Research Fellowship – 1 vacancy

 

Within the project - MAR-01.03.01-FEAMP-0050

SEAFOODQual

 

Ref. ª: CCMAR/BINCGAL/13/2022

The Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) opens one (01) Research Fellowship for a person with a Bachelor Degree (Bolsa de Investigação não conducente à obtenção de grau académico para licenciado), for applicants of any nationality, including stateless candidates, and holders of political refugee statute, in the scientific field of Biological Sciences within the research project: SEAFOODQual -“Aplicação de Tecnologias Inovadoras e Sustentáveis de Processamento e de Monitorização de Qualidade de Produtos Alimentares do Mar” reference MAR-01.03.01-FEAMP-0050 cofunded by the Operational Programme Mar 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through the European Fund for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries under the following conditions:

 

Host and Contracting Institution: CCMAR

This fellowship is intended for Bachelor Degree holders that are enrolled in a non-academic degree course, integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution and developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units at the starting date of the fellowship.

 

Work Plan, Tasks to perform and objectives:

The SEAFOODQual project will study the application of innovative and sustainable technologies of processing and quality monitoring of sea food products, aiming to extending shelf-life and improving seafood product quality and safety.

 

Specifically, the fellowship holder will be involved in the following tasks:

1. Take an active role in the working group and be responsible for the assigned tasks included in the project.
2. The BI fellow will be responsible, together with other members of the project team, for the execution of the following tasks included in the current project, namely:

 

1. Development of processing assays for fish and shellfish products (Task 1-give technical support and visit companies for sample collection/ equipment handling/ tissue sampling/sample management);
2. Apply standard monitoring methods for analysis of sea food quality and safety (Task 1-give technical support for microbiological assays and measurement of food related biochemical/biophysical parameters such as lipid oxidization, colour, texture and also support the preparation of standard operating protocols);
3. Development and validation of novel biomarkers for seafood quality and safety monitoring [Task 2-by giving technical support in molecular biology techniques to support protein analysis and related immune-technics targeted allergenicity assessment and also the microbiome analysis (namely: protein/RNA extraction; quantification; RT-PCR/Q-PCR; Gel electrophoresis for protein and nucleic acid extractions; dot blot; western blot semiquantitative; bioinformatic analysis of sequences)].

 

3. Develop and present activity reports and collaborate in the development of protocols establishing standard operating procedures in the context of the project and be responsible for rigorous sample management both records and storage.
4. Collaborate in the writing of scientific articles and in other scientific dissemination events and outreach (Task 3) and in activities linked to technology/knowledge transfer.
5. Provide general technical support for the laboratory hosting the platform of recombinant proteins and biosensors (ProtMar) at CCMAR, where the SEAFOODQual project is based.
6. Be available to travel, have good skills in English, and demonstrate initiative and the capacity to work in a team. Update professional skills, through training to support research excellence.

 

Scientific Supervisor:

Dr. Liliana Anjos Guerreiro (auxiliary researcher) at UALG/CCMar and Professor Dr. Deborah Power (group leader and full professor) at UALG/CCMar

 

Work place:

The workplace is CCMAR (Gambelas Campus of the Algarve University, Faro, Portugal). 

 

Requirements for the application:

Applicants must meet all the conditions stated below:

1. Bachelor Degree in Biochemistry and/or Biotechnology.
2. Good Knowledge of written and spoken English.
3. Immediate availability (this information should be explicit in the motivation letter).
4. This fellowship may only be granted to those who do not exceed, with the conclusion of the present fellowship contract, an accumulated period of two years in this type of fellowship, consecutive or otherwise, to be confirmed through the candidate’s CV.

 

Non-compliance justifies exclusion from the procedure.

 

It is considered as an advantage:

Have work experience in a scientific research laboratory (demonstrated initiative and a good level of independence and teamwork is important). Of specific interest is a career track with demonstrated expertise in several of the following activities:

1. Development of protein biomarkers for seafood quality and safety;
2. Methods of molecular biology applied to protein analysis (protein extraction, quantification, gel electrophoresis native and denaturing), a working knowledge of software and bioinformatics tools (database research and sequence analysis);
3. Immunoassays (dot blot, semiquantitative Western blot and softwares related to image analysis and acquisition);
4. Tissue sampling and sample management (Sampling and homogenization methods for fish muscle tissue directed to protein solubilization); data analysis and management;
5. The use of general laboratory equipment and its maintenance, including tissue homogenizers, image analysis systems and documentation, sample management and development of laboratory protocols and procedures;
6. Molecular biology techniques in nucleic acids analysis and bioinformatic is desirable (RT-qPCR, primers design, sequence analysis, alignments, phylogenies).

 

In the event of a tie between candidates during the selection process, this argument may be used to select the candidates.

 

Evaluation criteria:

Through the analysis of the application documents the evaluation criteria for the applications and their relative weight for ranking are as follows:

1. Bachelor academic degree grade - 25%.
2. Experience in the development of seafood quality and safety protein biomarkers - 20%.
3. Experience in protein analysis techniques - 20%.
4. Experience in imunoassays - 20%.
5. Work experience in a scientific research laboratory - 15%.

 

The selection committee reserves the right to contact and interview candidates if additional information or clarification of any curricular aspect is necessary. In case it takes place, the interview aims to evaluate in more detail the curricular items used to grade the candidate according to the list above.

 

In the event that no applicant has the necessary profile, the selection committee reserves the right to close the call without any recruitment. In the event that the selected person does not take up the position because of failure to comply with documentary requirements or any other reason, or later during the contract if they resign, the jury reserves the right, upon convenience and opportunity, to assign the post to the next applicant in accordance with the ranking positions based on the selectable reservation list that can be used up to 4 months of the date of the present announcement.

