Academic journals are important for early career researchers (ECRs), not just as vehicles of publishing, but also as spaces for collaboration and mentorship. Collaboration in academia can take different forms for ECRs, be it as opportunities to co-author with senior colleagues; as feedback received from editors and peerreviewers; or learning on the job while working closely with established academics. However, an under-recognized aspect of such collaboration is the involvement of junior scholars in editorial structures. It thus becomes important to examine this facet of collaboration as we argue that it is essential for the academic development of ECRs.