Job Opportunities

PUBLIC NOTICE
It is hereby made public that, pursuant to article 11 of Decree-Law no. º 57/2016, of 29 August, that, by order of the President of the Centre for Neurosciences and Cell Biology (CNC), is hereby open for a period of 30 working days an international tender, in the form of an indefinite-term employment contract, under the Labour Code, to fulfill one vacancy for the position of Junior Researcher in the scientific area of Experimental Biology and Biomedicine, within the scope of the Project “ UIDP/04539/2020 associado à Unidade de I&D CIBB (Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia)” for the development of science and technology management activities.

Project funded by national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology, within the scope of the UID Programme F. - 2017/2018 * 6817 - DCRRNI ID * Biological Sciences.

This international tender shall be conducted pursuant to the Decree nr. 57/2016, in its latest version, by the Labour Code, approved by Law no. 7/2009, of 12 February, in its latest version and by other applicable legislation and regulations

I – Reference and Place of Work:

I.1. Public tender reference: CNC-JR UIDP 03/2023

I.2. Place of Work: Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Coimbra, Portugal and UC - Biotech (Cantanhede), Biokant Park - Parque Tecnológico de Cantanhede.

I.3. Job description: Within the scope of the above-mentioned project: (i) Stimulate institutional communication in line with CNC-UC's mission, vision, values and objectives, promoting the institutional reputation and global brand of the research centre. (ii) Developing a public relations plan to publicise the main results and initiatives of the research with news value in the context of different media agendas (national and international), in conjunction with the UC Communication Division; (iii) Create relationships with the media and journalists in order to increase the visibility and impact of CNC-UC research, in collaboration with researchers and coordinators of thematic lines; (iv) Define a content strategy, boosting CNC-UC's social networks: facebook, twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Youtube; (v) Draw up and implement a strategic plan to improve the CNC-UC brand; (vi) Managing and creating content for the CNC-UC and CIBB websites; (vii) Managing CNC-UC's internal communication: managing mailing lists, studying subscriber behaviour, implementing innovative communication strategies, selecting and creating internal communication content.

I.4. Gross monthly wage:  2.228,11€, corresponding to the level 33.º to the single remuneration table, approved by Ordinance nr. 1553-C/2008, of December 31st, in its current version

I.5. Maximum duration: The candidate will be contracted for the time needed to carry out the project, which is expected to be 15 months, but may not extend beyond its terminus or the maximum limit of 6 years.

II – Admission Requirements:

II.1. At the time of application, applicants shall hold a Ph.D. in the above-mentioned scientific area(s) or in a correlated one, in which case the applicant’s scientific background shall demonstrate the ability to thoroughly develop work in the main field(s) of the tender.

II.2. Proficiency in English (to be evaluated during the interview).

III – Application

III.1.  Submission: Candidates should access the CNC's electronic tendering platform, available at https://cnc.uc.pt/en/job-opportunities, selecting the procedure they wish to apply for and inserting the necessary documents exclusively in digital portable document format (pdf).

When formalizing the application, if a classified document is submitted that reveals commercial or industrial secrets, or secrets relating to literary, artistic or scientific property, the applicant must select this option, available on the platform for each document entered, under penalty of the work in question being freely accessed by any of the other applicants, in consultation process.

III.2. Documents to be delivered

III.2.1. Curriculum Vitae, duly dated and signed, for the last five years (or the extended period to which the decision of the jury refers, if requested by the candidate, on grounds of suspension of scientific activity for socially protected reasons, namely parental leave, prolonged serious illness, and other situations of unavailability for legally protected work, in which case the candidate must indicate the period of assessment desired and attach a document proving the grounds invoked).

The Curriculum Vitae must contain a preamble, if it exists, containing the history of all contractual relations of the candidate during the last five years (or the extended period to which he/she is entitled), the projects in which he/she has participated, and respective periods, identifying the scientific area in which has been working, and the science and technology management and communication activities it has developed or collaborated in, and explaining, precisely, the employment bond detained and the institution where he/she performs functions on the date of application. It must also include a substantiated synopsis showing that the candidate has a specialty appropriate to the scientific area or areas for which the competition is open, with an emphasis on science and technology management and communication.

The candidate must also organize his/her Curriculum Vitae in such a way as to respond separately to each one of the criteria listed in point IV.2. and respective subpoints.

III.2.2. Copy of all qualification certificates. Opponents selected for the position(s) to be filled who hold a foreign doctoral degree must present the recognition or registration (as applicable) of their degree at the time of contract signing, in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018, dated August 16th, under penalty of exclusion.  The information required for the degree recognition process can be consulted at the following link: https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento.

