NOTICE OF for 1 (ONE) Research FELLOWSHIP, WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT “UCIBIO - UNIT OF APPLIED BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES” (REFª UIDB/04378/2020), ONGOING AT THE FACULTY OF PHARMACY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTO (UCIBIO/FFUP)

The Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto hereby opens this call for applications for 1 (one) research fellowship, for a master's enrolled in a non-degree course, to carry out R&D activities within the scope of the project “UCIBIO - UNIT OF APPLIED BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES” (REFª UIDB/04378/2020), financed by national funds through the FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, at the Department of Medicine Sciences of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto (UCIBIO/FFUP), under the following conditions:

1. Research area/s: Biomolecular Sciences, Neuroscience.

2. Admission requirements:

To apply for the research fellowship, applicants must comply with the following requirements, for which documentary evidence must be provided:

1. Master degree in Bioengineering, Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related scientific areas[1];
2. To be a student enrolled in a non-academic degree course integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution developed in association or cooperation with one or several R&D units - this requirement must be proven at the time of contracting2;
3. Not benefiting from a non-degree research grant for a cumulative period of 2 (two) years, consecutive or interpolated - requirement applicable to masters eligible to enrol on a non-degree course.

3. Preferred requirements:

1. Master's final classification equal to or greater than 16, corresponding to at least a B on the European Comparability Scale (ECTS; Top 25% Percentile);
2. Previous experience in laboratory research with cells or model organisms;
3. Ability to maintain organized laboratory records;
4. Ability to work in a team and communicate in English.

4. Work Plan:

4.1. The main tasks to be performed under the scholarship are:

1. Maintenance and carrying out experiments with cells and model organisms (zebrafish);
2. Application of Microscopy and Molecular Biology techniques;
3.  Maintaining organized laboratory records and writing reports in English;
4. Microscopy image processing, data analysis and graphic representations.

4.2. When the academic degree or diploma is awarded during the term of the studentship contracts, the studentship may continue as long as the activities provided for in the work plan have not been completed and under the terms specifically provided for in the call for applications and in the contract, in accordance with Article 10(6) of the University of Porto's Research Studentship Regulation.

5. Applicable Legislation and Regulations:

The call for applications and the respective award of the studentship are governed by the provisions of the University of Porto's Research Studentship Regulation - approved by Regulation no. 184/2021, published in Diário da República, 2.ª Série, n. 43, 03^rd March, hereinafter referred to as the Regulations no. 43, of 03^rd March; the legal framework for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions; the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA), approved by Decree-Law no. 4/2015, of 7^th January; the Research Fellow Statute (EBI), approved by Law no. 40/2004, of 18^th August, in the current wording published by Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of 28^th August and; other applicable rules.

6. Workplace:

The work plan will be developed at the Applied Biomolecular Sciences Unit (UCIBIO – Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab), Department of Drug Sciences of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto and/or other locations necessary for implementation, under the scientific supervision of Professor Jorge Ascenção Oliveira.

7. Duration:

The scholarship will have a duration of 6 months, on an exclusive dedication basis, possibly renewable, following a positive evaluation, up to the limit of the period of execution of the work plan or funding, and may in no case have a duration of more than one year, when the scholarship has been awarded to master’s students enrolled in non-academic degree study programmes.

8. Monthly maintenance allowance amount:

8.1. The monthly maintenance allowance for the studentship is 1.259,64 €, in accordance with Annex I of the University of Porto's Research Studentship Regulation.

8.2. Payment will be made by Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto by bank transfer. In addition to this allowance, the s scholarship holder will be covered by personal accident insurance.

8.3. The scholarship holder can join the Voluntary Social Insurance Scheme (valid for a scholarship contract of six months or more), which is optional (not compulsory) and the reimbursement corresponds to the 1^st step of the contribution base.

9. Evaluation methods:

9.1. The selection methods are as follows: curricular assessment (AC – abbreviation in Portuguese) with a weighting of 50% and, optionally, complemented by an interview (ENT – abbreviation in Portuguese) with a weighting of 50%, which will only take place when the Jury considers that the AC does not allow it to clarify, in the intended manner, the real competences of the candidates or to distinguish which candidate is best suited to the position and functions to be performed. If this is the case, the interview will be carried out with the 3 (three) candidates best classified in the AC.

9.2. Each member of the Jury will assess the selection methods on a scale of 0 to 20 points.

9.3. The criteria and weighting factors for the curricular assessment (AC) are:

1. Master’s final average (0 to 10 points). If the candidate presents a foreign Diploma, without it being recognized with the respective final grade converted to the Portuguese grading scale by the end of the deadline for submitting the application, they will have a classification of 5 points;
2. Experience in laboratory research activities, documented by (co)-authorship in scientific communication/publication, or by a letter of recommendation (0 to 5 points);
3. Experience in analyzing images and numerical data, documented by (co)-authorship in scientific communication/publication, or by a letter of recommendation (0 a 2,5 points);
4. Experience in scientific writing, documented by (co)-authorship in a scientific publication or authorship of an academic document (monograph or thesis) (0 a 2,5 points).

