Postgraduate Editorial Intern in Academic Publishing Online

The Birkbeck Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies invites applications from postgraduate research students in English, History, Media, and Art History for an Internship in Academic Publishing Online to manage our web journal:

19

Interdisciplinary Studies in the Long Nineteenth Century

(www.19.bbk.ac.uk)

The Journal

Launched on 1 October 2005, 19 is an electronic publishing initiative designed to publicize and disseminate the research activities carried out by Birkbeck’s Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies, and to provide practical research and professional development opportunities for the many postgraduate students undertaking research degrees in nineteenth-century studies at the College. The journal is fully peer-reviewed, is aggregated with NINES, and currently uses the Open Journals System, allowing free and open access to its contents. Having celebrated both its tenth anniversary, and its move to the Open Library of Humanities (https://www.openlibhums.org/) in 2015, 19 is going with confidence into the new era of academic open access publishing with an established reputation as a field-leading journal.

The Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies

The Centre was first established in 1997 under the directorship of Professor Isobel Armstrong to bring together researchers in English, History of Art and History. It hosts the Birkbeck Forum for Nineteenth-Century Studies, which sees national and international speakers coming to Birkbeck throughout the year. The Forum was launched in January 2012 by Professor Andrew H. Miller, who talked on ‘”A Case of Metaphysics”: Counterfactuals, Realism, Great Expectations’. It has a national reputation for its diverse events, including running the innovative, intellectually imaginative London Seminar for Nineteenth-Century Studies, which has led the way in defining interdisciplinarity for the period. It also runs the successful annual Dickens Day and has provided many opportunities for Postgraduate students to organise and run conferences and symposia.

The Position

The Centre wishes to appoint a postgraduate editorial intern in Academic Publishing Online to manage 19, working with another postgraduate intern under the supervision of the journal’s Editor, Dr Carolyn Burdett, and Assistant Editor, Dr David Gillott, and with the guidance of the Editorial Board. The one-year appointment is for 5 hours a week over 48 weeks, beginning on 1 March 2016. The appointee will be expected to participate fully in the day-to-day running of the journal and to help manage the Centre’s website. Responsibilities include technical ;maintenance and resourcing of 19 and the Centre’s website, liaising with contributors; copy editing essays; compiling and updating peer reviewer details; promoting and publicizing the journal; and attending Centre meetings. It is essential that you be prepared and able to work flexibly, as the rhythms of publishing inevitably involve greater and lesser periods of activity.

Eligibility

We invite applications from postgraduate research students in any of the Departments that participate in the activities of the Centre: English and Humanities; History of Art and Screen Media; and History, Classics and Archaeology. Applicants should expect to be enrolled as students at Birkbeck until September 2017.

Benefits

There are demonstrable benefits for interns who, in previous years, have themselves initiated and guest edited issues of the journal; or who have used their 19 experience to secure positions in academic editing and publishing. The journal facilitates experience in submitting and achieving publication of research material; editing special issues; developing publication projects in association with conferences and seminars; networking, presentation skills, communication skills.

Selection Criteria

Essential

Research interests in Nineteenth-Century Studies
Organizational and clerical skills
Independence and initiative
Willingness to work flexibly

Desirable but NOT essential

Involvement in the activities of the Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies or in the organization of research activities such as Reading Groups, Seminars or Conferences
Web authoring and design skills
Experience in electronic publishing
Editing experience

Remuneration

£17.37 per hour; £5,428 per annum

Application

Please email a letter of application and CV together with the name of your supervisor, from whom we will require a reference, to Dr Carolyn Burdett in the School of Arts (c.burdett@bbk.ac.uk) by 5.00pm on Friday 19 February 2016. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in late February.

Please direct any enquiries to Dr Carolyn Burdett in the Department of English and Humanities (c.burdett@bbk.ac.uk).