The Institute of Social Science (ISS), University of Tokyo, is seeking suitably qualified candidates for the post of Managing Editor of Social Science Japan Journal. The appointment will carry the rank of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor at the ISS, depending on the qualifications and experience of the applicant. The appointment will commence on April 1, 2012 for a term of three years, with the possibility of an additional three-year extension.
Social Science Japan Journal (SSJJ) is a fully-refereed, semi-annual journal of social sciences relating to Japan, published jointly by the Institute of Social Science and Oxford University Press. It was launched in 1998 and is now in its 15th year of publication. For further information on SSJJ, please see our homepage at the OUP website:
http://www.ssjj.oupjournals.org/
For further information on the Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo, please see the ISS homepage:
http://www.iss.u-tokyo.ac.jp/
Nature of the Job
The Managing Editor is responsible for the day-to-day running of SSJJ. The managing editor takes the initiative to insure that the journal runs smoothly and upholds rigorous standards of punctuality and quality. The managing editor is also a full member of the editorial board of SSJJ, which is headed by an editor-in-chief and several associate editors from the institute as well as several external board members from other universities in Japan. The editorial board members meet once a month most months at the institute to review manuscripts and discuss editorial matters. Please refer to the website of the journal (http://ssjj.oxfordjournals.org/) for a complete list of the current editorial board members.
The main duties of the managing editor are as follows:
1. Edit all papers, survey articles, review essays and book reviews accepted for publication by SSJJ for content, accuracy and style.
2. Proofread all items for accuracy prior to publication.
3. Handle correspondence (mostly by e-mail) with authors, book reviewers and referees, and oversee the automated manuscript submission system.
4. Serve as the main channel of communication between SSJJ and the offices of Oxford University Press in Tokyo and Oxford regarding editorial, production and marketing issues.
5. Participate actively in the journal monthly administrative meetings and editorial board meetings. This includes contributing to the decision-making process over acceptance or rejection of papers. The successful candidate will also attend faculty meetings of the institute. All these meetings are conducted in Japanese.
6. Help generate submissions of interesting papers by identifying and encouraging suitable authors.
Benefits of the Job
So long as the journal is kept running smoothly, the managing editor has considerable freedom as to how to use any remaining time. S/he will receive the same research benefits as other faculty at the Institute of Social Science, including travel allowance, photocopying allowance and personal computer. The ISS is a research body, and the managing editor is not required to teach. S/he may take on a limited amount of teaching outside the Institute if s/he wishes, subject to the approval of the ISS faculty meeting. To allow full-time concentration on the journal, the managing editor is excused attendance at ISS committee meetings apart from SSJJ and faculty meetings. Salary will depend on the age, years of professional experience, qualifications, and family circumstances of the successful candidate. S/he will also be eligible for the full range of housing, health insurance and pension benefits provided by the University of Tokyo.
Required and Advantageous Qualifications
The following qualifications are considered essential:
1. A doctorate or equivalent in a branch of the social sciences, with research focusing primarily on Japan. Ph.D. candidates at the final stage of dissertation writing also are eligible to apply. The social sciences are defined broadly to include economics, business administration, law, political science, international relations, sociology, anthropology, social psychology, philosophy/thought and history (preferably from the Meiji period onward).
2. Impeccable English, with sensitivity to writing style and a critical eye for the structure and meaning of academic writing. The ability to edit writing in the social sciences is essential.
3. A willingness to engage intellectually with writing from the above disciplines as they relate to Japan.
4. Japanese language ability sufficient to engage in meetings, read academic papers written in Japanese, translate Japanese materials into English, and correspond in written Japanese.
5. Deeply ingrained determination to meet deadlines.
The following qualifications are not essential but would be desirable:
1. Experience in editing English-language material.
2. Experience of academic work in Japan.
3. Substantial publications in the social sciences, broadly defined.
4. A wide network of contacts in Japan and abroad to access when looking for reviewers, referees, etc.
Selection
The selection is based on the review of application materials, an interview, and written examination testing the candidate abilities in translation and editing.
Deadline and Address for Applications
Applications are welcome from people of any nationality, residing inside or outside Japan. Applications should be sent in hardcopy. Candidates should send a letter outlining their interest in the job, their professional history, and suitability for the job, together with a CV/resume, list of publications, and two letters of recommendation. The materials should be sent to the following postal address, marked SJJ Managing Editor・in red:
Professor Gregory Noble
Institute of Social Science
University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku
Tokyo 113-0033
JAPAN
Email: ssjrev@iss.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Please ask the two references to send their letters of recommendation to either the postal address or the e-mail address shown above.
The deadline for receipt of applications is 27 January 2012.
What can I do with a B.A. in Japanese Studies? 