fall outside your strict expertise, so a broad base of knowledge can be a huge boon. You may find yourself needing more knowledge than many scientists possess.

In situations where you encounter an unknown concept, an ability to learn quickly and find the right information with speed is important. Scientific editors have compared their experience to school learning, as you have to encounter and learn about many topics in a single day. Good research skills and a love for new knowledge will help you greatly.

Like any editing career, a strong grasp of language is needed, along with a sense of theme and style. In addition to simple proofreading, a scientific editor has to be able to rewrite sections without losing the meaning while improving the style. In addition, editors in higher positions have to be able to figure out how to relate articles to each other to make their journal fit together in a coherent way. This offers an incredible amount of control, guiding how your readers will view each piece, but it also means a great deal of work.

If you can build the skills needed, a career in scientific editing can be an amazing opportunity. It allows you to learn new things each day, to shape the face of the scientific community, and to work in an environment that never gets dull.