JUNIOR RESEARCHER (M/F) - 1 VACANCY

Natural Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences or similar field

Reference: CCMAR/ID/02/2020

The Algarve Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) opens a call for a Junior Researcher (M/F) of any nationality, including stateless candidates under an uncertain term employment contract, within Sistema de Apoio à Investigação Científica e Tecnológica (SAICT) – Call nr 02/SAICT/2017 - Projeto de Investigação Científica e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico (IC&DT), funded by Investment and Structural European Funds (FEEI) - Programa Operacional Regional do Algarve and National Funds (FCT-MEC) under the research project “CLIMFISH: Análise da vulnerabilidade da pesca costeira às mudanças climáticas na costa Portuguesa, ref. ALG-01-0145-FEDER-028518 ” Ref: PTDC/ASP-PES/28518/2017.

Job Summary and Duties: 
The Junior Researcher will contribute for the development and execution of CLIMFISH project. The tasks within CLIMFISH project are:
⦁    Carry out research, publication and support debate around climate change impact in key commercial fish species and fisheries, assess socio-economic impacts and promote adaptation strategies.
⦁    Organize and promote workshops among scientists, fishing producer’s organizations, fishing industry, fishing professionals, managers and fisheries police makers and in-person meetings with multiple stakeholder groups that could be used for fisheries management and conservation under climate change threats. 
⦁    Work and help to coordinate the multi-disciplinary team (climate scientists, ecologists, socio-economists, oceanographers) within a good working environment. 
⦁    Evaluate the effect of climate change impacts on key fish species (evaluate sensitivity, exposure and adaptability based on species biological and ecological traits) and evaluate climate change effects on fisheries socio-economic related activities (sensitivity, exposure and adaptability of the fishing sector).
⦁    Help to investigate and test new approaches, tools and methods to characterize and predict fisheries climate vulnerability and enable climate adaptation at regional scale.
⦁    Participate in developing reports and scientific papers on issues related to climate change vulnerability, impacts and adaptation (using good communication skills and an ability to simplify language for different fisheries stakeholders).
⦁    Help to lead an independent research and to apply to funding.
⦁    Train researchers at the graduate, master and doctoral level.

Relevant Legislation:
⦁    Decree-Law nr 57/2016, from 29th August, altered by Law nr 57/2017, from 19th July, (RJEC).
⦁    Portuguese Labour Law, approved by Law nr 7/2009, from 12th February in its current form.  
⦁    Decree – Law nr 124/99, from 20th  April  in its current form.
⦁    Regulatory Decree nr 11-A / 2017, of 29th December.
⦁    Decree – Law nr 29/2001 of 3rd February.
⦁    Portuguese Administrative Procedure Code

Starting Date: The contract is expected to start in October 2020 and will only last for the lengh of the project and/or for the development of eventual tasks that might be on hold within the project, as long as are marked by the project coordinator.  
 

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

Working Schedule: 35 hours per week.

Monthly Remuneration: Gross monthly Remuneration is 2134.73€ in accordance with subsection a), section 1, article 15 from Law nr 57/2017, 19th July, and with the remuneration position at initial level predicted in article 2 of Regulatory Decree nr 11-A/2017, of 29th December, correspondent to level 33 at Tabela Remuneratória Única in force, approved by  Order nr 1553-C/2008, 31st December  as currently worded. 

Application Period:  Between July 24th  and August  the 24th  2020. 

Required Profile: 
1.    PhD in Natural Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences or related area.
2.    Research experience in the climate change field or related area.
3.    Specific knowledge in marine environment ecosystems, fisheries activities (including social economic context) and of the climate effects at fisheries activities.
4.    Research capability demonstrated through publications, technical reports and presentations at conferences.
5.    Strong teamwork and communication skills.
6.    Be a holder of a B category-driving license (with permission to drive in Portugal).
7.    Fluent in  English language.

Non-compliance with any of these requirements invalidates the application. Provision of false documentation will be punished by law.

Selection panel: in accordance with article 13º of RJEC the selection panel is composed of Dr. Francisco Leitão, researcher at  CCMAR and project coordinator (President); Professor Maria Alexandra Anica Teodósio, Associate Professor with Agregação, Vice Rector of the Algarve University and researcher at CCMAR (member), Professor Paulo José Relvas de Almeida, Auxliary Professor at Algarve University and researcher at CCMAR (member) and Dr. Vânia Baptista, researcher at CCMAR (Substitute member).

