Research Fellowship – 1 vacancy

Within the project - MAR-01.03.01-FEAMP-0050
SEAFOODQual

Ref. ª: CCMAR/BINCGAM/10/2021

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: “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 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 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 expected to:

1.    Take an active role in the working group and be responsible for the assigned tasks in the project. Demonstrate initiative and the capacity to work in a team. 

2.    The BI fellow will be responsible, together with other members of the project team, for execution of assigned tasks and to ensure the continuity of various tasks in the project, namely:

a)    Commercial on-site monitoring of sea food products and cold chain management controlled by Smart labels, using quality and safety microbial and protein biomarkers under development (Task 3); -This will be the target task and includes:
⦁    Task 3.1 Visits to collaborating companies for product sampling and monitoring of production lines to test the developed biomarkers - integration into HACCP protocols.
⦁    Task 3.2 Evaluation of cold chain management using "smart labels” and in parallel product monitoring using biomarkers. Establish the “limits” and “impact” on safety, quality and shelf-life of temperature deviations during processing/shipping for commercialization. 
⦁    Task 3.3 Establishment in CCMAR of assays for safety and quality biomarkers and a monitoring service for seafood and related products (biological assays)
b)    Activities of technology/knowledge transfer and outreach, transverse to the whole project (Task 3.4);

3.    Execute the activities of validation and implementation of protein biomarkers for seafood quality and safety monitoring (transverse to the tasks referred to above) through procedures in molecular biology applied to protein analysis (protein extraction, quantification, gel electrophoresis, enzymatic kinetic), immunoassays (western blot, immunohistochemistry, ELISA) and to nucleic acids analysis (DNA/RNA extraction, RT-qPCR, electrophoresis, bioinformatic) and microbiology.

4.    Visit companies for sample collection and protocol preparation. 

5.    Execute sampling methods in sea food products (tissue sampling and sample management); and prepare activity reports, correlation maps, integration in HACCP protocols (excel, statistics software).

6.    Collaborate in the development of protocols establishing standard operating procedures in the context of the project and be responsible for rigorous sample management.

7.    Collaborate in writing scientific articles and participate in other scientific dissemination events and outreach. 

8.    Support the technical training of students, internships and other research fellows included in the project team.

9.    Provide general technical support for the laboratory hosting the platform of recombinant proteins and biosensors (ProtMar) at CCMAR, where the SEAFOODQual project is based.

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.    Have a master’s degree in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Food Sciences, Biology or related fields. 
2.    Have a good knowledge of spoken and written English.
3.    Have immediate availability (this information should be explicit in the motivation letter).
4.    Have a valid Portuguese driving license.
5.    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.
6.    The candidate must agree to enroll 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. Enrollment at the time of application is not mandatory.

Non-compliance justifies exclusion from the procedure.

It is considered as an advantage:

Work experience in a scientific research laboratory will be valued. Of specific interest is a career track with demonstrated expertise in several of the following activities: Sampling methods for sea food products (tissue sampling and sample management); Methods of molecular biology applied to protein analysis (protein extraction, quantification, gel electrophoresis SDS-PAGE, enzymatic kinetic); Immunoassays (dot blot, semiquantitative Western blot, Elisa) and software related to image analysis and acquisition and quantification; Molecular biology techniques in nucleic acid analysis (DNA/RNA extraction, RT-qPCR, electrophoresis,basic bioinformatic) and microbiology are also desirable. Experience in excel, statistical software, correlation analysis, HACCP protocols.

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.    Master academic degree grade - 25%;
2.    Proven experience in molecular biology activities that support protein analysis – 20%;
3.    Proven experience in imunoassays - 20%; 
4.    Experience in molecular biology techniques in nucleic acids analysis and microbiology - 10%;
5.    HACCP training for food safety and management systems – 5%;
6.    Work experience in a scientific research laboratory - 15%;
7.    Published scientific articles in the field of knowledge - 5%.

The selection committee reserves the right to contact and interview candidates if additional information or clarification of any curricular aspect is necessary. If required, an interview may be requested to evaluate and verify in more detail the criteria (1 -7 above) used to grade the candidate.

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 their ranking positions on the reserve list that can be used up to 6 months of the date of the present announcement.

Fellowship conditions: The fellowship will have a duration of 12 months, expected to start from November 2021. The fellowship must be carried out under an exclusive regime, according to the FCT Fellowship Regulation (RBI) and  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 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 15th of October to 29th of October 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); 
⦁    a 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 with the final classification (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) with the conversion of the final classification in the Portuguese scale; 
⦁    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 with the final classification (if awarded by a Portuguese Higher Education Institution) or a copy of the certificate of recognition of the Master degree with the conversion of the final classification in the Portuguese scale (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. 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, auxiliary 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 (Comprovativo 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) with the final classification in the Portuguese scale. 
- 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) 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
 

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

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 the 4th  2021