Research Fellowship – 1 vacancy

Within the project – A-Fish-DNA-Scan
Project number: CIRCNA/BRB/0156/2019

Ref. ª: CCMAR/BINCGAM/13/2021

The Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) opens one (01) Research Fellowship for a person with a Master Degree (Bolsa de Investigação não conducente à obtenção de grau académico para mestre), 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: CIRCNA/BRB/0156/2019, named as A-Fish-DNA-Scan “Cutting-edge DNA-based approaches for improved monitoring and management of fisheries resources along Magellan-Elcano´s Atlantic route” funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P./MCTES through national funding (PIDDAC) under the following conditions:

Host and Contracting Institution: CCMAR
This fellowship is intended for Master’s 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 A-Fish-DNA-Scan project aims to develop and implement a DNA metabarcoding method for species profiling of ichthyoplankton, and to explore the utility of eDNA for monitoring marine fish communities. 

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

i.    Provide support in ichthyoplankton and eDNA sampling and sample processing 
ii.    Field preparation and equipment maintenance for field surveys. 
iii.    Taxonomic identification and processing of ichthyoplankton samples. 
iv.    Contribute to the general lab maintenance.

Scientific Supervisor:
Dr. Miguel Santos, Coordinator of the project at CCMAR and researcher at IPMA and CCMAR and Professor Joana Cruz, Invited Assistant Professor at UALG (member).

Work place:
The workplace is CCMAR (Gambelas Campus of the Algarve University, Faro, Portugal), in the laboratory of the ECOREACH group (Building 7, 2.66), but it will be necessary to perform field work.

Requirements for the application:
Applicants must meet all the conditions stated below:

1. Have a master’s degree in Biology, Marine Biology and/or Ecology, Fisheries, Marine Sciences or similar area.
2. Have a good knowledge of spoken and written English.
3. 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 and should be explicit in the motivation letter.
4. The candidate must agree to enrol in a non-academic degree course offered by a higher education institution and developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units at the start of the fellowship. Enrolment at the time of application is not mandatory.

Non-compliance justifies exclusion from the procedure.

It is desirable that the applicants have experience in (as demonstrated in their Curriculum Vitae):
a)    Zooplankton sampling techniques.
b)    Morphological identification of ichthyoplankton communities of coastal and estuarine areas.

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) CV, including publication record (70%)
2) Zooplankton experience, including in situ sampling and identification (20%)
3) Fluency in English, with good communication skills (oral and written) (10%)

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 6 months of the date of the present announcement.

Fellowship conditions: The fellowship will have an initial duration of 6 months, expected to start from  December 2021 eventually renewed for periods of 3 months, or until the end of the project never exceeding a total maximum of 12 months. 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 1104.64€ 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 29th October  to 15th  November 2021. 

Application process and mandatory documents: 
Complete applications must be submitted online at https://www.ccmar.ualg.pt/list/job and must include:
⦁    a motivation letter (in English);
⦁    a detailed Curriculum Vitae (In English); 
⦁    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;
⦁    a copy of the Master degree Certificate (if awarded by a Portuguese Higher Education Institution) or a copy of the certificate of recognition of the Master 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; 
⦁    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 Master degree certificate (if awarded by a Portuguese Higher Education Institution) or a copy of the certificate of recognition of the Master degree (if the degree was awarded by a foreign University), as indicated above; 
⦁    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). The CCMAR board of Directors reserves the right to extend the above mentioned period, after request from the selected applicant, and as long as it does not cause a negative impact the working plan. 

Selection Committee: 
Dr. Miguel Santos, Coordinator of the project at CCMAR and researcher at IPMA and CCMAR (president of the jury), Professor Maria Alexandra Anica Teodósio, Vice - Rector at Algarve University (UALG) and researcher at CCMAR (Member) and Professor Joana Cruz, Invited Assistant Professor at UALG (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 (Recibo 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 master degree (if awarded by a Portuguese Higher Education Institution). 
- If applicable, certificate of recognition of the master 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). 
- 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

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.

1 - Field work (40%) 
2 - Laboratory work (40%)
3 - Personal relationships and commitment (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. 

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, October 25th, 2021