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The science and technology group in Encyclopaedia Britannica's editorial department, of which I am group leader, has an opening in an area that I like to call "computers and society." Our HR department has posted the job opening at the Web sites of organizations such as the History of Science Society and the Society for the History of Technology, but so far we've had no responses. I've decided to take a more active role in the job search by contacting academics associated with programs in the history of society and technology, particularly in the area of electronics and electronic media.

It has occurred to me that academic programs such as yours might have a number of graduate students who would be willing to consider an editorial job with a reference publisher. If your department's policies permit, I will be happy to send you our HR department's brief job description, along with my own perhaps less cryptic description, for you to disseminate or post at your institution as you see fit.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Robert Curley Senior Editor, Science & Technology Encyclopaedia Britannica Tel.: (312) 347-7913 Fax: (312) 294-2162 E-mail: rcurley@eb.com

Attached is our HR department's job description, which describes in a general way the company's expectations of a candidate for any associate or assistant editor's position, with a few added comments regarding general science background. The description is heavy in the day-to-day responsibilities of the job, but light in the subject area.

As I prefer to describe it, the editor would be responsible for maintaining and enriching EB's coverage of the technical aspects of computers and information technology, but what I'd especially like is somebody who actively thinks about the impact of IT on the modern way of life. The editor would formulate what EB has to say, for instance, about the digital divide, and not just the microprocessor.

To that end, EB has many technical articles on electronics and telecoms, from the telegraph to the transistor. We also have many biographies and a growing number of articles on computer and electronic companies. In recent years we've been expanding our biographies and historical articles in the area of computer history, from Charles Babbage's Analytic Engine to Sergey Brin and Larry Page's search engine. We're also trying to expand into more popular or social aspects of the computer revolution, publishing articles, for instance, on virtual communities by Howard Rheingold and on the history of computer games by Henry Lowood.

The editor would be responsible for commissioning new or revised articles from such authors, so far as annual editorial budgets allow. But the editor would also do quite a bit of his or her own updating and new writing, depending on his or her expertise and the level of detail needed. The editor would work with our illustrators and photo editors in obtaining drawings and photographs for articles, and he or she would work with all other departments in our editorial workflow that are responsible for moving articles from the editor's computer to our online and print publications.

Though possibly coming from an academic background, the editor would have to know that EB is a business, and that efficiency and scheduling are central to the organization of our work. We're proud to produce a quality product, but we have to produce a marketable product, and so editors must know how to place reasonable limits on projects and move them along to the customers.

I believe the attachment states that applicants should send their resumes directly to the email address Staffing@eb.com, citing the specific position being applied for. But if there are any questions related to my comments above, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Rob Curley

Senior Editor, Science & Technology Encyclopaedia Britannica Tel.: (312) 347-7913 Fax: (312) 294-2162 E-mail: rcurley@eb.com