COMPETITION FOR GRANTING (1) RESEARCH INITIATION SCHOLARSHIP - #NOVAID-B205

A tender is open for the attribution of 1 Research Initiation Scholarship within the scope of the R&D project/institution “Um Centro Único de Cobre Envolvido na mitigação do gás de estufa/LAQV, with the ref. 2022.01152.PTDC, funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. /MCTES, under the following conditions:

1. Scientific Area: Biochemistry

2. Recipients profile/category:

Mandatory requirements: Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Scienses (Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or a related field), with an average of 17 or more values out of 20.

The candidates chosen to sign the contract must be enrolled in an educational project (non-degree-awarding course) at a Higher Education Institution in the academic year 2023/2024, with active enrolment and regularized situation.

BIIs may only be awarded to those who do not exceed, with the signing of the scholarship contract in question, including possible renewals, an accumulated period of two years in that type of scholarship, consecutive or interpolated. Candidates must submit a sworn statement that they are in a position to be admitted.

Preferred factors: The candidate must preferably have experience in bioelectrochemistry and kinetic assays.

3. Work Plan:

Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas, that can also react with the ozone, destroying it. The only enzyme able to reduce nitrous oxide is the nitrous oxide reductase, an enzyme that catalysis the last step of denitrification. Nitrous oxide reductase is a copper enzyme with a unique tetranuclear copper center as an active center. In this Project we aim at studying the catalytic activity and activation of Pseudomonas stuzteri nitrous oxide reductase and some variants obtained by site-directed mutagenesis, using bioelectrochemical techniques.

4. Applicable legislation and regulations:

Law No. 40/2004, of August 18, amended and republished by Decree-Law No. 202/2012 of August 27 (Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow) and amended by Decree-Law No. 233/2012 of October 29, by Law No. 12 /2013 of 29 January, by Decree-Law No. 89/2013, of 9 July and Decree-Law No. 123/2019, of 28 August; Regulation of Research Grants of NOVA.id.FCT – Association for Innovation and Development of FCT; Regulation of Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. in force (0009100105.pdf (dre.pt)).

5. Workplace:

The work will be carried out at the LAQV and UCIBIO Research Unit, Department of Chemistry, NOVA School of Science and Technology, FCT-NOVA, under the scientific guidance of Prof. Dr. Sofia Pauleta, and NOVA.id.FCT – Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT will be the contracting Institution.

6. Fellowship duration:

The fellowship will have a duration of 3 months, starting on May 2024. The fellowship contract may be eventually renewed within the duration of the project.

7. Monthly maintenance allowance amount:

The amount of the grant is 601,12 €, with reference to the table of values of grants awarded directly by FCT, I.P. in Portugal, payment being made monthly by bank transfer.

8. Selection criteria:

The selection methods to be used will be as follows: (i) Evaluation of the Curriculum vitae (70%), in which the scientific and curricular background should be indicated, (ii) a motivation letter, which should include the experience in the requested area and the reasons that led the student to apply for this scholarship and how it will contribute to the continuation of his/her scientific career (20%), and (iii) and interview (10%), which will be held for candidates who have obtained a weighted score of 16 in the first two criteria.

Each of the criteria will be graded from 0 to 20 values, for a total of 20 values after weighting.

9. Composition of the Selection Jury:

President of the Jury: Isabel Moura, PhD;

Effective Jury Members: Sofia Rocha Pauleta, PhD; Marta Sofia Peixe Carepo, PhD.

10. Form of advertising/notification of results:

The evaluation results proposed by the juri will be notified, up to 90 days after the deadline for the submission of applications, by email, of the results proposed by the jury, with access to the minutes and the final ranking list.

After notification, candidates will have 10 working days to comment on the draft decision (prior hearing of interested parties, under the terms of the Code of Administrative Procedure). The final decision will be taken after the expiry of the prior hearing period, again notified to all candidates by e-mail. Of this final decision the candidates can file a complaint within 15 working days (to the e-mail address used for the notification), or a hierarchical appeal, within 30 working days, addressed to NOVA.ID.FCT's Board through the address coord1@novaidfct.pt.

11. Application deadline and form of application submission:

Applications are open from 13rd to 24th May 2024.

Documentation to be provided when applying: Applications must be formalized, obligatorily, by sending a single PDF document containing the following documents: Curriculum vitae, certificate of qualifications and respective certificate of curricular average and letter of motivation. Candidates must also send the name and contact details of two people from whom a closed reference letter may be requested.

If they are not enrolled, at the date of application, in courses that do not lead to an academic degree, candidates must present a declaration of honor confirming that they are eligible to enroll in one.

Candidates must allow the jury to assess compliance with the condition set out in the point 2 of this edital through the Curriculum Vitae.

Form of submission of applications: Applications must be sent by e-mail to Sofia Pauleta, sofia.pauleta@fct.unl.pt, indicating in the subject “BII-N2OR”.

Documentation to be provided at the time of: Proof of enrollment in course that do not lead to an academic degree.

12. Drafts:

The drafts of: i) fellowship contract, ii) final report to be presented by the fellowship holder, iii) final report to be presented by the scientific advisor, and; iv) declaration on honor, can all be found on NOVA.id.FCT website.