Post-Doctoral Fellowship – 1 vacancy

Within the project - EJPRD/0004/2020
PhysPath-KS

Ref. ª: CCMAR/BPD/01/2021

The Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) opens a position for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship (BPD -  Bolsa de Pós-Doutoramento) within the research project: EJPRD19-290/PhysPath-KS – “Understanding the pathophysiology of Keutel syndrome: A path towards cure” reference EJPRD/0004/2020 funded by the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases and by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the following conditions:

Work Plan and Tasks to perform:
The PhysPath-KS project is focused on the study of the molecular mechanisms and gene pathways involved in the development of Keutel syndrome, using in vitro and in vivo approaches. 

Specifically, the fellowship holder will be involved in the following tasks:

1.    Characterization of the phenotype of heterozygous and / or homozygous mutant zebrafish carrying mutations in the gene of the matrix Gla protein (MGP), i.e. analysis of (i) gene expression, (ii) protein accumulation, (iii) histomorphology and histochemistry and (iv) behavior;
2.    Development of molecular tools to generate negative dominant approaches to MGP in order to identify the effect of the mutations under study on the initial development of zebrafish;
3.    Preparation of project reports and new projects to be submitted for funding;
4.    Supervision of research work / monographies of undergraduate and master students.

Supervisor:
Professor Leonor Cancela

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

Requirements for the application:
This Post-Doctoral fellowship (BPD) is intended for PhDs that hold a Doctoral Degree in Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences or similar areas obtained in the three years prior to the date of submission of this application. Candidates that carried out their PhD with CCMAR as host institution are not eligible.

Desirable skills:
Effective technical experience in: 
1.    Molecular biology techniques;
2.    The use of zebrafish as a disease model;
3.    The use of drugs / nucleic acids for in vivo screening experiments for analysis and rescue of phenotypes;
4.    Cell culture and cell differentiation techniques;
5.    Gene editing / gene expression studies.

Evaluation criteria: Through analysis of the candidate’s Curriculum Vitae and motivation letter, the evaluation criteria are as follows:
1.    Curriculum evaluation: 60%
2.    Proven technical experience of desirable skills: 30%
3.    Written and oral fluency in English: 10%

The Selection Committee reserves the right to contact or interview applicants if further information or clarification about their application is required.

In the event that no applicant has the necessary profile, the Selection Committee reserves the right to close the call without recruitment. If the selected candidate does not take up the position because of failure to comply with documentary requirements or any other reason, or if it resigns, the Selection Committee reserves the right, upon convenience and opportunity, to select applicants from the same call following the position in the ranked list.  

Fellowship conditions: The fellowship will have an initial duration of 06 months, expected to start from May 2021 and can be renewed never exceeding a maximum of 36 months and up until the end of the project. The fellowship must be carried out under an exclusivity regimen, according to the CCMAR fellowship regulations (see here https://bit.ly/3aXyXQu), 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 1646€ 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 16th of April to 30th of April 2021.

Application process: 
Applications should be submitted online at https://www.ccmar.ualg.pt/list/job and include:
⦁    a motivation letter (in English); 
⦁    a detailed Curriculum Vitae (in English); 
⦁    copy of the Doctoral Certificate (if awarded by a Portuguese Higher Education Institution) or copy of the certificate of recognition of the Doctoral 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); 
⦁    A declaration of honour available in the application platform for applicants that cannot provide a copy of the doctoral certificate or of the certificate of recognition, as indicated above; 
⦁    The email contact of up to 3 referees.

Results and Preliminary Hearing: The selection 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). 

Selection Committee: 
Professor Leonor Cancela, Professor at Algarve University and researcher at CCMAR (President); Doctor Paulo Gavaia, researcher at CCMAR (Member), Doctor Vincent Laizé, researcher at CCMAR (Member), and Professor Natércia Conceição, Professor at Algarve University and researcher at CCMAR (substitute member).

Notes:
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.

ImageCCMAR’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.