JMIR Publications Job Board
Research Integrity Manager
Description
About JMIR Publications:
JMIR Publications is a rapidly growing open access publisher of peer-reviewed STEM journals, with an emphasis on medicine, health, and technology titles. The ambitious vision of JMIR Publications is to lead the transformation to open science and to contribute to a world where people are empowered by health research and technology to make effective and informed decisions.
Come help us make a real difference in open science!
Summary
As the first Research Integrity Manager at JMIR Publications, you will play a pivotal role in establishing and managing the publisher's research ethics and integrity functions, maintaining the quality, credibility, and trustworthiness of content. The RI Manager promotes responsible research practices and safeguards the publisher's good reputation.
Reporting to the Editorial Director, the Research Integrity Manager ensures the integrity and ethical conduct of research accepted, processed, or published by JMIR Publications. You will be responsible for creating workflows and systems to uphold the highest ethical standards in publishing. Acting as the primary contact for all research ethics cases, you will collaborate closely with editorial teams, authors, reviewers, and external stakeholders to address issues, ensure compliance, and foster a culture of integrity.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Build and manage research Integrity policies and procedures
- Design, implement, and audit end-to-end workflows to detect and address research and publication ethics issues (e.g., plagiarism, data falsification, conflicts of interest).
- Establish escalation protocols for handling serious ethical concerns, including liaising with external institutions as needed.
2. Manage research misconduct investigations:
- Promptly addresses ethics concerns, synthesizing case detail with best practices (e.g., COPE and other relevant guidelines) to conduct investigations into allegations of research misconduct, ensuring a fair and unbiased process. This can include addressing issues like; plagiarism, authorship disputes, conflicts of interest, retractions, and corrections.
- Maintain detailed records of cases and outcomes to ensure transparency and accountability.
3. Develop policies and guidelines
- Maintain and update JMIR Publications’ ethics policies, aligned with publishing standards and best practices.
- Create and communicate guidelines related to research integrity relevant to authors, peer reviewers, and editors (e.g., authorship criteria, data sharing policies).
- Advises on, applies, and enforces ethical guidelines for authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher in alignment with industry best practices and international research integrity standards.
4. Collaborate with staff and editors
- Provide training to editors and reviewers on identifying ethical issues, such as plagiarism, fake peer reviews, or image manipulation.
- Work closely with editors to address complex cases, including corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern.
- Training and Education: The consultant, may upon request, develop and deliver training programs on research integrity and responsible publishing practices for authors, editors, and other stakeholders.
5. Monitor and Report on Research Integrity Trends
- Analyze and report on metrics such as case types, resolution times, and workflow effectiveness to guide improvements.
- Contribute to JMIR Publications’ thought leadership by participating in discussions and initiatives on publishing ethics.
- Ensure compliance with industry standards, ethical guidelines, and relevant regulations. They also report on research integrity matters to the leadership team and external bodies.
6. Foster Relationships with Key Stakeholders
- Liaise with authors’ institutions and ethics boards as required during investigations.
- Build partnerships with organizations like COPE and CrossRef to enhance integrity tools and practices.
Qualifications:
Education
- A graduate degree, preferably a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, in a relevant field such as ethics, publishing, or a related discipline. Alternatively, a Masters degree with relevant publishing experience involving Research Integrity issues.
Experience:
Essential
- Proven experience with research ethics in a publishing, academic, or research environment.
- Familiarity with ethical standards such as COPE, ICMJE, and publishing integrity best practices.
Desirable:
- Experience with research integrity tools (e.g., iThenticate, Proofig) and metadata platforms (e.g., CrossRef, ORCID).
- Knowledge of open science practices and data sharing policies.
- Scientific academic background involving human subjects research is a plus.
Technical Skills:
- A thorough understanding of industry standards and guidelines for research integrity and publication ethics (e.g., COPE guidelines) and their applications are required. Knowledge of plagiarism detection software and research misconduct investigation procedures is beneficial.
- Specific working knowledge of how technology impacts publishing and practical suggestions for risk mitigation (AI, for instance).
Competencies
- Project management experience, especially in building systems or workflows.
- Strong problem-solving skills
- Strong analytical and investigative skills to handle misconduct allegations and ethical issues effectively.
- Attention to detail
- Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with authors, editors, and stakeholders.The ability to handle sensitive situations with discretion
- Managerial courage, including the ability to make fact-based decisions and speak candidly despite external pressures.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for working with diverse stakeholders.
- Collaboration: The consultant collaborates closely with the Scientific Editorial Director and Executive Editor at JMIR Publications.
What We Offer;
- Competitive salary and benefits including fully paid monthly premiums for Canadian Extended Health Care and Dental Coverage, Wellness Days and Life insurance.
- A beautiful office space near the harbourfront, with free snacks and beverages, and organized social events as a company such as BBQs.
- Flexible remote work environment.
- Opportunity to make a significant impact on public understanding of science.
- Work with a leading publisher in the field of digital health and open access research.
- A dynamic and innovative work environment.
This role provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of research integrity at JMIR Publications, laying the foundation for a growing team and ethical publishing practices
Applications:
Interested candidates should submit the following documents:
1. A current CV and/or resume
2. A cover letter describing why you are a match for this position, as well as a description of any potential conflicts of interest
All interviews will be held via video conference. We wish to thank all those who apply; however, only those individuals whose skills and experience most closely match our requirements will be contacted by a member of our team.
We are committed to a diverse workforce and maintaining a learning and working environment that is welcoming to all.
Application Privacy Commitment;
By submitting your application to JMIR Publications, you acknowledge and agree to the following:
The personal information and resume you provide will be collected and used solely for the purposes of assessing your candidacy for the position applied for, as well as for any other suitable roles within JMIR Publications that may arise. We are committed to safeguarding your personal information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and company policies.
Your information will be handled with strict confidentiality and will only be shared with those directly involved in the recruitment and hiring process. JMIR Publications will not disclose, share, or sell your personal data to any third parties without your explicit consent.
If your application is not successful, JMIR Publications may retain your information for up to 3 years for future opportunities, unless you request its removal.
By applying, you consent to this collection, use, and retention of your personal data as outlined above.
Compensation
$80,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year