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.

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.

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).

1. Build and manage research Integrity policies and procedures
2. 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).
3. Establish escalation protocols for handling serious ethical concerns, including liaising with external institutions as needed.
4. Manage research misconduct investigations:
5. 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.
6. Maintain detailed records of cases and outcomes to ensure transparency and accountability.
7. Develop policies and guidelines
8. Maintain and update JMIR Publications’ ethics policies, aligned with publishing standards and best practices.
9. Create and communicate guidelines related to research integrity relevant to authors, peer reviewers, and editors (e.g., authorship criteria, data sharing policies).
10. 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.
11. Collaborate with staff and editors
12. Provide training to editors and reviewers on identifying ethical issues, such as plagiarism, fake peer reviews, or image manipulation.
13. Work closely with editors to address complex cases, including corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern.
14. 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.
15. Monitor and Report on Research Integrity Trends
16. Analyze and report on metrics such as case types, resolution times, and workflow effectiveness to guide improvements.
17. Contribute to JMIR Publications’ thought leadership by participating in discussions and initiatives on publishing ethics.
18. Ensure compliance with industry standards, ethical guidelines, and relevant regulations. They also report on research integrity matters to the leadership team and external bodies.
19. Foster Relationships with Key Stakeholders
20. Liaise with authors’ institutions and ethics boards as required during investigations.
21. Build partnerships with organizations like COPE and CrossRef to enhance integrity tools and practices.