Master's Fellowship – 1 vacancy

 

Within the project – Spermantiox

 

Project Ref.: PTDC/CVT-CVT/4109/2020

 

Ref. ª: CCMAR/BM/20/2023

 

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 status, in the scientific field of aquaculture, laboratorial or biological sciences, within the research project Spermantiox – ref. PTDC/CVT-CVT/4109/2020 – “New approaches on the antioxidant diet-effect in fish sperm traits: the role of sperm microRNAs on transgenerational transmission” 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 R&D activities, by a student with a bachelor degree enrolled in a Master's Degree, at the beginning of the fellowship, 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 Spermantiox project is focused on studying the benefits of antiozidants supplements in the feed, in gamete quality.

 

The selected fellowship holder will be involved in the following tasks and objectives:

 

1. Zootechnical aquaculture routines (such as maintenance and feeding) of gilthead seabream broodstock and juveniles housed at Ramalhete research station.
2. Participation in the scheduled samplings as part of ongoing experiments.
3. Assistance in laboratory analyses of collected samples, both gametes and seminal plasma. For gametes analysis the techniques predicted are the following: sperm motility monitoring using the CASA system, determination of lipid peroxidation by MDA, and DNA fragmentation assessment through the comet assay. Regarding seminal plasma samples, it is expected that the grantee will support activities related to the extraction and characterization of exosomes using the IZON equipment.
4. Support in other activities within the project or the Aquaculture Research Group at CCMAR.

 

Scientific Supervisor:

Professor Doctor Elsa Cabrita, Professor at Universidade do Algarve, group leader, coordenadotor of the project and researcher at CCMAR (Presidente of the jury). 

 

 

 

 

Work place:

CCMAR (Campus de Gambelas da Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal) ramalhete station and eventually other places necessary for the completion of the work plan.

 

Requirements for the application:

Applicants must meet the following conditions stated below:

 

1. Bachelor´s degree in Marine Sciences, Biological Sciences, or similar areas.
2. Experience in fish reproduction and notion of gamete quality analysis.
3. Basic Knowledge on protocols of extracellular vesicles extraction.
4. Good knowledge of English (oral and written).

 

Non-compliance justifies exclusion from the procedure.

 

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. Bachelor´s degree final grade (25%).
2. Demonstrated experience in fish reproduction and gamete analysis (25%).
3. Notions of techniques of extracellular vesicles extraction (25%)
4. English level (25%)

 

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 06 months of the date of the present announcement.

 

Fellowship conditions: The fellowship will have an initial duration of 08 months, or until the end of the project, expected to start from November 2023 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 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 930.98€ 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 27th of September 2023 to 13th of October 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 at risk of exclusion, the following documents:

1. a motivation letter (in English);
2. a detailed Curriculum Vitae (in English);
3. a copy of the Bachelor degree Certificate.
4. 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 Elsa Cabrita, Professor at Universidade do Algarve, group leader, project Coordinator and researcher at CCMAR (President of the jury), Doctor Elvira Fatsini, researcher at  CCMAR (member); Doctor Alexandros Tsakogiannis, researcher at CCMAR (member) and Doctor Catarina Oliveira researcher at  CCMAR and UALG (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 (Certidão de inscrição/matricula) from the Academic Services in a Master’s Degree as mentioned above.

- 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 – Performance of proposed tasks in zootechnics and laboratory (50%)

Criteria 2 – Ability to analyse data and scientific writing (50%)

 

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, September 25th 2023