III.2.3. Any other elements that the candidate considers relevant.

III.3 — All application documents indicated in item III.2. shall be submitted in Portuguese or English,

III.4. Applications that do not fulfil the formal criteria for admission to the competition, under the terms defined in the legislation in force and in this notice, will not be admitted. The submission of any required documentation outside the stipulated deadline also determines the non-admission to the contest.

III.5. Applicants who are non-native speakers of either Portuguese or English shall attest their proficiency at level C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in, at least, one of those languages.

III.6. The present tender ceases with the occupation of the positions or, when the positions cannot be totally occupied, due to the inexistence or insufficiency of candidates to continue the contest..

IV – Selection methods and criteria

IV.1. Selection Methods: Assessment of scientific background and CV [ABC (90%)] and Interview [I (10%)].

IV.2. In the assessment of the candidate’s background and CV, scientific performance and outreach and management activities are considered, in accordance with the with the weighting and criteria set out below.

IV.2.1. Scientific performance of the candidate in the research area(s) for which the tender is open, in the last five years or the extended period requested, if accepted by the committee, with a weight of 30%, based on the following parameters:

IV.2.1.1. Scientific, technological, cultural or artistic production: Relevance, quality and national and international recognition of the scientific, technological, cultural or artistic production.

IV.2.1.2. Applied research: Activities of applied or practice-based research, their impact and national and international recognition.

IV.2.2. Outreach and management activities in the last five years in the area(s) for which this tender is open, with a weight of 70%, based on the following parameters:

IV.2.2.1. Outreach activities: Extension and knowledge dissemination activities developed, namely in the context of promoting culture and scientific practices, including mentoring and/or supervision of researchers and students.

IV.2.2.2 — Management: Management of science, technology and innovation programs, observation and monitoring of the scientific and technological system or the higher education system, in Portugal or other countries, and also the coordination and participation in scientific projects.

IV.3. The assessment of the candidate’s background and CV is based on the criteria and parameters defined in IV.2, and is duly justified and graded on a scale of 0 to 20 points (calculated to the hundredths) by the selection Committee.

IV.4. The evaluation of the interview is made according to the criteria and weightings defined in IV.2., being duly substantiated and expressed by the jury on a scale of 0 to 20 values, with valuation up to hundredths, and aims exclusively at clarifying aspects related to the results of the candidates' research. The interview is public and may be attended by all interested parties.

IV.5. All the candidates complying with the application requirements are subject to the background and CV assessment, which shall be conducted under the criteria and evaluation parameters defined in IV.2. and IV.3. However, only the first 4 candidates with the best scores in the ranking resulting from the assessment of the background and CV will be called for the interview.

IV.6. Candidates who obtain a score under 9.5 points in one of the selection methods will be excluded from the tender procedure, pursuant to paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 13 of RRCPADCT, and the next method, if it exists, is not applied. Candidates who fail to appear, who desist or who, although approved, were not included in the lots used, will also be excluded from the tender.

IV.7. The final score (FS) is expressed in a scale of 0 to 20 points, calculated to the hundredths, based on the following formula:

FS = (ABC x 90%) + (I x 10%)

V - Selection Process

V.1. First meeting:

V.1.1. The Selection Committee decides, first, on the admission and exclusion of applications. In case of non-fulfilment or partial fulfilment of any of the requirements defined in section III. above, the Committee decides whether this insufficiency prevents accepting the application, or if having no relevant impact on the evaluation process, the application may nevertheless be accepted.

V.1.2. After deciding on the admission and exclusion of candidates, the Committee begins the procedures relating to the phased application of the selection methods. First, it assesses the scientific background and CV of all the admitted candidates. The merit of the candidates will only be assessed based on their previous experience in the scientific area(s) for which the tender is open, according to the selection criteria and evaluation parameters described in this public notice. The candidates’ merit and experience in other areas shall not therefore be taken into consideration by the Committee. The ranking of the candidates in the ABC method is based on the scores given to each candidate.

V.1.3. Candidates both excluded and admitted to the interview shall be notified by e-mail.

V.2. Second meeting:

V.2.1. The Selection Committee conducts the interview with the admitted candidates, which shall have the maximum duration of half hour, although the Chairman of the Committee may decide to extend it further for a period of 30 minutes. The Committee shall only consider the merit of the candidates based on their experience in the scientific area(s) for which the tender is open. The interview is conducted by the Chairman of the Committee, although other committee members may also interact with the candidate. This interview shall be held in Portuguese, unless the candidate or any members of the Committee are not proficient in that language. In this case, it may be conducted in English, upon decision of the Chairman.

