NPA Seeks POSTDOCket Deputy Editor

February 9, 2026

The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is currently seeking a strong, dedicated individual to serve as deputy editor of The POSTDOCket. This leadership role requires a three-year commitment (2026-2029). The appointed individual will spend their first year as deputy editor, the next as editor in chief, and their final year as editor in chief emeritus.

Application Deadline: Monday, March 2, at 11:59 p.m. ET

About The POSTDOCket

The POSTDOCket is the official newsletter of the NPA, featuring news, articles, and insights relevant to the postdoctoral community and its stakeholders. It is managed by the POSTDOCket Committee, which is composed of volunteer authors and editors, led by the editor in chief, the deputy editor, and the editor in chief emeritus, in close collaboration with the NPA executive director and NPA staff.

Mission:

• Serves as a vital resource for the postdoctoral community by providing insightful articles, professional development opportunities, policy updates, and timely news.
• It aims to amplify postdoc voices, advocate for meaningful change, and build essential professional skills by offering opportunities to contribute as volunteer authors and editors.
• Through engaging content, The POSTDOCket fosters a sense of community, supports career advancement, and empowers postdocs to navigate their professional journeys while staying informed about issues impacting the broader research landscape.

Serving as Committee Leader

The editor in chief and deputy editor roles are great opportunities to develop or hone editing abilities, teamwork experiences, leadership skills, expand professional networks, advance the mission of the NPA, and work with a wonderful group of colleagues from across the United States. Most business is accomplished via teleconference, email, and long-distance communications. While no experience is needed, previous experience leading and working in a team environment would be a significant asset. Postdocs and administrators are strongly encouraged to consider service in the position. Committee leaders are expected to attend the NPA Annual Conference and participate in the annual Committee Leaders’ Institute.

Responsibilities of the Deputy Editor

The deputy editor will collaborate with the editor in chief, editor in chief emeritus, authors, and reviewers who serve as volunteers to develop and maintain an editorial calendar, to prepare and review biweekly issues of The POSTDOCket, and to disseminate the publication. The deputy editor will work with the editorial team and NPA staff to divide the tasks as appropriate. The anticipated monthly time commitment for the deputy editor position is 6-8 hours. The individual applying to this position is committing to three years of service to The POSTDOCket: after serving in the deputy editor role for one year, the individual will assume the editor in chief position for the following year, followed by a year in an advisory role as editor in chief emeritus.

In particular, the deputy editor will assist the editor in chief in:

• Preparing and maintaining a list of proposed articles and prospective authors & associate editors.
• Maintaining timely, clear communication during business hours and providing consistent peer support with the rest of the editorial team. This involves timely responses to team queries, emails, article editing requests, scheduling meetings, and meeting internal deadlines.
• Organizing the editorial calendar for the publication year by soliciting and organizing writer-editor teams.
• Ensuring compliance with the style manual and editorial review.
• Coordinating editorial assignments and infrastructure/workflow projects with POSTDOCket associate/assign editors.
• Contributing to the planning, writing, and editing of editorial articles and write-ups in alignment with the publication’s vision and deadlines.
• Reviewing the final layout of the publication, responding to team members regarding editorial changes, website layouts, etc.
• Drafting and reviewing materials for the promotion of the newsletter via email and social media.
• Maintaining and organizing records and information of past and present POSTDOCket volunteers, and maintaining a channel of communication with the volunteer community at large.
• Assessing web analytics to help identify high-interest directions for the publication. Attending NPA leadership meetings and organizing virtual "Behind the Desk" chats with the team to foster a POSTDOCket writing and editing community.
• Connecting with NPA staff/committees to ensure a collaborative and additive approach to issue coverage as NPA staff conduct activities to support the postdoctoral community.

Eligibility

Eligibility is limited to members of the NPA, including Affiliate and Organizational Member representatives. If you work at an institution that is an Organizational Member, you can register as a free Affiliate Member. If you are unsure if you are eligible to sign up as an Affiliate Member, check the list of the NPA Organizational Members here. If you are not a member but are interested in the position, visit Join the NPA for membership details.

Application Instructions

All interested persons must submit the following three documents in a single PDF file:

1. One (1) page application statement including:
   1. Applicant's qualifications for the position,
   2. What the applicant can bring to the position, and
   3. The applicant’s interest and experience with the NPA and its mission.
2. One (1) page CV detailing your leadership experience
3. Non-technical writing sample (not exceeding 500 words)

Name your application file as follows: [Deputy Editor Application Package]_[LastNameFirstName] For example: Deputy Editor Application Package_ShailajaAswathy.pdf.

All application statements must be emailed to postdocket@nationalpostdoc.org by Monday, March 2, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

DEIB Statement

As outlined in its strategic plan and core values, the NPA is committed to achieving diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) as applied to all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, disability, country of origin, field of research, geography, institution, socio-economic status, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity, in all disciplines at all organizations that train postdocs. The NPA strives to ensure that all members have open access and opportunities to contribute to the organization through leadership positions, involvement within the committee structure, and participation in annual meetings and other NPA-sponsored events. The NPA promotes advocacy for increased DEIB among postdoctoral scholars and fosters DEIB through activities, policies, and practices that are attuned to this commitment.

Questions?

To learn more about the position and the work required, please contact the editors of The POSTDOCket.