What Is a Remote Science Editor and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

As a remote science editor, you review and edit content prior to its publication in a scientific journal. In this role, you may provide proofreading services, evaluate each proposed topic, or determine whether or not content meets the publication standards of your journal. This job comes in two primary forms: academic and popular science. Popular science usually includes mass-media releases like news articles, while academic science involves peer review and maintaining the reputation for scientific integrity within your journal. Regardless of publication type, this job requires extensive familiarity with the scientific process and the ability to determine whether or not any given piece of content is scientifically valid. Remote editors typically work through email, though you may occasionally speak with content writers or other publishing employees by phone.

The primary qualifications for getting a remote job as a science editor are a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and several years of experience in the publishing industry. Particularly academic journals may require a master's degree or a doctorate in a scientific field to help ensure you understand all content submitted and are therefore qualified to edit and evaluate it. This job also involves enforcing requirements that science writers must abide by, whether those requirements be grammatical or ethical, so the ability to keep those in mind while editing content is essential to success. Fulfilling the responsibilities and duties of a remote science editor requires communication skills, attention to detail, an understanding of the scientific method, and a focus on making content perfect before publication.