Please Note: Due to the high volume of interest, we are no longer accepting applications.

Call for applications for an Early Career Editorial Board on Cambridge Materials

Cambridge Materials is a purpose-driven series of four open access journals advancing the materials science needed to build a sustainable future and published by Cambridge University Press (CUP).

We are recruiting motivated Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to join an Early Career Editorial Board, supporting all four journals within the Cambridge Materials series (Health, Water, Energy, and Circularity).

This is a unique development opportunity for emerging researchers who want to expand their editorial experience, build visibility within their field, and contribute to a publishing programme focused on advancing sustainable materials science across the Health, Water, Energy, and Circularity communities.

Why Join the Early Career Editorial Board?

Serving on the Cambridge Materials ECR Editorial Board provides the chance to:

• Work as part of a multi‑journal, interdisciplinary Board within materials science and Health, Water, Energy, and Circularity - allowing ECRs to de‑silo and broaden their research perspective across key areas related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Gain first‑hand experience in journal editorial work, including projects working alongside senior scientists and experienced editors.
• Build and strengthen your international research networks, including opportunities for collaboration across diverse materials science domains.
• Raise your profile within your community by contributing visibly to the growth and direction of the Cambridge Materials journals.
• Benefit from mentoring opportunities with members of the Cambridge Materials senior Editorial Boards.
• Exceptional ECR Board Members may be invited to join the senior Editorial Board, or handle manuscripts as Associate Editors or Themed Collection Editors.
• Initial 2‑year term, with the possibility of extension.

Responsibilities of Early Career Editorial Board Members

ECR Board Members will contribute to the Cambridge Materials journals' growth, visibility, and quality by:

• Conducting approximately five peer reviews per year.
• Submitting 1–2 papers to the journals during each term.
• Acting as Ambassadors for the journals — promoting content and calls for papers within your networks, on social media, and at conferences.
• Helping expand the journals’ reach into Early Career Researcher communities.
• Providing subject‑matter insight and strategic input, where relevant.
• Supporting editorial initiatives such as Themed Collections or commissioning projects under the guidance of senior editors.
• Contributing to board discussions and editorial initiatives, including participation in Board Meetings (online, or in-person where travel schedules allow).

 

Who Should Apply?

To be considered, applicants should ideally:

• Have completed a doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent)*
• Be within five years of finishing a PhD or postdoctoral appointment*. Note: allowances are of course made for career breaks, parental leave etc.

We welcome applicants from all disciplines relevant to the scope of the Cambridge Materials series across Health, Water, Energy, and Circularity (see below).

We also encourage applications from candidates working outside traditional academic pathways, such as industry, policy, government, finance, and the non-profit sectors. Especially those with experience in research, innovation, policy development etc – or experience of translating research into wider real-world applications, even where this is not reflected in a conventional academic publication record.

* If you don’t fit this definition but are still interested in applying and think you would make an excellent candidate, please contact us and tell us what you could bring to the role. Please note that CUP Senior Publisher (David Hopwood) will be in Bordeaux if anyone would like to discuss the role in more detail.

How to Apply?

Due to the high volume of interest, we are no longer accepting applications.

About Cambridge Materials

Cambridge Materials is a purpose-driven portfolio of four open access journals advancing the materials science needed to build a sustainable future. Focusing on Health, Water, Energy, and Circularity, the journals translate breakthrough research into solutions aligned with the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through rigorous, open, globally equitable publishing, we accelerate discoveries that improve health, secure clean water, enable clean energy, and support circular economies.

Existing, and more traditional, academic publishing outlets focus on specific aspects of material science, energy, or health - often segregating scientific, technological, and social research. To meet the challenges posed by the SDGs, the Cambridge Materials mission is to bridge these gaps and publish high-quality, interdisciplinary work that connects materials innovation with its real-world implications - environmental, societal, economic, and policy. We aim to bring discovery closer to deployment and support a global community of researchers working at the forefront of sustainable materials science. See here for an introduction to the series, including the full Cambridge Materials: Journal scopes