A competition is open for the attribution of 1 research grant in the framework of the Project “SAFE – Smart Aquaculture for FuturE”, financed by Horizon Europe, reference 101084549, at the Research Unit - Interdisciplinary Research Center of Marine and Environmental, under the following conditions:

1. Scientific area: Biological Sciences;

2.Admission requirements: 

- Any national, foreign and stateless candidates with a bachelor degree in the area of Biological Sciences, with a final average equal or greater than 13 points (out of 20), and MSc in Molecular Biology with a final average equal or greater than 17 points (out of 20):

• Experience in RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems) maintenance and finfish trials, including handling, feeding, sampling;
• Experience in fish stress physiology, including sampling and analysis of stress biomarkers in plasma and haematological profiles;
• Experience in performing enzymatic assays related to energy metabolism and oxidative stress;
• Experience in the analyses of mucosal and plasma immune parameters;
• Autonomy in molecular biology techniques, including RNA extraction, quantification, purification, cDNA synthesis, primers design, and qPCR for gene expression;
• Completion/enrolled in a laboratory animal science course, category B;
• Fluency in both spoken and written English.

• Able to be enrolled in a doctoral program at the time of application, with the aim of consolidating its scientific training through the development of research work leading to the award of the respective PhD degree or in a non-degree course integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution, developed in association or cooperation with one or several R&D units. If the applicant is not yet enrolled, it must meet the requirements to register; enrolment will be mandatory and proof necessary only at the moment of scholarship contracting.
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• Note: In the case of enrolment in courses that do not confer academic degree, the research grant can only be awarded to those who do not exceed, with the signing of the research grant contract in question, including possible renewals, an accumulated period of two years in this type of grant, consecutive or interpolated.

Preferential conditions:

Availability to travel in Portugal and abroad within the framework of existing collaborations.

If the degree has been awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of 16 August, and any formalities established therein must be fulfilled until the signing of the contract.

3.Work plan: The work plan is centred on investigating the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of innovative dietary ingredients developed by the partners involved in the SAFE project. This assessment will be carried out by in vivo fish trials, biochemical and molecular methods. The candidate should be autonomous in several of the analytical methods, including oxidative stress, immune responses, digestive enzyme activities, using both biochemical and gene expression tools.

4. Legislation and official rules: Law nº.40/2004, 18th August (Research Fellowship Holder Statute) in its current

version; Regulations for Studentships and Fellowships of the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. and

CIIMAR Grants Regulation.

5. Work place: The selected candidate will work in the research team LANUCE in CIIMAR, at the Terminal Cruise of the Port of Leixões (Matosinhos, Portugal), under the supervision of Dr. Rodrigo Ozório and Dr. Helena Peres. 

6. Duration of the contract: Duration of twelve (12) months, under the regime of exclusive dedication, renewable up to legal terms and the projects duration.

7. Salary: The monthly maintenance allowance is 1,309.64 €, in agreement with the monthly maintenance stipend table of the grants directly attributed by FCT, I.P. within the country (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Tabela_valores_SMM_2025.pdf ), by bank transfer payment.

8. Selection methods: An overall assessment (valued from 1 to 10) of the candidates' merit will be made through the evaluation of their scientific and curricular track record, based on 3 strands and relevance for the planned project. The evaluation of the curriculum vitae will count 40% (CV), the motivation letter 10% (ML) and the scientific activity 50% (SA).

CV: For the global evaluation of the CV, the academic qualifications and the scientific path will be evaluated. 

ML: Evaluation of the candidate's motivation and ability to innovate, based on the motivation letter describing the relevance of the scientific path to the position and personal career goals. The availability to travel in Portugal and abroad within the scope of existing collaborations will also be evaluated. 

SA: The scientific activity is evaluated, based on the candidate experiences in: 

• Carrying out in vivo fish trials and the maintenance of Recirculation Aquaculture Systems (RAS);
• Sampling and processing of blood, plasma, mucus and tissues (liver, intestine, gill, muscle) for welfare-related biomarkers, including: haematological parameters, stress metabolites, oxidative stress biomarkers, energy-metabolism and digestive enzyme activities, plasma and mucosal immune parameters;
• Autonomous execution of molecular biology protocols: RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, primer design and qPCR analyses for genes involved in inflammation, antioxidant defence and immune modulation;
• Autonomous in data handling: statistical modelling, multivariate analysis and data, and ability to integrate physiological, nutritional and performance datasets;
• Communication of results through international conferences or stakeholder workshops within collaborative EU or Portuguese projects;

• Publications track record. 

   

  This global assessment will result in a pre-selection of the three best-ranked candidates, which will be communicated to the candidates.

  An interview may also be carried out, in which case all of the three pre-selected candidates will be summoned to the interview. The jury will select one candidate among the pre-selected candidates to the position. 

  If an interview to the pre-selected candidates takes place, its objective is to clarify aspects issues related to their application, namely regarding their professional and/or curricular achievements, with a weight of 20%. 

   

  9. Composition of the jury selection:

President of the jury: Rodrigo Ozório

Vogal: Helena Peres 

Vogal: Fátima Carvalho 

10. Form of Advertising/notification of results: The final results of the first evaluation step (pre-selection) will be published on the CIIMAR website as a list of candidates ranked according to the assigned valuation. These results will also be emailed to candidates. In case of disagreement, candidates have a period of 10 working days to respond, if they so wish, in a prior hearing and in accordance with the Code of Administrative Procedure. After the interviews, the final results related to the pre-selected candidates will be published on the CIIMAR website and communicated to them via e-mail. 

The jury reserves the right not to assign the position if none of the candidates meet all the requirements and match the desired profile.

11. Period for receiving applications: The application cannot exceed 20 MB and should be sent by email, between 7 until 18 July 2025, to rh@ciimar.up.pt and rodrigo.ozorio@ciimar.up.pt , with the reference of the Call “2025_054_BI_SAFE” in the “Subject” field of the email. The application must be formalized by sending the following documents:

1. Curriculum vitae, including contact data;
2. Copy of eligibility certificates (i.e. bachelor and MSc degrees).
3. Motivation letter (max 2 pages) that includes a short description of the professional activities that the candidate considers relevant for the position; 
4. Any other documents considered relevant. 

Applications that do not include all of the above elements will not be considered. False statements provided by the candidates shall be punished by law.

12. Policy of non-discrimination and equal access: CIIMAR actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access, whereby no candidate may be privileged, benefited, harmed or deprived of any right or exempt from any duty on the grounds, namely, of ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, origin or social condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, illness chronicle, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and union membership. Under the terms of Decree-Law nº 29/2001, of February 3rd, the disabled candidate has a preference in equal classification, which prevails over any other legal preference. Candidates must declare in the application form, under a commitment to honour, the respective degree of incapacity, the type of disability and the means of communication/expression to be used in the selection process, under the terms of the aforementioned diploma.