The Opportunities channel is your go-to space for discovering and sharing research-related opportunities that can help advance your career, broaden your academic network and get more involved in your community. Whether you’re looking for the the suitable journal to publish your study, interested in joining a journal’s editorial or reviewer board, or seeking funding, grants, and awards, this is the place to stay informed and get involved. 

In this channel, we invite you to explore and share posts about exciting competitions, activities, and job opportunities that can support your professional growth. By sharing these opportunities with the Communities, you can help fellow researchers stay connected and make the most of what’s available in the academic world. 

Below are some key areas covered in the Opportunities channel. This list is just the beginning – if you come across an opportunity that could benefit your community, don’t hesitate to share it!  

• Call for Papers & Publishing Opportunities – Stay updated on open calls and find the right journal for your research 

If you are looking for the right journal to publish your research, stay up to date with the latest call for papers and discover new publishing opportunities. Whether you’re deciding where to submit your work or seeking the best platform to showcase your research, find opportunities to connect with relevant journals and special issues. 

• Editorial & Review Board Calls – Get involved in shaping academic publishing by joining a journal’s editorial or reviewer team 

Interested in contributing to the academic publishing process? Journals regularly seek editorial board members (EBMs) and reviewers to help shape high-quality research. This is your chance to gain experience, expand your professional network, and play a key role in maintaining research integrity. 

• Competitions, Grants & Awards – Explore funding options, research competitions, and opportunities for recognition 

From research funding and grants to academic competitions and prestigious awards, this section highlights opportunities that can support your career and recognize your contributions to the field. Whether you’re applying for a grant or looking to participate in a challenge, explore what’s available here. 

• Career & Job Opportunities – Find the latest academic and research job openings 

Exploring your next career move? Find job openings and academic positions tailored to researchers at different career stages. Whether you’re looking for a postdoc opportunity, a faculty position, or a research-related role, stay informed about the latest vacancies. 

How to share an opportunity  

Find out how to create a blog post here. Once you’re ready to get started, use the below as a guide to help you make sure readers get all the relevant information. For Opportunities posts, you don’t have to provide incredibly detailed information – but aim to make sure the key facts are included and readers can easily see how they can take up the opportunity. 

What to include 

• Title: it can be helpful to include the nature of the opportunity in the title eg. ‘Call for papers’/‘New role’/Name the competition 

• Introduction: A brief overview of the opportunity, including key dates and eligibility criteria. 

• What it is about: A short description of the opportunity including its purpose, any specific themes or focus areas, and any criteria that applicants should be aware of. 

• Why it matters: Highlight the significance of this opportunity – what impact it has and why researchers should get involved. This is your chance to share your excitement with others! 

• How to participate: Provide clear instructions on how to apply or enter, along with a link to the official page. 

Don’t forget to add relevant research topics to help others discover the opportunity. If you don’t know which topics to choose, or the opportunity is widely applicable, please get in touch with the Communities team and we can provide advice and support. 

What not to post 

In the Opportunities channel, we encourage sharing posts that highlight the value and potential impact of each opportunity on our Research Communities, as well as adhere to the Community Guidelines. Please also ensure that the opportunity is open to all, free to join and accessible to a global audience.  

To maintain the channel's focus on sharing open opportunities, we encourage members seeking collaborations to either connect directly with potential collaborators by engaging with their posts or to outline collaboration interests in your own profile.  

If you’re not sure if something is a good fit for the Opportunities Channel or whether it would adhere to the Community Guidelines, please reach out to the team.  

Other tips for contributing to this channel 

• Formatting your post: Include an eye-catching title, a poster image from a copyright-free image service or from your marketing team and one to two sentences introduction summarising the purpose of this post. Make full use of ‘journal’ and ‘article link’ options in the authoring page.  

• Including eye catching images: including an interesting and related image to your post is a great way to grab someone’s attention. Find out how to add a header image to your post here. 

• Increasing visibility: Once your post is live, don’t forget to share it across social media to reach a wider audience!  
• Additional resources: Check out the article of how to write an engaging blog post in the Help and Support channel for more tips.  

Examples from the Opportunities channel 

• Examples of opportunities to publish: 

Call for papers: Impact of “Forever Chemicals” on Cancer Development 

Introducing BMC Marine Science: a new community-driven journal in the BMC Series 

Journal of Cannabis Research: A Short History 

• Examples of opportunities to join Editorial or Reviewer Boards 

Editorial Positions in Biophysics Journals  

Join our editorial board for BMC Palliative Care 

Join Catal's Editorial Board 

• Examples of awards and competitions: 

2025 BMC Ecology and Evolution & BMC Zoology Image Competition 

Take part in Nature’s photo competition 

Functional Analysis Award 2025 

Please get in touch with the Communities team at communities@springernature.com if you have any questions about this channel or how to join the Communities to create your post.