Join the Team
Volunteering with E-International Relations is not your typical ‘work experience’. First, we coordinate our activities remotely using Slack. So, you do not need to physically attend a place of work to volunteer with us. Second, we have no paid staff, we are all volunteers. We volunteer some of our spare time because we want to have a hand in maintaining the best online resource for students and scholars of international politics. Finally, we empower our editors to learn skills, manage their own time and develop their own projects. The result is that the more volunteers give of themselves, the more they take away from the experience. It is no surprise that many of our editors have built on their experience with us to go on to senior positions in the publishing industry, politics, and academia.
We typically seek applications from students, early career academics, and those currently in a break from study. Please see below for the different requirements for each role. We do not limit ourselves to Politics/IR – if you come from a different academic area but have something to say about political issues, you are welcome! All we ask is that, regardless of position, all volunteer editors try to set aside at least 5 hours a week and try to commit to the role for at least 6 months.
COMMISSIONING EDITOR
This role is restricted to those who are engaged in higher level reading and research and immerse themselves in scholarly debates. We typically seek applications from PhD students/candidates, postdocs and Master’s students (taught or research).
Commissioning is a dynamic and rewarding role for anyone who enjoys reading, and helping to disseminate, the latest research to our audience of millions of readers. In specific terms, the role involves identifying (and then working with) authors in the subjects/areas you are interested in to commission unique articles for the website. It is our hope to source articles that explore and advance the cutting edges of theory and practice, and do so in a way that is accessible. We define International Relations widely, and there is virtually no area we do not welcome our editors commissioning content on. This includes related disciplines that lean into international issues such as History, Law, Sociology, Political Science, Area Studies and so on. So, if you work within, or at the intersection, of one or more of those areas, we welcome your application.
You will be responsible for researching and contacting potential authors yourself – though we will give you guidance and mentor you through the process. Every piece of work a Commissioning Editor contributes to is given credit which appears permanently on the output – amounting to a verified record of your efforts. You are empowered to set your own agenda and fit this role around your busy schedule as it suits you best, but you should understand that the role is self-starting … so you need to bring your own momentum, passion and drive. If you are unable to work on your own initiative and come up with your own ideas, then this role is not for you.
What do you get out of it?
- By networking with our editorial team and with other academics in a professional context you will grow your profile and build up links for collaborations and future projects that will add value to your academic and professional journey.
- You will sharpen your editorial skills, which also reflects back on helping you become a better writer.
- You will learn about the academic and publishing industries from a new vantage point.
- You will get something of value to place on your CV, and can request a reference/letter of recommendation if you ever need one in the future.
- In addition to commissioning, you can take part in other activities and projects (if you want to) across our operations – these include volunteering on podcasts and books.
If you would like to get in touch about this position, send us an email titled ‘Commissioning Editor’ to recruitment.e.ir@gmail.com. Within that email please:
- Briefly outline your specific academic interests and emerging expertise (250 words max).
- Detail the kind of content, and authors, you would like to commission for E-International Relations. The more specific you are here, the better (500 words max).
- Attach (or link) one academic writing sample that best represents your abilities thus far.
- Attach a one page CV/resume.
ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR
This role is open to master’s/postgraduate and undergraduate students, and those currently in a break from study who seek to return to academia in the near future.
The Features Team is always working at the cutting edge of international politics, examining, interpreting and eliciting expert opinion on new and exciting developments in scholarship. As a member of this team, you will keep up-to-date with the major developments taking place in international politics, and what the experts in this field have to say about them. Our primary focus is commissioning and editing reviews of recently published books, and conducting interviews with some of the world’s most influential scholars and practitioners.
Every piece of work a Features Editor contributes to is given credit, which is displayed permanently on the content you work on – giving you a verified record of your efforts.
► To apply, send us an email titled ‘Features Editor’ to recruitment.e.ir@gmail.com
Within that email – in less than 500 words (NB: we do not want a pre-written CV):
- Tell us what we need to know about your academic past/present/future plans.
- Tell us what areas of content our interviews and reviews lack coverage of, and how you propose to help us address this. The more detailed you are, the better.
