Description
Location: Rockville, MD (Hybrid or Remote)
Key Skills: Editorial management, peer review coordination, academic publishing, communication
Experience: 6+ years of experience in editing, writing, journal publishing, and managing end-to-end editorial workflows.
Reports to: Vice President, Research & Content Strategy
The Role
RAPS is seeking a Managing Editor for RAPS Journal of Regulatory Affairs to oversee and implement editorial operations and production of the peer-reviewed publication. This role is responsible for managing manuscript workflows, coordinating peer review, and ensuring timely, high-quality publication aligned with organizational standards and strategic goals.
What will you do with us:
- Lead end-to-end editorial workflows for RAPS journal, from submission through publication
- Oversee peer review, including reviewer selection and communication
- Collaborating with the Editorial Advisory Committee and external partners
- Deliver high-quality publications on schedule
- Manage manuscript tracking systems, publishing platforms, and production (copyediting and proofreading)
- Manage and mentor editorial staff while setting priorities and supporting growth
- Develop and maintain style guides and editorial standards for journal and RAPS Books
- Monitor regulatory trends and competitor activity to inform strategy
- Manage budgets, track expenditures, and recommend fiscal plans
- Analyze performance metrics and implement process improvements
- Drive journal growth, indexing, and impact initiatives
What you will bring to succeed:
- Bachelor’s degree and 6+ years of editing, writing, and editorial management experience, or commensurate experience
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong team management and interpersonal skills
- Ability to think strategically and apply that vision and direction tactically
- Experience managing and tracking commissioned and submitted papers
- Experience with web editing/ content management tools
- Experience editing and writing in a specified house style and working closely with authors in developing content and associated tables and figures
- Comfort working both in teams and independently
- Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and organized
- Experience managing peer-reviewed journals
- Strong project management and organizational skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Knowledge of publishing standards, ethics, and indexing requirements
Preferred
- Experience with pharmaceutical, medical, device, or biotech publication is desired
- Medical writing background is a plus
What RAPS offers:
- Highly competitive, market-based wages
- Annual merit-based salary adjustments
- Incentive pay/bonuses
- Reimbursement for job-related education + training
- Generous PTO accruement
- 10 annual paid holidays with extended holiday break
- Medical, dental, vision, & life insurance
- Short/long term disability
- Flexible spending account (FSA)
- 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer match
About RAPS
The Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) is the world’s largest organization for professionals working in regulatory and quality roles across healthcare products, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, biologics, diagnostics, and digital health. Founded in 1976 as a nonprofit, RAPS advances the profession through education, training, research, publications, networking, and career development. It offers the Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC), the only post-academic credential recognizing regulatory excellence. RAPS is headquartered near Washington, DC, with chapters worldwide.
RAPS promotes quality, innovation, respect, and high ethical standards. It supports continuous learning and fosters a collaborative, inclusive workplace.
RAPS provides equal employment opportunities and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender (including pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, military service, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
Interested candidates may submit a cover letter and resume to CHR LINK.
