Jan Duursema's first published comics work appeared in Heavy Metal vol.

[3] She briefly worked with John Ostrander on the Hawkworld series in 1992[3] and again the following year when the title was cancelled and relaunched as Hawkman.

[10] In 2011 Nike, Inc. commissioned Duursema and fellow comics artist Amanda Conner to create artwork for the Make Yourself: A Super Power advertising campaign.

[11] Duursema received the Russ Manning Outstanding Newcomer Award in 1983.

Duursema is married to fellow comic book artist Tom Mandrake, whom she met while both were students at The Kubert School.