- Attach, or link, an academic writing sample (a student essay will suffice).
We will respond to anyone that catches our eye as soon as we can. Usually this is within 20 working days of receipt of your application, though at busy times it can take longer. Unfortunately, due to the number of enquiries that we receive, we cannot reply to candidates that we do not shortlist.
ASSOCIATE STUDENT ESSAYS EDITOR
This role is open to master’s/postgraduate and undergraduate students, and those currently in a break from study who seek to return to academia in the near future.
As an Associate Editor in our Students Team you will help us select, and publish, the best submissions that we receive from students around the world. The role is designed as one that will allow you to practice and develop editorial skills while working within a small, friendly, team of other students from around the world. We are looking for volunteers with strong English language skills, good attention to detail, and an understanding of academic essay writing. You should be a self-starter and highly organised. Most importantly, you should find the prospect of volunteering some time each week (around 5 hours) reading the work of your peers exciting – as it will form the bulk of your role.
► To apply, send us an email titled ‘Students Editor’ to recruitment.e.ir@gmail.com. Within that email, in less than 500 words, please tell us why you feel you are suitable for this role and where you study/have studied and attach one academic essay that represents your best work.
Please note, although this position is ‘open’, we take new editors on board only at set times each year in bursts as our needs determine – so it may be quite a while before you hear back from us, though we welcome your application at any time so we can hold it on file.
PODCAST EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
E-International Relations is looking for Editorial Assistants to join the Thinking Global Podcast Team and volunteer some time with us. As a member of the team, you would assist in the commissioning, recording, editorial, production, technical and even hosting processes. Our focus is to provide high quality open-access podcast content of all kinds; from reviews, debates and interviews, to current affairs analysis – featuring a wide range of academics and practitioners. We are seeking individuals who are full of energy and ideas, have a bit of spare time, and have the enthusiasm to learn. Thinking Global has been streaming since March 2023 on a range of platforms (including but not limited to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google and Audible). We are looking to expand the reach of Thinking Global and therefore the team.
Volunteering with E-International Relations is not your typical ‘work experience’. First, we coordinate our activities remotely using Slack. So, you do not need to physically attend a place of work to volunteer with us. Second, we have no paid staff, we are all volunteers. We volunteer some of our spare time because we want to have a hand in maintaining the best online resource for students and scholars of international politics. Thirdly, we do next expect applicants to own podcasting equipment. However, as we will not be supplying this, access to even a basic podcasting microphone will go a long way. Finally, we empower our editors to learn skills, manage their own time and develop their own projects. The result is that the more volunteers give of themselves, the more they take away from the experience. It is no surprise that many of our editors have built on their experience with us to go on to senior positions in the publishing industry, politics, and academia.
We are looking for individuals who:
- Are excited by the prospect of being a part of this project.
- Are a team-player and problem-solver.
- Are able to give around 5 hours week to the project for as long as you are able (this is an open ended project).
- Have some knowledge of (or at least are willing to learn about) the technicalities of podcasting.
What would you get out of it?
- Editorial credit will be given for every episode worked on.
- You will get something of value to place on your CV, and a reference/letter of recommendation if you ever need one in the future.
- Although this is an entry position, we seek to quickly promote editors who impress us to more senior positions, giving aspiring applicants ever-more opportunities as time passes.
- You can learn about the academic publishing and podcasting from a new vantage point.
- You will be able to interact and network with the wider E-International Relations team in addition to being part of a smaller team that creates high quality, free to access, podcast content.
► To apply, send us an email titled ‘Editorial Assistant’ to thinkingglobal.eir@gmail.com. Within that email, please attach a purpose written statement in the body of your email (note, no attachments please) of no more than 750 words detailing the following:
- Tell us why you feel you are suited to this role.
- Briefly, tell us about your academic studies so far.
- Detail any technical proficiencies or experience with online digital/recording media you may have.
- Mention your favourite political-themed podcast and (briefly) why you like it.
- Outline one concise idea for a podcast episode that would suit E-International Relations, considering previous episodes and the type of content we publish on the site.