9.4. The candidates who have scored 9 points or less will be excluded from the AC stage.

9.5. The following are the criteria and weighting factors for the interview (ENT), should it be held:

a) Theoretical scientific knowledge in life and health sciences (0 to 5 points);

b) Knowledge of experimental procedures and disease models (0 to 5 points);

c) Communication skills in English and data analysis skills (0 to 5 points);

d) Motivation, autonomy, proactivity, creativity, and critical thinking (0 to 5 points).

9.6. The candidates may ask the President of the Jury to authorize their interview to be conducted by videoconference, stating the reasons for this.

9.7. Failure to attend the interview stage of the selection process is equivalent to withdrawing from the competition, and applicants will be excluded from the competition.

9.8. The Final Classification (CF - abbreviation in Portuguese) will be obtained by applying the following formula: CF = (0,5*AC) + (0,5*ENT).

9.9. The candidates who score 14 points or less in the CF will be excluded from the competition.

9.10. This competition is intended exclusively to fill the vacancy indicated. In the event that no candidate demonstrates that they have the profile required to fulfil the work plan described above within the scope of this project, the Jury reserves the right not to award the position.

10. Selection panel:

Chair –Jorge Miguel de Ascenção Oliveira, PhD, Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto and Researcher at UCIBIO;

1^st effective member –Brígida Ribeiro Pinho, PhD, Researcher at UCIBIO;

2^nd effective member –Maria Clara Ferreira de Oliveira Quintas, PhD, Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto and Researcher at UCIBIO;

Substitute member –Georgina Lopes Correia da Silva, PhD, Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto and Researcher at UCIBIO;

Substitute member –Maria Helena dos Anjos Rodrigues Amaral, PhD, Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto and Researcher at UCIBIO.

11. Submission of applications:

11.1. The candidates must be submitted by 19 of June, 2024 (local time - Lisbon).

11.2. The candidates must be formalized using the online application submission system available on the website: https://sigarra.up.pt/ffup/pt/CNT_CAND_GERAL.CONCURSOS_LIST(2024/13, n. º 54).

11.3. The application must be accompanied by documents proving the conditions set out in this Notice, namely:

1. 1. Curriculum vitae;
   2. Copy of the certificate(s) of the required qualifications and degree recognition if it was obtained in a foreign Higher Education institution (this recognition can be delivered up until the time of hiring);
   3. Proof of enrollment in a study cycle or course that does not lead to an academic degree or a declaration of honor certifying that you meet the enrollment conditions and that you will present proof of enrollment until you are hired;
   4. Declaration of eligibility (attached).
   5. Motivation letter, indicating availability to start the work plan;
   6. Proof(s) of laboratory/scientific experience (Examples: thesis, monograph, article, communication, or letter of recommendation).

11.4. The candidates may also attach any other documents they feel are relevant to assessing their merit.

11.5. Failure to comply with the application submission deadline, failure to submit or late submission of the documents referred to in points a) to f) of paragraph 11.3. will result in the application being excluded.

11.6. The documents must be attached directly to the application message, without links to external platforms/disks. In order to ensure that all documents can be read, the preferred saving format is "Portable Document Format" (.pdf). The files must be labelled with the name and surname of the applicant and must not exceed 5 MB in total. These files can be compressed into .zip format.

11.7. The Jury may, whenever it deems it necessary, ask applicants to submit additional documents relating to the facts mentioned in the curriculum vitae submitted, setting a deadline for this, in the following terms:

1. the documentation referred to is not intended for the presentation of elements not mentioned in the curriculum vitae, nor for the addition of missing documents required by this Notice;
2. all applicants are informed that additional documentation has been requested.

12. False declarations:

False statements made by candidates will be penalized in accordance with the law.

13. Notification of results:

13.1. Applicants will be notified of the minutes relating to the application assessment phase(s) sent to them by email, to the address they provide for this purpose, with a receipt of delivery.

13.2. Notifications are made by email, under the terms of articles 112(1)(c) and 113(5) of the CPA.

13.3. Under the terms of article 121 et seq. of the CPA, once notified, candidates have 10 working days to comment in writing.

14. Booking list:

A booking list will be drawn up on the basis of the final ranking list, which may be used in the event of the first-placed candidate withdrawing. The Faculty's highest authority reserves the right to call the next candidate, and so on, until the vacancy is filled. This reserve list may be used for a maximum period of 12 (twelve) months from the date of publication of this Notice.

15. Policy of non-discrimination and equal access:

The University of Porto actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access, so that no applicant may be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the grounds of ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and trade union membership.