WSU Press Job Postings
WSU Press staff positions are listed on Wayne State University’s online hiring page-search by Department H5201 University Press. Internships are regularly available for those interested in the world of publishing.
Current Openings
Internship Opportunities
Book Acquisitions Internship
Wayne State University Press is seeking a paid graduate student intern for the 2023–2024 academic year and invites students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the publishing industry to apply.
According to a survey by Lee & Low, diversity in publishing matters because "The book industry has the power to shape culture in big and small ways." Yet, "79 percent of respondents identified as White. 78 percent were women. 88 percent were straight. 92 percent were non-disabled. At a time when readers of all backgrounds were demanding to see themselves in books, the publishing industry came nowhere near to reflecting the rich diversity of the United States." Wayne State University Press particularly invites people of color; queer and trans people; and disabled people to apply for this internship.
This position offers a $6,000 stipend for 10-15 hours/week from September to April, with a flexible schedule that includes remote work as well as days in our Detroit offices.
The intern will gain a deep understanding of book publishing through performing acquisitions tasks and with access to informational interviews with publishing professionals, career resources, and a career workshop devised so that by the conclusion of the internship, the intern will be able to confidently apply for an entry-level job in university press publishing.
Internship duties may include:
o Reading and evaluating book proposals for discussion with acquisitions editors; recommending books to accept or decline
o Acknowledging and tracking new book proposals; sending decline letters as appropriate
o Creating and updating book project entries in a title management database
o Researching and assisting with peer review
o Preparing book project materials for Editorial Board meetings
o Preparing book project materials for production, including images, permissions, and final manuscript files
o Attending Press meetings and events as time allows
Wayne State University Press publishes 30-40 books per year in African American studies; fairy-tale studies; film, television, and media studies; health humanities; Jewish studies; labor studies; and regional studies: books about the state of Michigan, the city of Detroit, and the Great Lakes region. We also publish literary short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry by Michigan authors in our Made in Michigan Writers Series. The internship will be housed in the Books Acquisitions department, with opportunities for meeting and engaging with Editorial, Design, and Production; Marketing; Operations; and Journals.
Application materials may be sent by email to Senior Editor Marie Sweetman at marie.sweetman [at] wayne.edu. Please include a current resume and a cover letter discussing your relevant experience and interest in an internship with Wayne State University Press.