CCMAR/BD/02/2023
Doctoral Fellowship – 1 vacancy
Within the project – Plastifish
MACAU/0001/2019
Ref. ª: CCMAR/BD/02/2023
The Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) opens one (01) Doctoral Fellowship (Bolsa de Doutoramento) for applicants of any nationality, including stateless candidates, and holders of political refugee statuts, in the scientific field of Biological Sciences within the research project Plastifish with reference MACAU/0001/2019, entitled “Methods, effects and risk analysis of microplastics in fish production” funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P./MCTES (FCT) under the following conditions:
Host and Contracting Institution: CCMAR
Work Plan, Tasks to perform and objectives:
The Plastifish project will study the effects of contamination with micro (nano) plastics in fish production focusing on their role as a vehicle for emerging chemical pollutants and its physiological consequences in marine organisms.
Specifically, the fellowship holder will be involved in the following tasks and objectives:
- Development of assays to assess the nano and microplastics effects on vertebrate cell lines transcriptome and proteome.
- Perform the bioinformatic analysis of the transcriptome and proteome obtained and validation through molecular biology analysis (RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, PCR, qPCR, etc).
- Support routine maintenance of cell lines and cell culture assays (cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, wound recovery; cytotoxicity, immunofluorescence, etc).
- Development of in vitro medium-throughput biosensor assays to determine the mode of action and effects of micro and nanoparticles on vertebrate cell lines.
- Activities of technology/knowledge transfer and outreach in the context of the project objectives.
- Contribute to the general lab maintenance of the cell culture system.
Scientific Supervisor:
Professor Doctor Deborah Power, Full Professor at Algarve University and group leader at CCMAR and Doctor Rute Félix, auxiliary researcher at UALG and 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:
- A master diploma in one of the following: biotechnology, molecular biology, aquaculture, biology or related areas.
- Good knowledge of written and spoken English from a general and scientific perspective.
- Initiative and the capacity to work independently and in a team when required.
Non-compliance justifies exclusion from the procedure.
It is considered advantageous:
Preference will be given to applicants with previous experience in a scientific research laboratory. Specific selection criteria include a career track with demonstrated expertise in several of the following activities: cell culture and cell assays, protein expression and purification assays; bioinformatic tools applied to transcriptomics and proteomic analysis; molecular biology techniques (RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, PCR, qPCR).
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:
- Proven experience in cell culture - 25%;
- Proven experience in molecular biology techniques - 25%;
- Experience in bioinformatic tools applied to transcriptomics –40%;
- Work experience in a scientific research laboratory - 5%;
- 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 about any aspects of their curriculum is necessary. Should candidates be invited for an interview, the aim will be to assess in more detail and obtain further information about activities used to rank candidates (points 1 – 5 of the evaluation criteria).
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 a duration of 12 months, expected to start from April 2023 eventually renewed for additional periods up to the end of the research project or the maximum of 4 years. 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 1144.64€ 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 10th of February to 24th of February 2023 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:
- a motivation letter (in English);
- a detailed Curriculum Vitae (in English);
- a copy of the Master’s degree certificate;
- 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.
Selection Committee:
Professor Doctor Deborah Power, Full Professor at Algarve University and group leader at CCMAR (president of the jury); Doctor Rute Félix, auxiliary researcher at Algarve University and CCMAR (member); and Professor Doctor Adelino Canário, Full Professor at Algarve University, President of the board of Directors of CCMAR and group leader at 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 doctoral degree.
- 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 and participation in knowledge transfer activities (30%)
Criteria 4 – Responsibility and assiduity (10%)
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 6th 2023
