Leaving academia for scientific publishing is a career step many researchers consider but often struggle to picture in concrete terms. What does the work actually involve, and how different does it feel from academic research?

Silvia Achilli began her career much like many others: she holds a PhD in Chemical Biology and spent several years as a postdoc, driven by a genuine motivation to do science and contribute to building new knowledge. Over time, her interests shifted, and she moved from the lab into scientific publishing.

In this interview, Silvia reflects on what led her to leave academia, how she experienced the transition into publishing, which academic skills proved most valuable, and what her day-to-day work looks like today. She also shares advice for researchers who are considering leaving academia for scientific publishing themselves.

What motivated your decision to leave academia and move into scientific publishing?

The decision was mainly personal. My husband and I were both researchers in different fields, and the academic path often involves short-term contracts and frequent moves, which makes it hard to plan long term.

At the same time, while I was in France, I got more involved in science communication – writing more accessible pieces and helping organize scientific events. That made me realize I wanted to move in that direction. After we moved back to Italy, I worked as a scientific writer, then as an Assistant Editor for an industrial publisher, and I joined Frontiers as a Journal Specialist in 2023.

What skills from your academic career have been most useful in your current role at Frontiers?

What I brought from academia is a structured way of thinking, strong problem-solving, and a lot of practice writing clearly. Conferences and being part of the research community also helped me feel comfortable working with researchers across different fields.

It also helps that I understand how academia works in practice: PhDs and postdocs, how papers are written, authorship conventions, the tools researchers use, and the whole submission process. That makes it easier to support authors and communicate well with people at different career stages.

What new skills or ways of working did you need to develop after moving into publishing?

I had to adjust to a faster pace and to working with clear targets and deadlines. I also learned to prioritize differently – more focus on outcomes, coordination, and getting things done efficiently.

What does a typical working day look like for you and how closely do you still engage with scientific content?

Day to day, I work with researchers worldwide to identify emerging or high-impact topics that could become article collections, with researchers acting as Topic Editors. Depending on the project, I might mainly coordinate, or I might be more hands-on helping shape the topic description, recruiting co-editors, and supporting outreach to potential authors.

I also advise authors on the best publication route and support Associate Editor recruitment. Reporting is part of my routine, too. I still engage closely with scientific content, but more from a strategy and community-building perspective than from the bench.

What advice would you give to researchers who are considering a career in scientific publishing?

Get clear on what you enjoy most in research. If you like reading broadly, writing, and helping shape other people’s work, publishing can be a great fit. If what you love most is hands-on lab work and owning one project end-to-end, the transition may feel bigger – so it’s worth being honest with yourself about that.

Also, stay open-minded and curious. You’ll work across many topics and with lots of different researchers, so being curious, quick to learn, and comfortable asking questions makes the job much easier (and more fun).