We are currently seeking a new Editor-in-Chief for XRDS, ACM's flagship student publication.

Over the past three decades, XRDS has played a pivotal role in shaping the students interested in computer science (CS) research in general. XRDS was ACM's first electronically produced publication that started its legacy way back in 1994. It publishes both solicited and contributed articles, cutting-edge research in CS, viewpoints on technology's impact in the world today, and works to support a strong, positive, and inclusive community of students interested in CS. It currently attracts a readership of more than 50k subscribers, with a majority of students, around the world. XRDS values well-written, timely, and interesting work being conducted at different universities, research centers, and labs around the world. The goal is to make the magazine more accessible to people with an interest in computer science and technology.

Job Description

The Editor-in-Chief (EIC) is responsible for managing XRDS and its team of volunteers. An ideal EIC should be comfortable in making decisions and instituting change, as well as overseeing a diverse team of student editors, who are undergraduate and graduate students from around the globe. We are looking for someone who is committed to generating ideas, soliciting content, and improving the magazine overall. The position is open to those willing to take on this position independently; however, if needed, two students willing to work together as co-EICs is also a possibility. Please indicate if you are open to sharing the position in your application.

Your primary role will be to guide the ship. This is not a hands-off position; you will be responsible (within the bounds of delegation) for the entire magazine (print and online). The position requires you to work closely with ACM staff. You will be expected to maintain regular communication with the advisory board and the editorial staff including the Managing Editor; the Departments Chief, who oversees the department editors; feature editors; and the Digital Content Editor who manages our online presence. 

The EIC should be comfortable managing a large team; there is a staff of volunteer student editors who report to the EIC. Primary responsibilities include issue theme selection and liaising with the tech community at large, including via their academic professional network. Increasing the visibility of the magazine should also be an attainable goal.

Eligibility Requirements

The EIC search is open to applicants from around the world. You must be a student, who is able to make a three-year commitment. All students are encouraged to apply, although Ph.D.s are preferred.

If you are interested, please send a resume or CV as well as a vision statement to xrdsmagazineATgmailDOTcom. Make sure to include “XRDS EIC Search” in the subject line. Please include your expected year of graduation. You will be contacted to schedule an interview.

Your vision should state the following: ideas you have for the magazine, what you would be most interested in reading such as topics or types of articles, and anything else you deem relevant, such as your personal research interests.

Part of this process involves vetting the nominees, which includes an interview with the XRDS Search Committee.

The ACM Publications Board will review all candidates before appointing the new Editors-in-Chief. If you are approved, you will begin working January 2025.

Feature Editors

Feature editors have three primary responsibilities: edit submitted feature articles, lead issues with guest editors, and lead a longer-term project. You will be expected to maintain regular communication with the Editor in Chief and the ACM Managing Editor. 

Job Description

Feature Editors have a significant influence on the content published in XRDS, its quality, and timeliness, as well as on the magazine’s continuing growth. Together with the Editor-in-Chief,  Feature Editors compose the steering group that makes many of the decisions that shape the character of the XRDS magazine. A big part of the job is brainstorming. We’re constantly looking for your ideas and feedback: themes for upcoming issues, suggestions for potential authors to reach out to, student candidates for blogging, ways to improve the magazine and so on. You will be required to attend scheduled editorial board meetings.

Eligibility Requirements

We are looking for an organized graduate student in computer science or a related field who demonstrates a professional attitude. Eligible applicants can communicate fluently in English. This volunteer editor position is a two-year commitment, at minimum, with the opportunity for promotion.

To apply, please send your CV to xrdsmagazineATgmailDOTcom, along with a short 150-word personal statement, and include the subject line "XRDS Volunteer."

Department Editors

Department editors are the writers responsible for the columns in each issue of XRDS. The position requires you to work closely with ACM staff. You will be expected to maintain regular communication with the Departments Chief and the Managing Editor. The role requires creativity and editorial research skills. Candidates should possess the ability to write well. 

CAREERS; Department Editor

Job Description

Do you like going to resume-building workshops, employability study seminars, and club meetings where you can meet guest speakers from the local tech community? Probably not. But do you like hearing talks from "real world" people, learning "what it's like" after graduation, and the fun and exciting allure of the real industry? Do you want to capture the stories of successful computer science professionals and share them with your peers? Then ACM XRDS is for you! We are looking for an outgoing and talented student with strong written communication skills to take over our "CAREERS" department. With CAREERS we seek to present readers with varied career perspectives that exist in computing. You will be required to contact and communicate with professionals in various stages in their careers in computing and work alongside them to craft amazing "I wish I had known" articles to share with current computer science students all around the world. We publish four career articles in a calendar year. 

