The Entomological Society of America (ESA) is seeking candidates to serve as editor-in-chief of American Entomologist, ESA’s print and online magazine. Applications are due March 15, 2026, and the selected candidate ideally would begin work in June 2026.

American Entomologist shares relevant information and thought-provoking dialogue about the practice, value, and impact of insect and insect science across a diverse entomological community. It is sent quarterly to ESA members and is also available online, resulting in over 5,000 print recipients per issue and more than 40,000 annual online readers. The position of American Entomologist editor-in-chief is a unique and rewarding opportunity to serve the Society and influence communications within the largest audience of entomology practitioners.

The ideal candidate will have a broad background in entomology and significant experience in writing, editing, and reviewing content intended for a general scientific audience. They should understand best practices in communication and storytelling and be able to work with authors in constructively to improve articles. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated leadership skills and a strong editorial sense of what is compelling and appropriate for publication.  

Core responsibilities:

• Provide scientific and editorial leadership and vision for American Entomologist.
• Review submissions for quality and appropriateness for American Entomologist, ensuring high quality and interesting articles for entomologists. 
  Invite compelling content for the magazine and communicate with authors interested in submitting.
• Direct manuscripts to the appropriate column and feature editors, who oversee manuscript reviews.
• Assign reviewers to and make accept/reject decisions on letters to the editor, obituaries, and occasionally other columns.
• Work with the copyeditor to ensure the content in American Entomologist is accurate, and provide final copyedited text for each issue to the designer according to the production schedule.
• Review the final proof of each issue and provide edits according to production schedule.
• Recruit and nominate column and feature editor positions to the American Entomologist Editorial Board.
• Chair quarterly meetings of the American Entomologist Editorial Board.
• Contribute the “Insider” column for each issue, which is a note from the editor on current events, highlights in the issue, or other noteworthy items. 

Required qualifications:

• Significant experience communicating to scientific and general audiences through written and visual mediums.
• Broad background in entomology and understanding of insects’ place in culture, science, and society. 
  Firm grasp of grammar, syntax, and other rules of language that contribute to clear and effective writing.
• Ability to devote time and energy to ensure that articles published in American Entomologist are of the highest quality and interest to a broad spectrum of readers.
• High organization skills to keep strict publication schedules.
• Ability to navigate and mediate conflicting points of view, difficult topics, and editorial decisions in the best interest of the magazine and the Society.
• PhD in entomology or related discipline and professional experience at the mid-career level or higher.

Support and Workload

The editor-in-chief is supported by an active team of contributing editors and columnists, a professional copyeditor and designer, and ESA staff. Editors-in-chief are encouraged to appoint senior editors to assist with responsibilities and to keep the workload manageable. The search committee also welcomes joint applications from people interested in serving as co-editors-in-chief.

The weekly workload fluctuates based on the quarterly publication schedule, with more time required during the editing and proofing of an issue. On average, a single candidate should expect 50% light weeks (1-2 hours), 40% moderate weeks (2-5 hours), and 10% heavy weeks (5+ hours), though the workload may vary depending on how much of the work is delegated based on the editors-in-chief capacity and if they choose to appoint senior editors. ESA staff are also committed to working with candidates to adjust processes or increase support in order to find a sustainable workload level for qualified candidates. 

The appointment is for a term of four years, with an option for a second four-year term at the mutual goodwill of the editor-in-chief and ESA’s Publications Council. The search committee will review all applications and forward a recommendation to the ESA Governing Board for final approval.

This is primarily a volunteer position; however, the editor-in-chief will receive an annual honorarium of $6,000 and will be reimbursed for registration and travel to ESA’s annual meeting and other approved expenses.

How to Apply

The deadline for applications is March 15, 2026. Interested candidates should submit the following to the search committee via pubs@entsoc.org: cover letter describing their qualifications for the position and their vision and goals for American Entomologist; curriculum vitae; and reprints of two published articles that best represent the candidate’s work. Candidates may also provide materials for up to two projects that involved creative or scientific communication to general audiences. If you have questions regarding this position, please contact us at pubs@entsoc.org.

American Entomologist Search Committee: Dr. Kelly Caruthers, Dr. Erin Hodgson, Dr. Andrew Short, Dr. Keshava Mysore

About Entomological Society of America

The Entomological Society of America (ESA) is a nonprofit organization that serves the scientific and professional needs of entomologists and scientists in related disciplines throughout the world. We are a small staff of less than 20 employees, and our core values include inclusiveness, collaboration, experimentation, accountability, and customer service. ESA prioritizes the well-being of its staff, as exemplified through generous benefits and an emphasis on professional development.

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