Offer Description
A competition is open for the attribution of one (1) work contract vacancy to a Doctorate researcher in the framework of the project “Toxicological assessment of nitrosamines in urban water cycle: multi omics strategies to elucidate exposure risks for public and environmental health”, with the reference 2023.14587.PEX (https://doi.org/10.54499/2023.14587.PEX.), within the R&D Institutions CIIMAR (Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research), supported by FCT, according to the following conditions:
1. Scientific area: Biological sciences, Environmental Health and related fields.
2. Admission requirements:
The candidate must accomplish the following requisites:
i) Hold a PhD in a field related to disinfection by‑products (DBPs) in the urban water cycle, including their formation, occurrence, fate, or toxicological assessment;
ii) Demonstrated technical and scientific expertise in bioassays following OECD guidelines, with hands‑on experience using the Danio rerio (zebrafish) model;
iii) Experience in analytical determination and monitoring programmes focused on disinfection by‑products across different water matrices;
iv) Experience in sample preparation for NMR‑based metabolomics, including extraction, quality control, and optimization of protocols.
v) Proven ability to apply analytical and computational tools to identify metabolic and transcriptomic alterations in animal models, particularly zebrafish;
vi) Experience evaluating biological responses through a multi‑omics framework, especially in the context of nitrosamine exposure (e.g., metabolomics, transcriptomics, integrated pathway analysis);
vii) Documented experience in mentoring, as well as in scientific writing and dissemination activities in the field of water quality and disinfection by products.
3. Work plan:
The hired researcher will be responsible for i) carrying out research related to the project, i.e, perform hazard assessment of DBTs combining multiple lines of evidences, including ecotoxicological bioassays and multi-omics; ii) train students and other team members, iii) dissemination and communication activities in the framework of the project.
4. Legislation and official rules: Decree-Law no. 57/2016 of 29th August, which approved the doctorate hiring regime destined to stimulate scientific and technological employment for all knowledge areas (RJEC), updated by the Law no. 57/2017 of 19th July, Labour Code approved Law no. 7/2009 of 12th February, under its current reading and Regulatory Decree No. 11-A/2017, of 29th December.
5. Work place: The work will be carried out at CIIMAR, EdifĂcio do Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, integrated in the Endocrine Disruptors and Emerging Contaminants team.
6. Duration of the contract: An uncertain term work contract will be signed, starting April 2026, under an exclusivity regime.
7.Monthly salary: The gross monthly salary is 2.408,11 € according to the Single Remuneration Table (Level 33) – Article 2 of Regulatory Decree No. 11 / A / 2017, of 29-12; food, holidays and Christmas allowance apart.
8. Selection methods:
A global appreciation of the candidates’ merit and motivation (valued from 1 to 10) will be made on the basis of the evaluation of their scientific and curricular trackrecord, in particular the quality of their research outputs related to the subject area of the present call. In more detail, a) their trackrecord will be evaluated based on Scientific, technological, production from the last five years considered most relevant by the candidate, including scientific publications in the field (40%); Applied research activities, or practice-based research, developed in the last five years and considered to have the greatest impact by the candidate, including the coordination of projects in the field (30%); Extension and knowledge dissemination activities developed in the last five years, namely in the context of of the project, considered of greatest relevance by the candidate (20%); management activities of science, technology, and innovation (10%). This will result in a pre-selection of the three best-scoring candidates, scored higher than 7, which will be communicated to the candidates. One or both of the referees indicated by each of the pre-selected candidates can be contacted at this stage to provide reference letters. An interview may also be carried out, in which case all of the pre-selected candidates will be summoned to the interview. The jury will select one candidate among the pre-selected candidates for the position.
If necessary, an interview will be carried out with the three best-ranked candidates, after which the final classification will be made: CV and experience in the research area (90%) and interview (10%). The jury reserves the right to not assign the contract if none of the candidates meets all requirements and match the desired profile.
The evaluation of the professional track record relates to the relevance, timeliness, quality and adequacy to the current project and will focus on the scientific and in particular research activities from the past 5-years that the candidate considers more relevant (as highlighted in their application). This 5-year period can be increased, if justified and asked for by the candidate, on account of disease, maternity/paternity leave, or other duly justified period of unavailability to work.
9. Composition of the jury selection:
President of the jury: Dr. Miguel Santos
Vogal: Dr. Teresa Neuparth
Vogal: Dr. Raquel Ruivo
10. Form of advertising/notification of results:
The final results of the evaluation will be published through a list sorting the candidates according to their attributed mark, on the CIIMAR website and by e-mail; After the announcement of the results, candidates are considered automatically notified to, if they wish to do so, comment on the results on a preliminary hearing period within 10 working days after that date, as provided for in the CĂłdigo do Procedimento Administrativo. The jury reserves the right to not assign the contract depending on the quality of the applications.
