After decades guiding AARC’s journals, Respiratory Care and Respiratory Care Reports, Dean Hess, PhD, RRT, FAARC, Managing Editor, and Richard Branson, MSc, RRT, FAARC, Editor-in-Chief are retiring. This is a call for applicants. Please review the details below and submit an application before Oct. 16.
Call for Applications and Nominations
Application deadline: Oct. 16, 2026.
The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) is pleased to announce the call for applications and nominations for the important position of editor-in-chief, Respiratory Care and Respiratory Care Reports.
This is an exciting opportunity for a talented, motivated, and innovative leader to make a positive contribution to the promotion and distribution of science for advancement of the field of respiratory care. AARC strongly encourages applications from interested and qualified candidates from around the world and from diverse backgrounds.
The editor-in-chief is expected to be appointed in 2027 and to begin an official term on Jan. 1, 2028.
Applications must be submitted by Oct. 16, 2026. Please include:
- Curriculum vitae that includes editorial experience and a robust publication record with scientific journals in respiratory care and related fields.
- A letter of interest of up to three pages to address your motivation to apply for the role.
- Disclosure of any conflicts of interest (particularly with industry-sponsored work) in accordance with ICMJE recommended guidelines.
Applicants meeting the required qualifications will be asked to provide additional information, and those shortlisted will be invited to interview with the AARC search committee.
AARC has partnered with scholarly publishing experts KGL Consulting to conduct the search for incoming editors-in-chief. Questions and applications should be directed to Ms. Lisa Marshall, Senior Consulting Associate, KGL Consulting (lisa.marshall@kwglobal.com).
About AARC
Headquartered in Addison, Texas, AARC is the leading national and international professional association for respiratory care. The association works with respiratory therapists to encourage, promote, and facilitate their professional excellence; advance the science and practice of respiratory care; and advocate for patients and families, the public, the profession, and each unique and individual respiratory therapist.
Position Description
Editor-in-chief, Respiratory Care and Respiratory Care Reports.
Overview
The editor-in-chief will oversee Respiratory Care and Respiratory Care Reports to publish scientific discovery and knowledge that advances the educational needs of the respiratory care community; lead the Editorial Board to maintain the reputation of the journal and attract high-quality manuscript submissions; and engage with the journal’s editorial office to conduct peer review of manuscripts submitted for publication. Reporting to the AARC Executive Director and Daedalus Board of Directors, the editor-in-chief is expected to provide innovative ideas and leadership while following editorial and publishing best practices. The editor-in-chief is expected to serve in the position for an initial five-year term, with potential renewal for an additional term. This is a part-time (0.5 FTE), contract position.
Editorial Leadership Responsibilities
In consultation with the AARC Executive Director and Daedalus Board of Directors, and working closely with its publisher, and with the support of the editorial staff:
- Undertake responsibility, authority, and accountability for all peer-reviewed editorial content published in the journals.
- Publish the highest quality and most relevant science to maintain and increase Respiratory Care’s Impact Factor and global leadership.
- Work with the editorial office staff to continue to evolve editorial policies and standards, pursuing high editorial quality and best practices in peer review processes and communication with authors.
- Serve as the public voice and ambassador for the journal and provide dynamic and proactive leadership that is inclusive and empowering to the editorial team.
- Develop strategies to attract the best research and increase submissions, in close collaboration with the editorial teams, Daedalus, and the publisher, by keeping abreast, responding to, and ideally anticipating new opportunities in the field based on data, insights, and best practices.
- Enhance and build the scientific and educational value of the journal by working with the Editorial Board to solicit and develop invited reviews, special features, and topics of interest to the global community, as appropriate.
- Integrate new formats of science dissemination and promotion of the journal and its content that will increase interest, engagement, submissions, and readership among its global medical-scientific community.
- Provide collaborative leadership to the editorial staff, fostering a positive work environment and providing a clear and mutually agreed understanding of service-level expectations.
- Address emerging areas of interest to the respiratory care community such as therapeutic advances, health policy, advocacy issues, and practice management using rigorous research methodology.
- Promote and uphold best practices in publishing ethics, including those set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and policies set by AARC.
Organizational Leadership Responsibilities
- Ensure expert, rapid, and efficient adjudication of manuscripts according to best practices in peer review, working closely with the individual or individuals assigned by AARC and/or the publisher to support the journal’s editorial activities.
