Call for the award of 1 (one) Research Grant for Masters enrolled in a non-conferring degree course - Notice No. BICNCG/2/FARM-ID/2023

Preferred Requirements:

• Experience in the synthesis of polymers, nanotechnology and immune-oncology;
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Admission Requirements:

• Master degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry or related areas;
• Be enrolled in a non-conferring degree course*

*If the candidates do not yet possess the supporting documents referring to the enrolment in a non-conferring academic degree course, in the application stage, these can be temporarily substituted by a declaration on honour. The proof of the enrolment must be carried out until the date of contract signature, under consequence of withdrawal of the candidate’s assessment due to error regarding the factual assumptions, and consequent exclusion from the application.

The monthly maintenance stipend (grant) corresponds to 1.144,64€, according to the table of values directly attributed by FCT, I.P. in Portugal (https://former.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores.phtml.pt). Payment will be made via bank transfer.

In addition to the monthly maintenance stipend, the grant holder will also be awarded with the value corresponding to the payment of the first step of Seguro Social Voluntário (voluntary payment of Social Security), in case he/she chooses to be included in this regime.

1. Form containing the candidate's identification (available on the institutional website);
2. Curriculum Vitae containing the information necessary for the evaluation of the application;
3. Certificate proving the possession of a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Therapeutics or related areas;
4. Proof of enrolment in a non-conferring degree course, or substitution by presenting a declaration of honour (available on the institutional website);
5. Declaration of honour stating that there is no professional activity that violates the exclusivity regime (available on the institutional website);
6. Letter of motivation;
7. Contact of two references (optional);
8. Other supporting documents considered relevant.

All the documents necessary for the correct application are available on the institutional website through the link: https://www.ff.ulisboa.pt/faculdade/recursos-humanos/recrutamento/bolsadeinvestigacaocursonaoconferentedegrau-ptdc-btm-sal-4350-2021/ ‎

The documents that instruct the application must be submitted in Portuguese or English language.

No document that should have been submitted in the application phase can be submitted after the deadline set in the opening notice. Failure to comply with the deadline set for the submission of the application, as well as the lack or late submission of documents referred to in this point will determine the exclusion from the competition.

Candidate's Merit: Aims to assess compliance with the formal requirements requested in the opening notice, but also to consider the suitability of the scientific area of training and/or specialization, training and professional experience, with a maximum weighting of 100%.

Adequacy of the Scientific Training Area (AACF): Candidates will be ranked based on their background and scientific area, with a maximum weighting of 15%

• Master degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry or related areas (M) – 0 to 20 values.

Training and Experience (FE): Candidates will be ranked based on their training, as well as experience and participation in projects developed in the field of nanotechnology   with a view to modelling the frequency and function of immune cells and the stroma of the tumour microenvironment, with a maximum weighting of 50%

• Experience in polymer synthesis, nanotechnology and immune-oncology (ESPNIO) – with a maximum weighting of 25%
• Flow cytometry techniques (TCF) – with a maximum weighting of 10%
• Cell culture techniques (TCC) – with a maximum weighting of 10%
• Proficiency in Portuguese and English language (DOMPI) – with a maximum weighting of 5%

Specific competencies for the proposed work plan (CEPTP): Candidates will be ranked based on experience in developing nanosystems for immune-modelling, with a maximum weighting of 35%

• Preference will be given to candidates with experience in the synthesis of lactic acid-derived biodegradable polymers, conjugation of small sugars to these polymers, incorporation of peptides and small molecules, culture of dendritic cells and pre-clinical development studies (EXP) – 0 to 20 values.

In case if proves necessary, an individual interview will be held with the candidates. The interview will not be scored or will it have weight in the Final Classification, and will only serve to clarify the information provided.

Final Classification: The score obtained in the final classification results from the sum of the points obtained in the Candidate's Merit, in which an individual form will be filled for each candidate.

The Jury responsible for the selection will be constituted by:

President – Helena Isabel Fialho Florindo Roque Ferreira, Associated Professor with Habilitation, Faculty of Pharmacy of Universidade de Lisboa

1^st Member of the Jury – Rita Alexandra do Nascimento Cardoso Guedes, Associated Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy of Universidade de Lisboa;

2^nd Member of the Jury – Maria Luísa Teixeira de Azevedo Rodrigues Corvo, Assistant Researcher, Faculty of Pharmacy of Universidade de Lisboa;

1^st Alternate Member of the Jury – João Pedro Martins de Almeida Lopes, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy of Universidade de Lisboa;

2^nd Alternate Member of the Jury – Helena Maria Cabral Marques, Associated Professor with Habilitation, Faculty of Pharmacy of Universidade de Lisboa.

Form of notification of results: All candidates will be notified of the final results of the evaluation by email, and will have 10 working days after the aforementioned notification to say something, in accordance with the terms of the Code of Administrative Procedure.

After this notification, and in case there are no claims, the results will become final. In case of claims, and after the allegation is analysed and accepted or rejected, the results will become final after 10 business days.

After the final decision is made, a complaint/appeal can be filed to the Director of the FARM-ID – Faculty of Pharmacy Research and Development Association, Maria Beatriz da Silva Lima, PhD, Full Professor, within 10 working days from the date of notification.

Applicable legislation and regulations: Regulation of Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (FCT, IP), Regulation no. 950/2019, published in the Diário da República, 2nd Series, no. 241, of December 16, 2019, of the Regulation of Research Grants of the University of Lisbon, Order no. 6238/2020, of 12 June, published in the Diário da República, 2nd Series, no. 113, of 12 June 2020, and of the Research Fellowship Statute (EBI), Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of 28 August, published in Diário da República, 1st Series, no. 164, of 28 August 2019.