Freelancer vacancy: New Books in German seeks
Freelance book assessor/jury researcher
Application deadline: 9th May 2022
Book assessors support the work of our jury in selecting the books which go on to receive guaranteed funding for their translation into English. Assessors research the books submitted to us and present their findings to jurors (verbally).
The role gives you an opportunity to see what is forthcoming from publishing houses in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland and discuss these in a friendly and collegiate atmosphere with colleagues and jurors.
Due to one of our book assessors moving on to focus on other work, we are looking for someone to work alongside the three remaining assessors for the coming selection round. There is a possibility that we will extend the role to cover future twice-yearly rounds.
The assessment work will take place during the week of 23rd May, with the jury meeting which the assessors attend taking place the week of 6th June.
The jury meeting will take place in London, but you can attend via Zoom if this is more practicable.
The fee for this work is currently £250, but a pay increase is pending and should be implemented before the work is invoiced for. We find the preparation work takes around one and a half to two days. The initial jury meeting which the assessors attend at which the books are discussed usually lasts for 2.5 hours.
The successful candidate is likely to have a good understanding and knowledge of:
- German-language authors, publishing houses, and the literary scene in German-speaking countries
- English-language publishing houses and the literary landscape in English-speaking countries, most notably the UK
- What factors might inhibit or enable the success of a book in translation
The successful candidate will likely have developed this understanding in a professional context.
The other three book assessors are all experienced literary translators, although this is not a prerequisite for the role.
You should have well-developed research skills and feel confident making assessments and presenting your work and views to a small group of people.
To apply, please send us a cv of no more than two sides as well as a covering letter of no more than one side of A4. Send this by email to Sarah Hemens at shemens@new-books-in-german.com
If you’d like to talk informally about the role and your application, please email me – Sarah Hemens – to arrange a phone call. As the work takes place soon, the closing date is midnight BST on 9th May 2022.
We are working towards equal opportunities for all across the New Books in German project. We are keen to hear from those who feel their backgrounds are underrepresented in this field.