- Select, develop, and oversee a Deputy Editor, Director of Clinical Practice Guidelines Development, Section Editors, and Editorial Board, embracing and promoting AARC’s commitment to diversity in expertise and global and demographic representation.
- Serve as an ambassador and an advocate for the journal and AARC, representing the journal at scientific events, educational events, and with internal and external stakeholders.
- Act and treat others with respect and professionalism and at all times, display the highest level of credibility, avoid conflicts of interest, and act in the best interest of the journal.
- Motivate and coach the editorial teams and seek to build a strong sense of collaboration, inclusiveness, teamwork, innovation, and engagement.
- Work in close collaboration and proactively with AARC leadership and committees to ensure the approach and content are complementary to the Association’s educational offerings. Serve as a member of the AARC Program Committee.
- Support the economic sustainability and growth of the Journals by collaborating with Daedalus to facilitate evolving business models and meaningful commercial opportunities proposed by the publisher and/or Association, such as, but not limited to, supplements and sponsorships.
- Participate at the AARC Annual Meeting, Daedalus Board of Directors, and other committee or task force meetings, as reasonably requested, by presenting updates on journal activities in reports to the Daedalus and AARC Board of Directors.
- Oversee the Open Forum activities including abstract submission site, peer review and acceptance of abstracts, grouping abstracts into sessions, and securing moderators for each session at the AARC Annual Meeting.
Specific (Day-to-Day) Responsibilities
- Evaluate submitted contributions in accordance with best editorial practices, moving those that merit peer review into and through the review process.
- Recruit, oversee, and motivate a sufficient and diverse pool of expert reviewers to provide quality reviews and make decisions on manuscripts in a timely manner.
- Work with editorial staff to monitor, analyze, and apply manuscript data and peer review processes and other journal performance-related metrics, aiming for continuous improvement of service to authors and to meet AARC’s stated goals.
- Regularly conduct meetings of the Editorial Board to discuss editorial outreach efforts, review quality and timeliness, acceptance rates, and other journal editorial and operational priorities and attend AARC teleconference and in-person meetings as reasonably requested.
- Participate regularly and proactively in discussions with the publisher, Daedalus, and the Association on matters of the journal and the advancement of the journals and the Association.
- Collaborate with the publisher, AARC staff, and other parties as appropriate on initiatives to ensure increased contributions, readership, and citations for the journal, including a commitment to contemporary forms of science communications/distribution.
- Work collaboratively with AARC’s Marketing and Publications team to promote journal content.
- Comply with (seeking guidance as necessary) all aspects of publishing best practices, including but not limited to resolving ethical issues (e.g., disclosure and management of conflicts of interest, errata, and retractions); author appeals; publication schedules; and internal and external communications, timeliness, and transparency to uphold high publishing standards.
- In consultation with the AARC Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, prepare an annual budget for approval by the Daedalus Board.
- Manage the editorial aspects of the journal within the Daedalus budget and other parameters.
Required Qualifications
- Respiratory therapist, physician, or clinical researcher in related profession with broad perspective of the respiratory care field and astute to emerging areas of basic science and clinical research and practice.
- Master’s degree or above required in appropriate field.
- Familiar with AARC; visibility, collaboration, and recognized leadership in rigorous respiratory care research.
- Publishing knowledge demonstrated by substantial author, reviewer, editorial board, associate editor, and/or editor-in-chief experience with peer-reviewed journals.
- Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills and global connections to the respiratory care research community.
- Sufficient scientific expertise to assess the reasonableness of methodological rigor in submissions (including statistical rigor, if appropriate), in partnership with editorial staff.
- Demonstrated leadership traits as an inspiring and inclusive leader, mentor, coach, and facilitator able to work collaboratively with a wide range of diverse stakeholders.
- Interest and ability to think and act strategically, creatively, and innovatively.
- Willing to meet and uphold conflict of interest guidelines as established by AARC.
- Able to meet the administrative demands of the editor-in-chief position for Respiratory Care and Respiratory Care Reports.
AARC has partnered with scholarly publishing experts KGL Consulting to conduct the search for incoming editors-in-chief. Questions and applications should be directed to Ms. Lisa Marshall, Senior Consulting Associate, KGL Consulting (lisa.marshall@kwglobal.com).
