Job Information
University of Washington ACQUISITIONS FELLOW (TEMPORARY) in Seattle, Washington
Req #: 233822
Department: UW LIBRARIES AND PRESS
Posting Date: 05/02/2024
Closing Info: Open Until Filled
Salary: $4,584 per month
Shift: First Shift
Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-staff-20230701_a11y.pdf )
As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.
UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.
The University of Washington Press seeks to increase diversity in scholarly publishing by providing a twelve-month fellowship in our acquisitions department.
The UW Press has an outstanding opportunity for an Acquisitions Fellow.
Through this temporary, full-time entry-level position, the fellow will be immersed in the acquisitions department of a leading scholarly press, working closely with acquisitions editors, authors, and projects through the entire acquisitions process. In this experience, the fellow's main role will be to coordinate and support the work of evaluating, developing, and acquiring book-length manuscripts for publication by UW Press. Through this experience, they will learn how editors identify emerging areas of scholarship, work with authors to develop manuscripts, manage the process of peer review and revision, present projects for approval, and represent them through each stage of publication. The fellow will also work with other press departments including marketing, design, manuscript editorial, and production on behalf of specific book projects, and may take on additional projects to gain a deeper understanding of these other publishing areas.
In addition to excellent organization and communication skills, the fellow is expected to have an understanding of a wide range of scholarly topics in order to appropriately research and recommend peer reviewers for scholarly content. The fellow will learn to read and evaluate manuscript proposals for quality and suitability for the Press's publishing program. Working directly with authors after manuscripts are accepted for publication, the fellow will respond to technical questions regarding copyright issues, copyediting considerations, and image quality. The fellow must use utmost tact and discretion in handling confidential material and sensitive communications.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES In a learning role, work closely with acquisitions editors, authors, and projects through the entire acquisitions process.
Assist editorial director and other acquisitions editors with evaluation of book manuscripts. Learn how editors identify emerging areas of scholarship, work with authors to develop manuscripts, and manage the process of peer review and revision. Responsibilities include assisting editors in assessing projects' suitability for publication, assisting with manuscript review procedures and peer review processes, and communicating directly with authors. Research readers as directed. Gather sales data as requested for use in evaluating manuscripts.
Learn to read and evaluate manuscript proposals for quality and suitability for the Press’s publishing program. Prepare materials for weekly acquisitions department meetings, biweekly editorial project review meetings and bimonthly Press Committee meetings. Manage database of hundreds of active and thousands of archived manuscript projects, and manage associated texts and illustrations. Arrange other meetings as requested and manage various schedules.
Evaluate preparation of final manuscripts including permissions for quotations used in text, copyrighted illustrations, illustration quality, and any reprinted material. Work with authors to resolve permission or illustration issues.
Draft advance book information, including descriptive copy. Prepare materials for transmittal of final manuscripts to copyediting. Request contracts, production estimates and draft publication proposals as requested.
Process readers' honoraria and complementary book copies for acquisitions department. Create, update, and organize paper files and electronic records. Log in, copy, and send out manuscripts and other materials. Acknowledge receipt and decline proposals and manuscripts as directed.
Use a high degree of tact and discretion in handling confidential material and sensitive communications.
Assist other press departments including marketing, design, manuscript editorial, and production on behalf of specific book projects. May take on additional projects to gain a deeper understanding of these other publishing areas.
Perform other duties as assigned by editorial director. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's degree or equivalent. This is an entry level position with no prior work experience required.Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, organizational skills, plus proven ability to efficiently handle multiple long-term projects simultaneously.
Proficiency using Microsoft Office.
Ability and desire to work both independently and cooperatively in a highly collaborative environment.
Commitment to using an understanding of the diversity of human experiences in developing, recruiting, and marketing manuscripts and books.
Sensitivity to language relating to race, gender, sexuality, and ability/disability. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Graduate work or advanced degree in humanities, social sciences or field related to the press’s core acquisitions areas.
Commitment to pursuing a career in academic publishing.
Sustained personal engagement with low income communities and/or communities within the U.S. that are underrepresented in publishing and a demonstrated ability to bring the understandings gleaned from such engagement to the daily work of academic publishing.
Demonstrated interest in equity, inclusion, and justice.
Knowledge of Adobe In-Design or Photoshop.
Familiarity with Filemaker Pro database management. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Position may occasionally require attendance at publication events outside normal working hours.
The person in this position will be working in an open office environment. Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are access ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.
University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.