In case of resignation or withdrawal of the selected candidate, the next candidate with the highest evaluation score will be notified immediately.
11. Deadline for application and presentation of applications:
The competition is open from 17/03/2026 until 30/03/2026. The application must be formalized compulsorily by sending the following documents (all documents in English language):
– Detailed Curriculum Vitae including the e-mail address and phone number of the candidate as well as one reference contact (name, e-mail and current position)
-copy of the eligibility certificates;
-motivation letter (max 2 pages) outlining past research activities and their relevance to the position;
– any other documents that the candidates may recognize as relevant in the context of the project.
The applications cannot be higher than 20 MB and must be sent by e-mail to: rh@ciimar.up.pt , with the reference “2026_021_IJ_NITROTOX” in the subject line. The applications that do not include all the elements previously indicated will not be considered.
12. Non-discrimination and equal access policy: CIIMAR actively promotes a non-discrimination and equal access policy, wherefore no candidate can be privileged, benefited, impaired or deprived of any rights whatsoever, or be exempt of any duties based on their ancestry, age, sex, sexual preference, marital status, family and economic conditions, instruction, origin or social conditions, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, origin territory, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and union membership.
Pursuant to Decree-Law no. 29/2001 of 3 February, disabled candidates shall be preferred in a situation of equal classification, and said preference supersedes any legal preferences. Candidates must declare, on their honor, their respective disability degree, type of disability and communication/expression means to be used during selection period on their application form, under the regulations above.
Where to apply
E-mail: rh@ciimar.up.pt
Skills/Qualifications
Admission requirements:
The candidate must accomplish the following requisites:
i) Hold a PhD in a field related to disinfection by‑products (DBPs) in the urban water cycle, including their formation, occurrence, fate, or toxicological assessment;
ii) Demonstrated technical and scientific expertise in bioassays following OECD guidelines, with hands‑on experience using the Danio rerio (zebrafish) model;
iii) Experience in analytical determination and monitoring programmes focused on disinfection by‑products across different water matrices;
iv) Experience in sample preparation for NMR‑based metabolomics, including extraction, quality control, and optimization of protocols.
v) Proven ability to apply analytical and computational tools to identify metabolic and transcriptomic alterations in animal models, particularly zebrafish;
vi) Experience evaluating biological responses through a multi‑omics framework, especially in the context of nitrosamine exposure (e.g., metabolomics, transcriptomics, integrated pathway analysis);
vii) Documented experience in mentoring, as well as in scientific writing and dissemination activities in the field of water quality and disinfection by products.
Additional Information
Benefits
Duration of the contract: An uncertain term work contract will be signed, starting April 2026, under an exclusivity regime.
Monthly salary: The gross monthly salary is 2.408,11 € according to the Single Remuneration Table (Level 33) – Article 2 of Regulatory Decree No. 11 / A / 2017, of 29-12; food, holidays and Christmas allowance apart.
Selection process
Selection methods:
A global appreciation of the candidates’ merit and motivation (valued from 1 to 10) will be made on the basis of the evaluation of their scientific and curricular trackrecord, in particular the quality of their research outputs related to the subject area of the present call. In more detail, a) their trackrecord will be evaluated based on Scientific, technological, production from the last five years considered most relevant by the candidate, including scientific publications in the field (40%); Applied research activities, or practice-based research, developed in the last five years and considered to have the greatest impact by the candidate, including the coordination of projects in the field (30%); Extension and knowledge dissemination activities developed in the last five years, namely in the context of of the project, considered of greatest relevance by the candidate (20%); management activities of science, technology, and innovation (10%). This will result in a pre-selection of the three best-scoring candidates, scored higher than 7, which will be communicated to the candidates. One or both of the referees indicated by each of the pre-selected candidates can be contacted at this stage to provide reference letters. An interview may also be carried out, in which case all of the pre-selected candidates will be summoned to the interview. The jury will select one candidate among the pre-selected candidates for the position.
If necessary, an interview will be carried out with the three best-ranked candidates, after which the final classification will be made: CV and experience in the research area (90%) and interview (10%). The jury reserves the right to not assign the contract if none of the candidates meets all requirements and match the desired profile.
The evaluation of the professional track record relates to the relevance, timeliness, quality and adequacy to the current project and will focus on the scientific and in particular research activities from the past 5-years that the candidate considers more relevant (as highlighted in their application). This 5-year period can be increased, if justified and asked for by the candidate, on account of disease, maternity/paternity leave, or other duly justified period of unavailability to work.Â
Website for additional job details: https://www.ciimar.up.pt/jobs/
