Vacancy: Veterinary Evidence Editor-in-Chief
8 November 2023
We are looking for the next Editor-in-Chief of our peer-reviewed journal, Veterinary Evidence. The successful candidate will join for an initial term of 3 years, allowing them the time to make their mark on the journal’s direction and development. The vacancy follows the culmination of current Editor-in-Chief Kit Sturgess’ 3-year term, which began in 2020.
Veterinary Evidence is an online, open access, peer-reviewed journal owned and published by RCVS Knowledge. It publishes content relating to evidence-based veterinary medicine and its application in veterinary practice, to enhance the quality of care provided to patients.
The Editor-in-Chief will work alongside the Editorial Office to establish and promote Veterinary Evidence as a high-quality, evidence-based journal. They will receive an annual travel allowance to fund attendance at conferences, as well as expenses to cover attendance at Editorial Board meetings.
Applicants should possess significant postgraduate qualifications in a relevant field, with a robust track record of submitting and peer-reviewing articles for other veterinary journals. We are looking for someone with a vision for the future of the journal.
Under Kit’s leadership the journal improved its peer-reviewing process, grew its Editorial Board, improved its governance by creating a Deputy Editor-in-Chief role, improved its reputation by securing COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) membership, and underwent a major website redesign. The outcome of all of this is that Veterinary Evidence is contributing to evidence-based veterinary medicine by publishing more content than ever before, and in a much more user-friendly way. We hope that any prospective candidates will be able to build on Kit’s legacy while bringing their own ideas to the role.
Speaking of his time at Veterinary Evidence, Kit said: “Being Editor-in-Chief has been a fascinating role and I have learnt a great deal about the process of publication and journal development. My role has been made so much easier by the great support I have been given by the Editorial Office and the Editorial Board. Over the past three years the journal has matured and developed more robust processes and support for reviewers and authors, creating a solid foundation that is ready for its next phase of development”
Clare Boulton, Head of Library & Knowledge Services, said: “Kit has provided superb leadership. He has increased the reach of Veterinary Evidence, and by increasing this evidence availability, he has positively impacted patient care. There is still so much we can do so that Veterinary Evidence is used by all of the practising veterinary professions in their day-to-day work, to support their clinical decision-making. We are excited to find our next Editor-in-Chief to further develop the journal”.
Applications are open until 7 January 2024, and interviews are scheduled to take place w/c 15th January. Kit intends to step down in the early months of next year, facilitating a smooth transition for the incoming Editor-in-Chief.