Editor Roles & Responsibilities

Senior Editor

  • Assigns manuscripts to Editors

  • Directly handles papers that require ad hoc special handling

  • First point of contact for questions from Editors regarding editorial processes and decisions

  • Terms renewed every 5 years to a maximum of 10 consecutive years.


Senior Editors can be found on the Microbiology Spectrum website here.

Editor

  • Handles the peer review of manuscripts, from initial evaluation to final decision

  • Invites reviewers for manuscripts

  • Makes initial and final decisions on manuscripts

  • Can have up to 5 active assignments at a time (not including revisions)

  • Should send editorial rejection decisions to authors within 4 to 5 days of submission and post-peer review decisions within 30 days from the day of submission

  • Editors are renewed every 3 years, to a maximum of 9 consecutive years.


Editors can be found on the Microbiology Spectrum website here.

Reviewing Editor

  • Peer review manuscripts that are assigned to them by Editors

  • Peer review ~2 manuscripts per month, to a maximum of 24 per year

  • Return peer review assignments to Editors within 14 days

  • Terms are 3-year-long appointments and are not renewable

  • The Reviewing Editor has the potential to advance to the Editor role on the basis of performance and subject area expertise


Reviewing Editors can be found on the Microbiology Spectrum website here.