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible applicants must write fluently in English, are outgoing and strong networkers, and are currently enrolled in a graduate degree program. This volunteer editor position is a two-year commitment, with the opportunity for promotion. You must be a full-time student.

To apply, please send your CV to xrdsmagazineATgmailDOTcom, along with a short 150-word personal statement, and include the subject line "XRDS Volunteer."

ADVICE; Department Editor

Job Description

XRDS is searching for a student interested in overseeing an advice column for every print issue of XRDS Magazine. The “ADVICE” Department Editor is responsible for writing the article or finding a guest columnist to produce the column. Once the column is written, the Editor is responsible for working with ACM staff on finalizing the submission. The ADVICE Editor should regularly consult with the Editors-in-Chief and ACM staff to plan topics in advance. You will be required to attend scheduled editorial board meetings. Past columns have discussed teamwork, time management, how to be a better blogger, applying for post-grad programs, etc.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible applicants can write fluently in English and are currently enrolled in a graduate degree program. This volunteer editor position is a two-year commitment, with the opportunity for promotion. You must be a full-time student.

To apply, please send your CV to xrdsmagazineATgmailDOTcom, along with a short 150-word personal statement, and include the subject line "XRDS Volunteer."

FACTOIDS; Department Editor

Job Description

“FACTOIDS” are scattered throughout the issue to highlight the latest technology trends, facts, and other upcoming technological revolutions around the world. The editor must understand the issue theme, and write 10-12 factoids that align with the theme. You must be able to summarize information into quick, digestible bits. Information collected should be from authentic sources like Gartner, Science, Forbes etc. Once the column is written, the Editor is responsible for working with ACM staff on finalizing the submission. You will be required to attend scheduled editorial board meetings.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible applicants can write fluently in English. This volunteer editor position is a two-year commitment, with the opportunity for promotion. You must be a full-time student.

To apply, please send your CV to xrdsmagazineATgmailDOTcom, along with a short 150-word personal statement, and include the subject line "XRDS Volunteer."

Online Editors

Online editors are the team responsible for XRDS in digital form. This position requires you to work closely with ACM staff. You will be expected to maintain regular communication with the Editors in Chief and the Managing Editor. The role requires creativity and technical skills. Candidates should possess the ability to manage their time well. 

Social Media Editor

Job Description

Are you a responsive, enthusiastic, and creative user of social media? Come join our team at XRDS Digital, the online home of ACM’s quarterly student magazine. As Social Media Editor, you will be responsible for maintaining and, ideally, increasing the presence of XRDS on Twitter and Facebook. You will help to promote each quarterly issue and individual articles that are posted on the XRDS website and at its online blog. You will monitor the XRDS accounts and the conversations around posts and bring any issues or questions to the attention of the editors. You occasionally will be asked to help with our marketing efforts such as for our essay contest. You will be working closely with other digital editors and participate in periodic editorial conference calls and discussions via email and Slack.

Eligibility Requirements

We are looking for an organized student in computer science or a related field, who has an interest in social networks and digital communication strategy and is eager to help us shape the way XRDS connects to thousands of like-minded students all around the globe. Eligible applicants must communicate fluently in English and have a sense of how to create social media posts for a brand vs. for their personal accounts. Prior experience with social media tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, etc. is a plus, as is a working understanding of analytics and SEO. This volunteer editor position is a two-year commitment. You must be a full-time student. 

To apply, please send your CV to xrdsmagazineATgmailDOTcom, along with a short 150-word personal statement, and include the subject line "XRDS Volunteer."

Digital Content Editor

Job Description

Interested in social networks and media of the future? XRDS Digital is the home of the quarterly student magazine, where you can find the latest science and technology news, upcoming conferences and events, scholarship and fellowship deadlines, exclusive content, as well as a blog covering the most interesting topics in computer science. You will be responsible for the XRDS Digital team of student volunteers—editors and bloggers.

Eligibility Requirements

We are looking for an organized and responsive computer science student, who is eager to help us shape the way XRDS connects to thousands of like-minded students all around the globe via our webpage, blog, and social networks. Eligible applicants must communicate fluently in English, be comfortable managing a team, and have prior experience with social media tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, etc. A working understanding of analytics and SEO is a plus. This volunteer editor position is a two-year commitment. You must be a full-time student.

To apply, please send your CV to xrdsmagazineATgmailDOTcom, along with a short 150-word personal statement, and include the subject line "XRDS Volunteer."