After nine years’ service as Co-ordinating Editor and Deputy Co-ordinating Editor for the Cochrane Colorectal Cancer Group (CCCG), Rick Nelson has decided to step down. We are grateful to Rick for his contribution to Cochrane over this period as an editor and author.
We are now looking to appoint one or more new Co-ordinating Editor(s) to provide leadership of the Group. This is an important opportunity to lead and shape the future development of a strategically important area of Cochrane’s healthcare evidence coverage. The appointment is timely in the context of discussions about the structure and function of Cochrane’s Review Groups. Currently the Group’s scope also covers other abdominal surgery-related topics, including hernia and appendicitis, in addition to the detection, treatment and monitoring of colorectal cancer. The scope and therefore the name of the Review Group are open for discussion with the incoming Co-ordinating Editor.
The CCCG portfolio of reviews includes 168 active reviews and 37 protocols. On average, reviews published by the Group in 2014 and 2015 were cited 7.5 times.
Applications are welcomed from individuals based in any country. We invite applications from within existing Cochrane Groups and beyond, and also individuals interested in a job share. Applicants should be aware of the following requirements:
1. The Co-ordinating Editor(s) must have
- Experience of authoring Cochrane or alternative high quality systematic reviews
- Clinical expertise, either as a surgeon or oncologist
- Methodology expertise in the field of evidence synthesis, including risk of bias and GRADEassessments
2. The following attributes are desirable
- Experience of editing Cochrane reviews or equivalent
- Advanced methodological skills and knowledge
3. There is no funding available from Cochrane to support this post. Henning Keinke Andersen, the Group’s Managing Editor, and Sys Johnsen, the Information Specialist, are both based in Copenhagen, and have indicated that they are willing to continue in their roles. If the incoming Co-ordinating Editor wishes to introduce new staff members, she/he will need to demonstrate that secure funding to support these positions is available for at least 3 years, or there is a high prospect of being able to secure this.
4. The Co-ordinating Editor(s) will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cochrane, and will need to be able to demonstrate capacity to deliver at least 1 full day or equivalent availability per week, and to attend regional and international Cochrane editorial meetings. It is desirable that the Co-ordinating Editor’s host institution is also a signatory of the MOU.
5. The current members of the Editorial Board have indicated their willingness to continue in the role. However, the incoming Co-ordinating Editor may seek to strengthen the Board through recruiting additional members.
Potential applicants should familiarise themselves with Cochrane’s commercial sponsorship and conflict of interest policies and the current expectations of a Cochrane Review Group.
Individuals who are interested to explore this opportunity are welcome to speak with David Tovey, Editor-in-Chief (dtovey@cochrane.org).
To apply, please send a cover letter detailing the responses to the numbered bullet points above, and a short Curriculum Vitae to David Tovey. The closing date for applications is 30th November, 2017.