 

Fellowship conditions: The fellowship will have an estimated duration of 5 months or until the end of the research project in 31-12-2022 and is expected to start from August 2022. The fellowship must be carried out under an exclusivity regimen, according to the FCT Fellowship Regulation (RBI) and of the  CCMAR fellowship regulations (see here) based on the Portuguese law 40/2004, of 18 of August (Scientific Research Fellowship holder statutes) amended by the Decree-Law 123/2019 of 28 of August. A maintenance allowance of 875.98€ will be paid monthly, through bank transfer, and will be updated as stipulated by the Foundation for Science and Technology (see here https://bit.ly/2ZcxUGJ).

 

Application period: from 13th of May 2022 to 27th of May 2022 at 23:59 (Lisbon time, Portugal).

 

Application process and mandatory documents:

Complete applications must be submitted online at https://www.ccmar.ualg.pt/list/job and must include:

1. a motivation letter (in English);
2. a detailed Curriculum Vitae (in English);
3. the declaration of honour, available from the application platform, declaring the intention to enrol in a non-academic degree course, integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution and developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D unit, if the candidate is selected for the position;
4. a copy of the Bachelor degree Certificate with the final classification in the Portuguese scale (if awarded by a Portuguese Higher Education Institution) or a copy of the certificate of recognition of the Bachelor degree with the final classification in the Portuguese scale by a Portuguese Public Higher Education Institution or by DGES – Directorate General for Higher Education (if the degree was awarded by a foreign University).
5. the complete declaration of honour, available from the application platform, if they are unable at the time of application, to provide a copy of the Bachelor degree certificate with the final classification in the Portuguese scale (if awarded by a Portuguese Higher Education Institution) or a copy of the certificate of recognition of the Bachelor degree with the final classification in the Portuguese scale (if the degree was awarded by a foreign University), as indicated above;
6. the email contact of up to 3 referees.

 

Non-compliance with these documents/information determines the immediate rejection of the application.

 

Results and Preliminary Hearing: The admission and evaluation results will be communicated by email within 90 working days after the application deadline. After notification, candidates have 10 working days to contest the preliminary decision.

 

Candidates holding degrees awarded by a foreign university should have their degree recognized in Portugal no later than the date indicated in the communication of selection for the position. Non-compliance justifies exclusion from the procedure. Information about the recognition procedures can be obtained at any Portuguese public higher education institution or by Directorate General for Higher Education – DGES (here https://bit.ly/3afyQQU). CCMAR Board of Directors reserves the right to extend the aforementioned period, at the request of the candidate and if it does not negatively impact the fulfillment of the work plan.

 

Selection Committee: Dr. Liliana Anjos Guerreiro, auxiliary researcher at UALG/CCMar (president), Professor Dr. Deborah Power group leader and full professor at UALG/CCMar (member), and Dr. Patrícia Pinto researcher at UALG/CCMAR (member).

 

Notes:

Hiring Documents

After the candidate is selected and for the hiring purpose the following documentation/information will be requested:

- proof of the enrolment (Certidão de inscrição/matricula) from the Academic Services in a non-academic degree course (in accordance with the declaration on honour).

-  If applicable, copy of the bachelor degree (if awarded by a Portuguese Higher Education Institution) with the final classification.

- If applicable, certificate of recognition of the bachelor degree by a Portuguese Public Higher Education Institution or by DGES – Directorate General for Higher Education (if the degree was awarded by a foreign University) with the final classification in the Portuguese scale.

- Declaration of commitment stating the exclusivity regime.

- Civil, fiscal and social security Identification (if applicable)

- Account Number – IBAN

- Ciência ID: https://www.ciencia-id.pt/CienciaID/HomePage.aspx

- If applicable, a statement from the candidate saying that does not exceed, with the conclusion of the present fellowship contract, an accumulated period of two years in this type of fellowship, consecutive or otherwise.

- Proof of country of residence, residence authorization, or other document legally equivalent, if applicable, in force at the time of fellowship start date.

 

Fellowship Agreement model

After the candidate selection and all information is received, it will be signed a fellowship agreement in accordance with the model  here

 

Fellowship holder Assessment

At the end of each period of duration of the fellowship contract, the activity developed by the fellowship holder will be evaluated by the supervisor, by applying the following criteria, in accordance with the model below.

 

Criteria 1 - Compliance with the activity plan (30%)
Criteria 2 – Technical and scientific performance (30%)
Criteria 3 – Development of scientific activity reports/scientific papers and participation in knowledge transfer activities (20%)
Criteria 4 – Responsibility and assiduity (20%)

 

Supervisor report model here

 

 

Fellowship holder report

By the end of each fellowship period the fellowship holder must present a report. You can find the fellowship holder final report model here

 

The board of Directors reserves the right, due to a change in circumstances at the date of the present announcement, to cancel the present call without any recruitment.

Disabled candidates shall be preferred in a situation of equal ranking, and said preference supersedes any legal preferences. Candidates must declare, on their honour, their respective disability degree, type of disability and communication / expression means to be used during selection period on their application form, under the regulations above.

CCMAR’s non-discrimination and equal access opportunities policy – No candidate can be privileged, benefited, jeopardised or be deprived of any right or exempt of any claim in regards to descendent, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, economic situation, origin, social economy, genetic heritage, disability, chronic disease, nationality, ethnicity, territory of origin, language, religion, politics, ideology or union membership. 

Faro, May 3rd  2022