diff --git a/app/controllers/submissions_controller.rb b/app/controllers/submissions_controller.rb
index b795ae4..45201fa 100644
--- a/app/controllers/submissions_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/submissions_controller.rb
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ def create
     @submission = Submission.new(submission_params)
     @submission.user = current_user
     if @submission.save
-      # process_submission
-      # @submission.send_status_email
       flash.notice = 'Your Submission is now in progress'
       redirect_to submissions_path
     else
@@ -46,36 +44,6 @@ def callback_uri
     callback_submission_status_url(@submission)
   end
 
-  def process_submission
-    @submission.to_sword_package(callback_uri)
-    sword = Sword.new(@submission)
-    begin
-      sword.deposit
-      read_sword_response(sword)
-    rescue RestClient::Unauthorized
-      @submission.status = 'failed'
-      flash.notice = 'There was a problem with your submission.'
-    end
-    @submission.save
-  end
-
-  def read_sword_response(sword)
-    deposited(sword) if sword.response.code == 201
-    queued if sword.response.code == 202
-  end
-
-  def deposited(sword)
-    @submission.status = 'deposited'
-    @submission.handle = sword.handle
-    flash.notice =
-      "Your Submission succeeded. Permanent URL: #{@submission.handle}"
-  end
-
-  def queued
-    @submission.status = 'in review queue'
-    flash.notice = 'Your Submission is now in progress.'
-  end
-
   def submission_params
     params.require(:submission).permit(:title, :agreed_to_license, :author,
                                        :journal, :doi, :grant_number, :doe,
diff --git a/app/jobs/sword_submit_job.rb b/app/jobs/sword_submit_job.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5130d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/jobs/sword_submit_job.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+class SwordSubmitJob < ActiveJob::Base
+  queue_as :default
+
+  def perform(submission)
+    @submission = submission
+    process_submission
+    @submission.send_status_email
+  end
+
+  def process_submission
+    callback_uri = "http://example.com/callbacks/status/#{@submission.uuid}'"
+    sword = Sword.new(@submission, callback_uri)
+    begin
+      sword.deposit
+      read_sword_response(sword)
+    rescue RestClient::Unauthorized
+      @submission.status = 'failed'
+    end
+    @submission.save
+  end
+
+  def read_sword_response(sword)
+    deposited(sword) if sword.response.code == 201
+    queued if sword.response.code == 202
+  end
+
+  def deposited(sword)
+    @submission.status = 'deposited'
+    @submission.handle = sword.handle
+  end
+
+  def queued
+    @submission.status = 'in review queue'
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/models/sword.rb b/app/models/sword.rb
index 499dce7..07decd7 100644
--- a/app/models/sword.rb
+++ b/app/models/sword.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 class Sword
   attr_reader :response
 
-  def initialize(submission)
+  def initialize(submission, callback_uri)
     @submission = submission
+    @callback_uri = callback_uri
     @sword_server = RestClient::Resource.new(
       Rails.application.secrets.sword_endpoint,
       user: Rails.application.secrets.sword_username,
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ def initialize(submission)
 
   def deposit
     @response = @sword_server.post(
-      File.read(@submission.sword_path),
+      @submission.to_sword_package(@callback_uri),
       content_type: 'application/zip',
       x_packaging: 'http://purl.org/net/sword-types/METSDSpaceSIP')
   end
diff --git a/test/jobs/sword_submit_job_test.rb b/test/jobs/sword_submit_job_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0460647
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/jobs/sword_submit_job_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+require 'test_helper'
+
+class SwordSubmitJobTest < ActiveJob::TestCase
+  test 'successful sword submission with workflow enabled' do
+    sub = submissions(:sub_one)
+    VCR.use_cassette('workflow_submission', preserve_exact_body_bytes: true) do
+      SwordSubmitJob.perform_now(sub)
+    end
+    sub.reload
+    assert_equal('in review queue', sub.status)
+    assert_nil(sub.handle)
+  end
+
+  test 'successful sword submission with no workflow enabled' do
+    sub = submissions(:sub_one)
+    VCR.use_cassette('deposit', preserve_exact_body_bytes: true) do
+      SwordSubmitJob.perform_now(sub)
+    end
+    sub.reload
+    assert_equal('deposited', sub.status)
+    assert_equal('http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/420', sub.handle)
+  end
+
+  test 'invalid sword credentials' do
+    sub = submissions(:sub_one)
+    VCR.use_cassette('invalid_credentials', preserve_exact_body_bytes: true) do
+      SwordSubmitJob.perform_now(sub)
+    end
+    sub.reload
+    assert_equal('failed', sub.status)
+    assert_nil(sub.handle)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/models/sword_test.rb b/test/models/sword_test.rb
index feea183..89a0262 100644
--- a/test/models/sword_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/sword_test.rb
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ def cleaup_sword_files(sub)
     VCR.use_cassette('workflow submission', preserve_exact_body_bytes: true) do
       sub = submissions(:sub_one)
       setup_sword_files(sub)
-      sub.to_sword_package('http://example.com/callback')
-      sword = Sword.new(sub)
+      callback_uri = 'http://example.com/callback'
+      sword = Sword.new(sub, callback_uri)
       response = sword.deposit
       cleaup_sword_files(sub)
       assert_equal(response.code, 202)
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ def cleaup_sword_files(sub)
     VCR.use_cassette('deposit', preserve_exact_body_bytes: true) do
       sub = submissions(:sub_one)
       setup_sword_files(sub)
-      sub.to_sword_package('http://example.com/callback')
-      sword = Sword.new(sub)
+      callback_uri = 'http://example.com/callback'
+      sword = Sword.new(sub, callback_uri)
       response = sword.deposit
       cleaup_sword_files(sub)
       assert_equal(response.code, 201)
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ def cleaup_sword_files(sub)
     VCR.use_cassette('invalid credentials', preserve_exact_body_bytes: true) do
       sub = submissions(:sub_one)
       setup_sword_files(sub)
-      sub.to_sword_package('http://example.com/callback')
-      sword = Sword.new(sub)
+      callback_uri = 'http://example.com/callback'
+      sword = Sword.new(sub, callback_uri)
       assert_raises RestClient::Unauthorized do
         sword.deposit
       end