EDITAL N.º 006/2023

OPEN CALL FOR RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATION WITHIN THE TERMS LAID DOWN ON ARTICLE 1 OF UNIVERSITY OF ALGARVE’S RESEARCH GRANTS REGULATION

TITLE: One Master Grant

It is now open a call for one Master Grant within the project RESPONSE – “Toward a risk-based assessment of microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems” MICROPLAST/0005/2020, funded by the program JPI Oceans, by National Funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Operational Program CRESC Algarve 2020, from Portugal2020, under the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Marine and Environmental Sciences

Admission requirements: hold a Master degree in Marine Sciences, or in Marine and Earth Sciences, or Marine and Coastal Systems, or Environmental Chemistry, or Environmental Sciences, or Biochemistry, or Marine Biology, or Ecology or in related scientific areas. as well as the experience required in research and other admission requirements, including preferential factors, , taking into consideration the of University Of Algarve’s Research Grants Regulation (https://files.dre.pt/2s/2021/10/210000000/0013700149.pdf ).

Work plan: the work to be developed consists of supporting the accomplishment of the work foreseen in the project and includes the realization of laboratory experiments to evaluate the effects of micro and nanoplastics and their lixiviates on bivalve molluscs.

Candidates must be enrolled in a degree-granting study cycle or in a post-graduate course that does not confer an academic degree.

Applicable Legislation and regulations: Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow, approved by Law nº 40/2004, of August 18, in the current wording conferred by Decree-Law nº 123/2019, of August 28 and the Regulation of Research Grants of the University of Algarve () and the Regulation for Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology (https://www.fct.pt/apoios /bolsas/docs/RegulamentoBolsasFCT2019DR.pdf).

Working place: The work will be developed at CIMA – Centre on Marine and Environmental Research from the University of Algarve, under the supervision of Professor Maria João Bebianno

Duration of the grant: The grant will have a first contract  of 6 months, scheduled to start in March 2023. The contract can be renewed until the end of the project considering UAlg’s Research Grants Regulation. (https://files.dre.pt/2s/2021/10/210000000/0013700149.pdf)

Value of monthly maintenance allowance: The monthly maintenance stipend corresponds to 1.144,64 euros. (https://files.dre.pt/2s/2022/03/057000000/0023900239.pdf). The salary will be paid monthly by bank transfer.

Selection criteria will be as follows: In accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of article 11 of the FCT Research Scholarship Regulation. IP, the evaluation of candidates focuses only on the following criteria: curriculum evaluation (35%), experience in analysis and quantification of microplastics and nanoplastics in samples of marine organisms (25%), Experience in the evaluation of mechanisms of ingestion and elimination of micro and nanoplastics (15%), experience in analysis and evaluation of biomarker indices (25%).

The evaluation process may include, if the jury considers necessary, an interview to be carried out by the candidates or a part of them, to be selected by the evaluation panel, which will have a maximum weight of 10%.

The tender jury shall comprise the following members: 

 -  Maria João Bebianno   ( President);

-   Flávio Martins   ( Vogal efetivo);

-   Delminda Moura  ( Vogal efetivo);

-   Cristina Veiga Pires (Vogal Suplente)

Publication and notification of the results: Final results will be publicized through an ordered list according to the final grade and posted in a conspicuous and public local of Building 7 (CIMA) and communicated to the applicants by e-mail to the addresses indicated by each candidate.

Deadline for applications and submission forms: the call is open from 13/02/2023 a 24/02/2023.

Applications must be accompanied by the following documents:

•          Official identification document (simple copy or legal equivalent). If you have a nationality other than Portuguese, you should present a residence permit, permanent residence certificate or long-term resident status, valid on the scholarship start date, any of which may be replaced, in its absence, by a declaration of commitment. However, one of the previous must be delivered at the contracting phase, under penalty of forfeiture of the granting of the scholarship;

•          Copy of the qualification certificates of the academic degrees held, specifying the final classification and, if possible, the classifications obtained in all subjects taken;

•          If the doctorate has been awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must conform to the rules established in Decree-Law no. 66/2018 of August 16, and all required formalities must be complied with up to the date of termination deadline for submission of the application. If the completed process is not found until the end of the application deadline, the candidate must prove that he / she has requested the recognition of the degree.

•          Curriculum Vitae;

•          Passport or identification card for European applicants (copy);

•          Taxpayer Identification Number (NIF), if you have a nationality other than Portuguese, it must be submitted during the scholarship contracting phase, under penalty of forfeiture of the scholarship award;

•          Other documents considered important.

- The request for application for the competition, dated and signed, must be addressed to the President of the evaluation panel of the competition, (https://www.ualg.pt/sites/default/files/documentos/2022-12/anexo -iii-application-for-scholarship-en.pdf), which can be sent by post to the following address: Universidade do Algarve / CIMA, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Ref.ª (or Notice nº 006/ 2023) or by email to mbebian@ualg.pt (email address of scientific advisor). Still in the said application, and if the candidate submits his candidacy via email, he must expressly consent that all notifications relating to the tender procedure are sent to the email address indicated

Grant contract Documents

-Supporting documents stating that the applicant gathers all the requirements for this grant, namely the enrolment certificate in an awarding degree study cycle or in a postgraduate course;

-Supervisor Declaration taking the responsibility for the Work plan supervision, according to article 5º of the Statute of Scientific Research Fellow, as well as assuring the necessary conditions for the development of the work plan and in compliance with article 13 º of the Statute of Scientific Research Fellow;

-Declaration of the Grant acceptance;

-Declaration of commitment stating the exclusivity regime

Complaints and Appeal Deadlines and procedures

On the decision for granting the Research Grant, candidates may, if they wish, comment on the hearing of interested parties, within 10 working days, under the terms provided for in the Administrative Procedure Code.

From the practice or omission of any act of the evaluation panel, candidates can complain to the body, within 10 working days.

The final decision of the evaluation panel can be appealed to the Rector within 15 working days after the respective notification.

Evaluation of the grantee(s)

At the end of each period of duration of the scholarship contract, the activity carried out by the scholarship holder(s) is evaluated by the supervisor, by applying the following criteria, in accordance with the attached model:

a) Number of analyzes performed on samples of water, sediments and bivalve molluscs

b) Detailed report of the work carried out during the scholarship period

University of the Algarve reserves the right to cancel this application procedure if by any means the contract celebration with the funding entity is not established.

University of Algarve, 26 January 2023

Scientific Coordinator

Profª Doutora  Maria João Bebianno