Admission Process:
In a phirst phase the jury will assess the candidate’s meet of requirements. 
Candidates that do not meet all the requirements will be excluided from the present call and will not be subject to assessement. The decision of not admission is notified to the applicants by email to allow the hearing of the persons referred.

Evaluation and Selection Process:
The evaluation will result in a final classification between 0 and 100 points.

First phase: Curricular assessment
The selection will be made through the evaluation of the motivation letter and CV, which will include the activity and career development plan within the subject area, and of the candidate’s scientific and professional career path focusing on the relevance, quality, and timeliness of the criteria referred to in Article 5 (2) (a) to (d) of the RJEC. The following assessment criteria, and the candidate’s ability to perform the duties required, will be considered:

CA) Scientific and technological production in the last five years, deemed most relevant by the candidate;
CB) Activities of applied research or based on practice, developed in the last five years, that the candidate considers with greater impact;
CC) Activities of extension and dissemination of knowledge, namely in the promotion of the culture and the scientific practices, developed in the last five years, that the candidate considers more relevant, including experience in students supervision;
CD) Project management activities and programmes of science, technology and innovation, or experience in observation, monitoring and evaluation of the scientific and technological system or higher education in Portugal or abroad developed in the last five years. Included here are the activities of preparation and submission of applications for science, technology and innovation projects.

The period of five years referred in the evaluation criteria may be increased by the selection panel, at the request of the candidate, when justified on grounds of suspension of scientific activity for socially protected reasons, namely for reasons of parental leave, prolonged serious illness, and other situations of unavailability for work legally protected. 

Second phase: Interview

If the selection panel considers it necessary for the evaluation, the accepted candidates might be interviewed. Interviews will serve the sole purpose of clarifying aspects related to the results of scientific research of the candidates. 

Functioning of the Selection Panel
Each member of the selection panel will assess all the candidates in all the factors from CA to CD scoring between 0 and 100, and must present the reasons for the scores attributed. Abstention is not allowed.
 
The curricular assessment (C) of each candidate is obtained according with the following formulation, expressed to the first decimal.
C = CA*35 + CB*48 + CC*15 + CD*2

The final result of the Curricular Assessment (0-100) will be obtained from the average of the scores given, independently and in writing, by each jury member, abstentions are not allowed.

The final score (FS) of each candidate will be obtained according to the average of the final results of the curricular assessment and of the interview (I), weighted as follows, expressed to the first decimal:

FS = C*90 + I*10
In case of a draw the vote of the President of the selection panel decides. 
If the jury decides to not hold interviews the final score of the applicant shall be equal to the final result of the curricular assessment.
The jury reserves the right to exclude all candidates with a final score inferior to 70 points. 

The selection panel will write minutes of the meetings with a description of the evaluation and selection process including an ordered list of candidates, their classification, and the final decision. The CCMAR Board of Directors shall validate the final decision of the selection panel.
In the event that no applicant has the necessary profile, or the funding conditions have significantly changed since the announcement of this position, the selection committee reserves the right to close the call without any recruitment. In the event that the selected person does not accept the position or resigns during the contract, the jury reserves the right, upon convenience and opportunity, to assign the post to the next applicant in accordance with the ranking positions.

Application submission process and documents: Only applications submitted through the CCMAR website will be considered: https://www.ccmar.ualg.pt/list/job. Applications are considered to be correctly submitted only after the candidate has received a confirmation e-mail from CCMAR. Applications (in English) should include a Motivation Letter (including a personal assessment of the relevance of the activities of the last five years for the present competition), copy of the candidate’s Ph.D. certificate, a detailed CV, other documents deemed as relevant for the application, and the email contacts of up to 3 referees.

Results: The lists of admitted and excluded candidates, and the final classification list, shall be posted on the CCMAR website at https://www.ccmar.ualg.pt/list/job-closed and all candidates will be notified by email.  

Preliminary Hearing and Final Decision Deadline: After notification, candidates have 10 working days to contest the preliminary decision. The final decisions will be announced within 90 days of the application deadline.

Candidates holding degrees awarded by a foreign university should have their degree recognized in Portugal no later than 10 days after receiving the communication of selection for a position. Non-compliance justifies exclusion from the procedure. Information about the recognition procedures can be obtained at any Portuguese university or here. The board of directors reserves the right, upon request from the candidate, to extend the compliance period provided it does not impact negatively the programmed activities.

Disabled candidates shall be preferred in a situation of equal classification, 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.  

The members of the jury approved this announcement on July 21st 2020.