Acquisitions Editor for Physical Sciences and Engineering

MIT•Cambridge, MA

20d•Hybrid

About The Position

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR FOR PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING , MIT Press , is responsible for strategically acquiring and developing trade, academic trade, professional, and scholarly books in the physical sciences and engineering. They manage a robust pipeline of projects, guiding authors and coordinating peer review to produce high-quality manuscripts for general readers, students, professionals, and academics. The role involves cultivating strong relationships with MIT faculty, external advisors, and prospective authors, and serving as the primary contact for authors across both frontlist and backlist titles. Key duties include identifying promising topics and authors, evaluating proposals and unsolicited manuscripts, conducting market research, and assessing the commercial viability of new projects through data analysis and P&L preparation. The Editor oversees peer review, negotiates contracts, prepares publishing plans, and ensures projects move efficiently through editorial, production, marketing, and sales processes. They also maintain and refresh the backlist, improve discoverability, and contribute to the Press’s annual revenue goals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field
a minimum of three years of experience in book publishing, scientific or academic publishing, journalism, information science or a related field
excellent written and verbal communication skills
strong negotiation skills
knowledge of publishing contracts and terms
knowledge of the higher education community
ability to work with academic authors and deal with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and judgment
Campus and conference travel required

Nice To Haves

Advanced or bachelor’s degree in science, literature, or a related field

Responsibilities

strategically acquiring and developing trade, academic trade, professional, and scholarly books in the physical sciences and engineering
managing a robust pipeline of projects
guiding authors and coordinating peer review to produce high-quality manuscripts for general readers, students, professionals, and academics
cultivating strong relationships with MIT faculty, external advisors, and prospective authors
serving as the primary contact for authors across both frontlist and backlist titles
identifying promising topics and authors
evaluating proposals and unsolicited manuscripts
conducting market research
assessing the commercial viability of new projects through data analysis and P&L preparation
overseeing peer review
negotiating contracts
preparing publishing plans
ensuring projects move efficiently through editorial, production, marketing, and sales processes
maintaining and refreshing the backlist
improving discoverability
contributing to the Press’s annual revenue goals