Offer Description
Applications are open for the award of 1 (one) ResearchGrant (RG) under the project Biocatalytic membranes for micro/nano plastic degradation within waste water effluents” (Grant Agreement 101099528, HORIZON-EIC-2022-PATHFINDEROPEN-01), at the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Biology Department, under the following conditions:
1. Scientific Area: Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences and related areas
2. Financing Source: Horizon Europe, call HORIZON-EIC-2022-PATHFINDEROPEN-01
3. Admission Requirements:
1) Students enrolled in an Integrated Master degree, Master degree or Doctoral Program in the areas of Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences or related areas.
Or
2) Master’s degree holders in Biology; Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences or related areas enrolled in non-academic degree courses integrated into the educational project of the University of Aveiro.
Preference Factors:
1) Experience in areas relevant to the project, namely in vitro cell culture, cytotoxicity and nanotoxicology.
2) Ability to work on a challenging and innovative project and in a multidisciplinary team. Communication ability;
3) Publications and/or scientific communications;
4) Good knowledge of English
(See courses at: Cursos – Universidade de Aveiro (ua.pt) and Formação na UA – formacao – Universidade de Aveiro)
The proof of enrolment as mentioned must be made available until the contract is awarded, and the candidate may attach a declaration of honor to confirm that they meet the requirements for enrolment in an integrated master’s degree, master’s degree or doctoral program, or in a course that does not award an academic degree.
If the qualification has been conferred by a foreign higher education institution it must be recognized by a Portuguese higher education institution, under the terms of the provisions of article 25 of Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of August 16th, which approves the legal regime of recognition of academic degrees and diplomas of Higher Education, attributed by foreign higher education institutions, and of paragraph e) of no. 2 of article 4 of Decree-Law no. 60/2018, of August 3rd, and any formalities established therein must be fulfilled by the date of the hiring act.
4. Eligibility: Applicants are eligible if they comply with paragraph a) of no.1 of article 2, of the Research Fellow Statute in the wording given by Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of August 28th, and also the provisions of article 9 of the Scientific Research Grant Regulations of the University of Aveiro.
5. Work plan: The objective of the work to be carried out is to evaluate the toxicological potential of micro and nanoplastics and the degradation products resulting from the action of the biocatalytic membrane reactor developed within the scope of the BMRex project. In particular, this work involves in vitro cell cultures and cyto- and genotoxicity assays to evaluate effects on human health.
6. Applicable legislation and regulations: Research Fellow Statute, as amended by Decree-Law No. 123/2019, of August 28th; Scientific Research Grant Regulation of the University of Aveiro, Regulation No. 292/2020, published in Diário da República No. 61, Series II, of March 26th; Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of August 16th (Legal regime of recognition of academic degrees and diplomas of higher education awarded by foreign higher education institutions).
7. Workplace: The work will be carried out at the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies and the Biology Department of the University of Aveiro, under the scientific supervision of Dr Helena Oliveira.
8. Duration of the grant: The grant duration will be 12 months, starting in November 2025, and may be renewed for additional periods up to the maximum limit of approved funding. Under no circumstances shall it exceed the limits defined in nos. 5 and 6 of article 9, of Regulation no. 292/2020, of February 28th, published in Diário da República, no. 61, Series II, of March 26th (Scientific Research Grant Regulation of the University of Aveiro).
9. Amount of monthly maintenance allowance: The amount of the grant corresponds to €1.309,64, according to the table of values of monthly maintenance allowances, set out in Appendix III of the Scientific Research Grant Regulation of the University of Aveiro, subject to any updates that may occur and are applicable. Added to the grant amount is the tuition fee. The fellow may also be reimbursed for the amount corresponding to the Voluntary Social Security, in case of adherence to this plan.
10. Selection methods: The selection methods to be used, evaluated on a scale of 0 to 20 values, will be the following:
1. Curricular Assessment (CA):
1.1. Academic qualifications and curriculum vitae in the scientific area of the competition (50%);
1.2. Preference factors (40%).
1.3. Application letter and motivation (10%).
Final assessment = CA (100%)
The Interview selection method may be used if the jury does not consider itself duly qualified to decide based on the curricular evaluation. The three best candidates classified in the curriculum evaluation will be invited to the interview, considering all others excluded from the competition. In this case, the final assessment will be expressed on a scale of 0 to 20 values, using the following formula: Final assessment = Curricular Assessment (60%) + Interview (40%).
The jury reserves the right not to admit candidates with a rating lower than 10 points for interview, as well as not to award the scholarship to candidates who, at the end of the entire evaluation process, have been evaluated with less than 14 points (scale from 0 to 20 values) /or not awarding the scholarship if none of the candidates correspond to the desired profile.
11. Composition of the Selection Jury: President: Helena Cristina Correia de Oliveira, Assistant Researcher at the Department of Biology; Effective members: Fernanda de Oliveira Esteves Rosário, Junior Researcher at the Department of Biology; Verónica Isabel Correia Bastos, Junior Researcher at the Department of Biology; Substitute members: Teresa Alexandra Peixoto Rocha-Santos, Principal Researcher with Aggregation and João Miguel Martins Novaes Pinto da Costa, Assistant Researcher.
12. Deadline for applications and how to submit applications: The call is open from September 25th to October 10th 2025, and only applications submitted within the deadline will be admitted.
Applications must be formalized by sending the Research Grant Application Form, available at Research fellows – sgrh – Universidade de Aveiro (ua.pt), accompanied by the following documents:
1. Curriculum Vitae;
2. Certificate of qualifications;
3. Application letter mentioning the title and reference of the project, describing the candidate’s motivation;
4. Declaration of honor commitment;
5. Other supporting documents considered relevant.
You must also indicate the email address to which, by this indication, you agree to be notified for all purposes within the scope of this procedure.
Failure to meet the deadline for submitting the application, as well as incorrect formalization of the application, will result in the exclusion of the application.
Applications must be sent by email to Dr Helena Oliveira (holiveira@ua.pt)
13. Form of publication/notification of results: The results of the evaluation shall be made public no later than 60 working days after the closing date for submission of applications and shall be notified to the applicants. The candidates are informed, in a prior hearing, under the terms established in the Code of Administrative Procedure, of the probable meaning of the final decision, and may, within 10 working days of this notification, express their opinion on this decision. The final results may be appealed to the Rector, to be submitted within 10 working days from the respective notification.
14. Tender duration: The final ranking list of candidates will be valid until 31/12/2025, for the purpose of constituting a reserve list for selection.
The models of the grant contract and of the final report to be prepared by the grant holder and the supervisor are available at Research fellows – sgrh – Universidade de Aveiro (ua.pt)
Where to apply
E-mail: holiveira@ua.pt
Additional Information
Additional comments
The Portuguese version of the present notice may be found at the link: https://www.cesam-la.pt/concursos-abertos/
