Call for Applications for Position of Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Hepatology

The Journal of Hepatology, EASL’s flagships journal, has been in circulation since 1985. With an Impact Factor of 25.7 as of 2022, it stands as the foremost hepatology-exclusive journal.

Journal of Hepatology is an innovative Journal publishing articles on global issues in hepatology, with specific focus on clinical trials, novel diagnostics, precision medicine and therapeutics, cellular and molecular research, metabolism, cancer, microbiome, systems biology, epidemiology, and biotechnology advances and devices.

Journal of Hepatology publishes original papers, reviews, and letters to the Editor.

The Journal receives upwards of 2’400 submissions per year, approximately 75% of which are original research manuscripts. Geographically, half of the submissions originate from Asia, while the remainder predominantly come from Europe and the USA.

Submissions are processed by the Editorial Office within 1-2 business days. For manuscripts that are externally reviewed, authors are typically notified within 32 days of submission. The current acceptance rate is approximately 9%, and around 30% of submitted manuscripts are offered the possibility to transfer to EASL’s Open Access journal JHEP Reports.

Editorial Team

The Journal of Hepatology board of editors should normally consist of an Editor-in-Chief, a Deputy Editor, up to 3 Co-Editors, associate editors (AEs), special section editors (SSE), and biostatisticians. The exact number of editors can be adjusted at the discretion of the EASL Governing Board based on financial and editorial considerations.

Editorial Board

The members of the Editorial Board will assist the Editorial Team in refereeing of manuscripts submitted for publication.

Members of the Editorial Board will be selected by the Editor-in-Chief, based on their expertise and standing within the scientific discipline, knowledge of the subject matter, and reflection of the actual or anticipated geographic scope of the scientific discipline of the Journal.

Editorial Office and Publisher

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Team will be supported by the EASL Editorial Office, located in Geneva, Switzerland. The Editorial Office oversees the submission, production, and promotion of the Journal’s content. The Editorial Office works closely with Journal of Hepatology’s publishing partner, Elsevier, on matters related to production, online presence, marketing, and new business opportunities.

General responsibilities

1. Publish the most authoritative, original, and high-quality research in Journal of Hepatology
2. Actively solicit the submission of the best work in emerging areas of importance in the field of liver disease and liver pathophysiology.
3. Promote the advancement of the field of hepatology, fostering the scientific exchange of ideas in all the subspecialty areas contained in Journal of Hepatology.
4. Boost readership by enhancing the quality and impact of the Journal.
5. Increase the reputation of the Journal among clinical and translational investigators and basic researchers.
6. Act as the voice of the Journal, including representing the Journal at major scientific meetings to attract submissions.

Duties

1. Take responsibility for the scientific content of Journal of Hepatology.
2. Select members of the Editorial Team, ensuring diversity in terms of expertise, nationality, and gender.
3. Invite authors to write review articles and other special papers.
4. Deal with conflicts of interest, ethical issues, errata, and retractions.
5. Monitor and constantly improve the editorial quality of Journal of Hepatology, in concert with the Associate Editors, and balancing the contents in the different sub-specialty areas.
6. Supervise the processes of peer review, reviewer selection, and communication with authors. Make every effort to ensure a rapid and efficient review of all submitted papers.
7. Maintain the flow of accepted papers at a level and on a schedule for regular monthly publication of the Journal of Hepatology.
8. Enhance and uphold the Journal’s standing among scientists and clinical researchers as a premier publishing platform for their work.
9. Strengthen the quality and impact of the journal, as measured by a number of different performance metrics.
10. Report at least once a year to the EASL Governing Board, and to the EASL General Assembly, illustrating all the relevant figures related to the Journal’s activity and the general strategy.
11. Lead two annual meetings of the Editorial Team, including one in person at the time of the EASL Annual Meeting, and another one online or during the Annual meeting of the AASLD.
12. Collaborate on a mutual basis with the Editorial Team of other EASL publications.
13. Work closely with EASL’s Editorial Office to accomplish these duties efficiently and effectively.
14. Collaborate closely with the EASL Governing Board on Journal-related activities or initiatives, maintaining an open dialogue with EASL leadership.

The Editorship will begin on January 1^st, 2025, and conclude December 31^st, 2029. There will be transitional period prior to the handover of this position.

The Editor-in-Chief will receive an annual honorarium, as approved by the EASL Governing Board. Honoraria for Deputy, Co-Editors and Associate editors will be determined and approved by the EASL Governing Board.

The Editor-in-Chief will be responsible for, and have control over, the scientific content of the Journal, taking into account the Aims & Scope and the editorial policies of the Journal and the institutional and financial objectives established by the EASL Governing Board. EASL will not interfere in the evaluation, selection, or editing of individual articles, either directly or by creating an environment in which editorial decisions can be influenced.

The Editor-in-Chief shall have full authority over the editorial content of the Journal, with the exception that EASL Governing Board decisions concerning the publication of statements are not subject to the editorial authority of the Editor-in-Chief.

All matters related to the finances of the Journal are the sole responsibility of the EASL Governing Board and are managed by the EASL Office Executive Director under the control of the EASL Treasurer and EASL Secretary General.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:

• Must be recognized by the national and international research communities and be credible to basic, translational and clinical researchers.
• A distinguished record of scholarly contributions, with many high-quality publications and prior experience as a reviewer in the field of hepatology or a related field.
• Strong leadership qualities and the ability to work constructively with those involved in the publication process.
• Strong organisational skills, and the ability to meet tight deadlines and work under pressure.
• The ability and intention to protect sufficient time to carry out their duties as Editor-in-Chief, with an estimated time commitment of 20 percent.
• Previous experience as an editor, preferably as Co-Editor or equivalent.

To apply

To apply, applicants should provide the following documents:

• A cover letter outlining relevant skills, experience, and interest in the role.
• A current curriculum vitae
• A vision statement including:
• Specific objectives, e.g. increasing readership, reputation, and impact factor, and strategies to achieve them.
• Evaluation of Journal of Hepatology content, layout and policies and any recommendations for change.
• An analysis of the current challenges facing the field of scientific publishing and how they could affect Journal of Hepatology.
• A description of the proposed Editorial Team, including names, affiliations, and areas of interest.
• Vision of how EASL journals can work together collaboratively.

Review Criteria

1. The candidates will be evaluated in terms of reputation, experience, and integrity. The Editor-in-Chief is expected to be located at an academic institution and will hold a full-time, nationally, and internationally recognized position. The individual must be perceived as unquestionably fair-minded and must be capable of leading a strong team.
2. The proposed team of editors will be evaluated for their reputation, experience, and integrity. Particular attention will be paid to balance and diversity; proposals with effective gender balance will be favoured. To that end we strongly encourage candidates to consider gender, age, expertise and geographic location when selecting the members of the Editorial Team.
3. The Editor-in-Chief’s vision for the publication will be evaluated in terms of its achievability and its potential to bring and maintain the Journal in a prominent position within the specialty. The challenges facing the publishing industry must be taken into consideration.