What is the output format?

A JSON object with keys cover_letter, subject_line, and word_count as shown in the Skill documentation.

Can I customize the letter for different recipients?

Yes. Provide a different recipient and key-points for each run; you can generate multiple letters for different targets.

Which letter types are supported?

Journal submissions, job applications, and fellowship applications (journal, job, fellowship) using customizable templates.

cover-letter-drafter

Career

npx machina-cli add skill aipoch/medical-research-skills/cover-letter-drafter --openclaw

Files (1)

SKILL.md

3.7 KB

Cover Letter Drafter

Creates tailored cover letters for academic and medical positions.

Features

Journal submission cover letters
Job application cover letters
Fellowship application letters
Customizable templates

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Required	Description
`--purpose`	string	job	No	Cover letter type (journal, job, fellowship)
`--recipient`, `-r`	string	-	Yes	Target journal or institution
`--key-points`, `-k`	string	-	Yes	Comma-separated key points to highlight
`--title`	string	-	No	Manuscript title (for journal submissions)
`--significance`	string	-	No	Significance statement (for journal submissions)
`--author`, `--applicant`, `-a`	string	Applicant	No	Author or applicant name
`--position`	string	-	No	Position title (for job applications)
`--fellowship`	string	-	No	Fellowship name (for fellowship applications)
`--output`, `-o`	string	-	No	Output JSON file path

Usage

# Journal submission cover letter
python scripts/main.py --purpose journal --recipient "Nature Medicine" \
  --key-points "Novel findings,Clinical relevance" \
  --title "Study X" --significance "major advance" --author "Dr. Smith"

# Job application cover letter
python scripts/main.py --purpose job --recipient "Harvard Medical School" \
  --key-points "10 years experience,Published 20 papers" \
  --position "Assistant Professor" --applicant "Dr. Jones"

# Fellowship application
python scripts/main.py --purpose fellowship --recipient "NIH" \
  --key-points "Research excellence,Leadership skills" \
  --fellowship "K99" --applicant "Dr. Lee"

Output Format

{
  "cover_letter": "string",
  "subject_line": "string",
  "word_count": "int"
}

Risk Assessment

Risk Indicator	Assessment	Level
Code Execution	Python/R scripts executed locally	Medium
Network Access	No external API calls	Low
File System Access	Read input files, write output files	Medium
Instruction Tampering	Standard prompt guidelines	Low
Data Exposure	Output files saved to workspace	Low

Security Checklist

No hardcoded credentials or API keys
No unauthorized file system access (../)
Output does not expose sensitive information
Prompt injection protections in place
Input file paths validated (no ../ traversal)
Output directory restricted to workspace
Script execution in sandboxed environment
Error messages sanitized (no stack traces exposed)
Dependencies audited

Prerequisites

No additional Python packages required.

Evaluation Criteria

Success Metrics

Successfully executes main functionality
Output meets quality standards
Handles edge cases gracefully
Performance is acceptable

Test Cases

Basic Functionality: Standard input → Expected output
Edge Case: Invalid input → Graceful error handling
Performance: Large dataset → Acceptable processing time

Lifecycle Status

Current Stage: Draft
Next Review Date: 2026-03-06
Known Issues: None
Planned Improvements:
- Performance optimization
- Additional feature support

Source

git clone https://github.com/aipoch/medical-research-skills/blob/main/scientific-skills/Academic writing/cover-letter-drafter/SKILL.md

View on GitHub

Overview

Cover Letter Drafter creates tailored cover letters for academic and medical positions, including journal submissions, job applications, and fellowships. It emphasizes customizable templates and recipient-specific messaging to boost submission impact.

How This Skill Works

Users supply recipient, key-points, and optional title or significance. The tool composes a ready-to-send cover letter and a subject line, then reports the word count to help meet submission or application guidelines.

When to Use It

Submitting a manuscript to a journal and needing a professional cover letter
Applying for an academic or medical faculty position
Preparing a fellowship application letter
Drafting multiple letters for different recipients with a consistent tone
Creating customized letters using the same template for different targets

Quick Start

Step 1: Run the tool with python scripts/main.py --purpose journal --recipient 'Nature Medicine' --key-points 'Novel findings,Clinical relevance' --title 'Study X' --significance 'major advance' --author 'Dr. Smith'
Step 2: Review the generated cover_letter, subject_line, and word_count
Step 3: Copy the output into your submission system and make final tweaks

Best Practices

Capture recipient and journal/organization specifics to personalize each letter
Highlight key-points and significance, aligning content with the target audience
Use the title and significance fields for journal submissions to reinforce impact
Maintain a professional tone and proofread for clarity and accuracy
Review word count and adjust length to meet submission guidelines

Example Use Cases

Journal submission letter to Nature Medicine highlighting novel findings and clinical relevance
Job application letter for an Assistant Professor position at a leading medical school
NIH K99 fellowship application cover letter emphasizing research excellence and leadership
Cover letter for a manuscript titled Study X with a strong significance statement
Internal department application to lead a new research program

Frequently Asked Questions

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