Master’s Fellowship – 1 vacancy

 

Within the project – LittleFish

 

Project Ref.:º 541718158

 

Ref. ª: CCMAR/BM/01/2024

 

The Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) opens one (01) Master’s Fellowship (Bolsa de Mestrado), for applicants of any nationality, including stateless candidates, and holders of political refugee statute, in the scientific field of Biology, Ecology, Fisheries within the research project number 541718158 -  named as “LittleFish-STP - São Tome and Príncipe little fish threatened - a big opportunity to unravel this fishery resource in tropical islands.” funded by Aga Khan, Network for Development and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. under the following conditions:

 

Host and Contracting Institution: CCMAR

This fellowship is intended for R&D activities, by a student with a bachelor degree enrolled in a Master's Degree, with a view to consolidating his/her scientific training, through the development of research work leading to the achievement of a Master's degree.

 

Work Plan, Tasks to perform and objectives:
The LittleFish project will study the ecology and biology of ‘peixinho’ (Sicydium spp.), an endemic and economically exploited fish species in São Tomé e Príncipe.
Specifically, the fellowship holder will be involved in the following activities related with project's tasks 2 (Little fish: Monitoring, conservation and improve local quality of life), 3 (Field Surveys-Oceanography & Biodiversity) and 4 (Fisheries: monitoring and preliminary assessing local stocks): 
    -Prepare and apply questionaries related to the fisheries activity in local communities. 
    -Sampling of biological and scientific of fisheries data. 
    -Provide support in fish sampling, and sample processing. 
    -Prepare samples and procedures for biochemical analyses: stable isotopic and ecophysiological condition (RNA:DNA). 
    -Contribute to the general lab maintenance. 
    -Participate in the data analyses (statistical and geographic information system). 
    -Participate in the development of reports, scientific papers, dissemination actions. 
 

 

 

Scientific Supervisor:

Doctor Vânia Baptista, coordinator of the project and researcher at CCMAR.

 

Work place:

The workplace is CCMAR (Gambelas Campus of the Algarve University, Faro, Portugal) and other places necessary for the execution of the work plan. Some field work in São Tomé e Príncipe is expected.

 

Requirements for the application:

Applicants must meet all the conditions stated below:

 

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Ecology, Marine Biology and/or Ecology, Fisheries, Marine Sciences or related biological sciences field.
2. Availability to work outside the normal working hours, on weekends, holidays in accordance with the project needs, namely in field biological surveys – handling, conservation and identification of marine fauna within the specific project objectives.
3. Ability to work in team, stimulating a good working environment and ability to develop project tasks as requested by the researcher responsible for the project (supervisor).
4. Strong skills in Portuguese and English languages (both spoken and written).
5. Strong communication skills.
6. Availability to travel to São Tomé and Príncipe (demonstrated in writing in the motivation letter).
7. Driver license.
8. Diving license.
9. 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.

 

Non-compliance justifies exclusion from the procedure.

 

It is considered as an advantage:

It is desirable that the applicants have experience in (as demonstrated in their Curriculum Vitae):

1. Sampling of biological and scientific of fisheries data;
2. Prepare samples and procedures for biochemical analyses: stable isotopic and ecophysiological condition (RNA:DNA)

 

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. Curriculum Vitae (30%)
2. Experience in biochemical analyses – stable isotopic and ecophysiological condition (25%)
3. Sampling of biological and scientific of fisheries data (25%)
4. Fluency in Portuguese and English, with good communication skills (oral and written) (10%)
5. Statistics knowledge (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 12 months of the date of the present announcement.

 

Fellowship conditions: The fellowship will have a duration of 06 months, expected to start from April 2024 and eventually renewed for additional periods until the end of the project, and never exceeding a maximum of 24 months. The fellowship must be carried out full-time (exclusive regime), according to the FCT Fellowship Rules (RBI) and the  CCMAR fellowship rules (see here), which are 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 990.98€ 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 23rd of February to 8th of March of 2024 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 or Portuguese);
2. A detailed Curriculum Vitae (in English or Portuguese);
3. A copy of the Bachelor’s degree (Licenciatura) certificate;
4. The email contact of up to 3 references.

 

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.

 

Selection Committee:

Doctor Vânia Baptista, coordinator of the project and researcher at CCMAR (President of the Jury); Doctor Joana Cruz, Professor at University of Algarve and Researcher at CCMAR (member) and Doctor Pedro Morais, Researcher at CCMAR (member) and Professor Maria Alexandra Anica Teodósio, Vice - Rector at University of Algarve, team leader and researcher at CCMAR (Substitute 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 (Comprovativo de inscrição/matricula) from the Academic Services in a master degree (mestrado).
• 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:

Criteria 1 – Compliance with the activity plan (40%)

Criteria 2 – Technical and scientific performance (40%)

Criteria 3 – Commitment, 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, February the 21st 2024