AJIC Position Overview: Editor-in-Chief

The American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) is the official peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). AJIC plays a critical role in advancing infection prevention, patient safety, and applied epidemiology through high-quality research and scholarly discourse.  AJIC receives approximately 1,400 new manuscript submissions per year, publishes twelve issues (plus two special issues/supplements) per year, and has an Impact Factor of 3.80.  For more information on AJIC, see www.ajicjournal.org.

APIC seeks a visionary, innovative, and globally-minded Editor-in-Chief to lead AJIC into the future, fostering scientific excellence, digital transformation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and expanded global reach. The Editor will drive AJIC’s strategic direction, ensuring scientific rigor, engaging a diverse network of contributors, and positioning the journal as a premier resource for infection preventionists, healthcare leaders, policymakers, and researchers worldwide.

 The deadline for the applications is March 20, 2025.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Innovation

• Define and implement the journal’s editorial vision, ensuring alignment with APIC’s strategic goals.
• Lead AJIC’s growth and visibility in the scientific community.
• Identify and implement emerging publishing trends, such as open-access options, preprint platforms, and multimedia-enhanced research dissemination.
• Strengthen digital engagement through interactive content, video abstracts, podcasts, and social media integration.
• Actively engage with APIC’s Center for Research, Practice, & Innovation (CRPI) to support research translation into practice.

2. Editorial Oversight & Peer Review Excellence

• Ensure scientific integrity, rigor, and editorial quality in all published content.
• Oversee structured, transparent, and efficient peer-review processes.
• Evaluate the use of AI-driven tools for manuscript screening, reviewer matching, and efficiency improvements.
• Enhance reviewer recruitment, mentorship, and recognition through initiatives such as a “Best Reviewer” award.
• Develop special issues and thematic sections on emerging and high-impact topics in infection prevention.

3. Collaboration, Communication & Engagement

• Act as a key partner with APIC leadership to align AJIC’s mission with APIC’s broader research and advocacy goals.
• Recruit a diverse Editorial Board, which will provide insights to cutting edge infection prevention and control science across settings and around the globe.
• Collaborate closely with CRPI and Associate Editors to ensure AJIC is publishing cutting-edge research findings.
• Partner with APIC leadership to help develop infection preventionists research skills.
• Ensure priority publication of APIC’s official documents, guidelines, and position statements.
• Provide strategic publishing insights and participate in APIC Board meetings as requested.
• Foster strong relationships with authors, reviewers, and stakeholders, ensuring AJIC remains an inclusive and welcoming platform for diverse perspectives.
• Demonstrate exceptional communication skills, effectively engaging with a wide range of contributors, including researchers, clinicians, and public health professionals.

4. Community Engagement & Global Impact

• Expand AJIC’s international author and readership base, fostering diversity and global representation in infection prevention research.
• Build interdisciplinary connections across epidemiology, public health, healthcare leadership, and technology.
• Strengthen AJIC’s presence at national and international conferences, promoting thought leadership in infection control.
• Encourage submissions from underrepresented regions and specialties to increase research diversity.

5. Operational Management & Publishing Innovation

• Oversee AJIC’s manuscript workflow working closely with the Managing Editor and Publisher to ensure timely publication.
• Work closely with the journal’s publisher to optimize production schedules, content distribution, and marketing strategies.
• Introduce metrics-driven decision-making, using impact factor trends and readership data to guide editorial priorities.
• Ensure the journal remains indexed in leading scientific databases (e.g., PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science).

6. Ethical and Scientific Integrity

• Uphold the highest ethical standards in research publication.
• Ensure adherence to internationally recognized ethical guidelines for scientific publishing, including policies on authorship, peer review integrity, data transparency, and conflict of interest.
• Address issues such as plagiarism, conflicts of interest, and data transparency proactively.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and professionalism, ensuring that all editorial board members, reviewers, and authors engage in respectful and constructive dialogue.

Qualifications & Requirements

The Editor-in-Chief must possess the following qualifications:

• Must be a current active membership in APIC.  If not a current member, the applicant may join APIC to be fully considered but must maintain an active membership in APIC if selected for the Editor-in-Chief role.
• Earned doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, DrPH, MD, DNP) in a relevant health field.
• Distinguished record of peer-reviewed research in infection prevention, epidemiology, or a related discipline.
• Previous editorial leadership experience in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
• Expertise in research methods, manuscript review, and publication ethics.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with a track record of innovation in scientific publishing.
• Ability to engage a diverse research community and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Experience with digital publishing innovations, alternative research dissemination methods, and open-access models.
• Exceptional communication skills, capable of facilitating productive discussions among researchers, reviewers, and editorial board members.

Evaluation, Term & Renumeration

• The APIC Executive Committee will conduct an annual performance review based on journal impact, editorial efficiency, and alignment with APIC’s strategic goals.
• The initial contract is for three years, with potential for renewal for two consecutive two-year terms.
• The AJIC Editor-in Chief is a compensated role.  Compensation will be commensurate with experience, structured as an independent contractor agreement.

Why This Role Matters

This role is more than just editing a journal—it’s an opportunity to shape the future of infection prevention research, advance global collaboration, and innovate the way infection control science is disseminated. APIC seeks an editorial leader who will champion cutting-edge publishing, interdisciplinary engagement, and the transformation of research into real-world impact.

Nominations

If you know someone who would be right for the editorship of AJIC, contact Devin Jopp at djopp@apic.org. Describe whether or not you have discussed the nomination with the candidate. The search committee will review nominations, contact them to discuss applying, and encourage their applications if they are interested.

Self-nominations are welcome in the form of applications as described below.

Application Process

APIC welcomes expressions of interest for the AJIC Editor-in-Chief position. Interested candidates should submit:

1. A cover letter outlining their vision for AJIC and its collaboration with APIC, and APIC’s Center for Research, Practice, & Innovation (CRPI).
2. A curriculum vitae (CV) highlighting editorial, research, and leadership experience.
3. Contact information for three professional references.

Application Deadline: March 20, 2025
Submit to: Submit applications or questions to Devin Jopp at djopp@apic.org.