V.2.2. Candidates who fail to attend the interview at the set time and place shall be excluded from the tender procedure. Similarly, candidates failing to attend a duly scheduled teleconference call shall also be deemed excluded.

V.2.3. After conducting and scoring the interviews, the Committee calculates the final score and ranks the candidates approved in both methods by applying the formula defined above in IV.7.

V.2.4. The notification of the draft’s final decision to the candidates, which contains the list with the proposed ordering of the successful candidates as well as the list of the excluded candidates, by e-mail.

V.3. Candidates can, if they so wish, appeal the decision of the Committee, in due respect for their right to a fair hearing, pursuant to Article 121 of the Código do Procedimento Administrativo [CPA - Code of Administrative Proceedings]. The period to submit an appeal begins on the day the public notice with the Selection Committee’s deliberation is published, pursuant to paragraph 8 of Article 113 of the CPA..

V.4. Third meeting:

V.4.1. If any of the candidates exercises their right to be heard, the Selection Committee shall hold a third meeting in order to analyse the request, and the candidates will be notified of its deliberations, under the terms of section VI herein.

V.4.2. If the Selection Committee finds the candidates’ allegations well founded, it shall proceed according to its deliberations, thereby notifying the candidates under the terms of VI.3 herein.

V.4.3. If the Selection Committee finds such allegations unfounded, following the candidates’ notification under the terms of VI.3 herein, the procedure shall then be submitted to the Rector for approval.

V.5. All the candidates will be notified regarding the approval decision under the terms by e-mail The administrative records of the tender may be consulted by the candidates, through prior scheduling, requested by sending an e-mail.

VI. Notification of candidates

VI.1. Applicants are notified by email of the following actions: the list of admitted and excluded candidates; the date, place and identification of the selected candidates for the interview, as well as, among them, the identification of the candidates to whom the President of the Jury has granted the interview by teleconference; the draft final decision of the competition; the decisions regarding eventual allegations of the candidates and, the final result of the competition, after homologation.

VI.2. The entire tender records may be consulted by candidates, upon previous appointment, requested via e-mail sent to the Human Resources Management Service e-mail address: rh@cnc.uc.pt.

VII – Selection Committee:

Chairman:

Luís Fernando Morgado Pereira de Almeida, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra and Coordinator of the CIBB

Committee members:

Ana Luísa Carvalho, Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, and Coordinator of the Neurosciences and Disease research line at the CIBB.

Paulo Jorge Gouveia Simões da Silva Oliveira, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of the University of Coimbra and Coordinator of the Metabolism, Ageing and Disease research line at the CIBB.

Sara Vieira Amaral, PHD Researcher at CIBB

Alternate committee members:

Lino da Silva Ferreira, Coordinating Researcher at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra and Coordinator of the Innovative Therapies research line at CIBB.

Elsa Fernanda de Sousa Henriques, Assistant Researcher at the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra, and Coordinator of the CNC | CIBB Funding and Project Management Office.

João Nuno Moreira, Associate Professor with academic title of Habilitation – Agregação - at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra

In the event of absences or impediments of the Chairman, he/she shall be replaced by the Committee member indicated first, which, in the same case of impediment, will be replaced by the Committee member indicated next and so on.

This notice of vacancy has been drawn up for the record and will be published in Portuguese and English on the CNC's Job Opportunities IT platform and on the international EURAXESS portal, at https://www.euraxess.pt/..

Pursuant to paragraph h) of Article 9 of the Portuguese Constitution, the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, as employer, actively promotes a policy of equal opportunities between men and women in their access to employment and professional development, and acts to prevent all forms of discrimination. Therefore, no one can be privileged, benefited, harmed or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on account of, in particular, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family, economic situation, education, origin or social condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic or racial origin, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs and trade union membership.

Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data (RGPD) and Portuguese Law no. 58/2019 of 8 August, the entity responsible for processing the personal data of the candidates, collected within the scope of this tender, procedure is the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC). CNC guarantees that personal data collected in physical or digital support, whatever their nature, are treated responsibly, only for the purpose of recruitment, through appropriate policies and measures in order to prevent access and misuse or possible intrusions, minimizing risks and contributing to their safety. CNC does not provide or allow access to personal data by third parties, except for the purpose of complying with duly justified legal obligations. The personal data collected will be kept for a maximum of 6 months, counting from the end of the legal period of preservation foreseen for the procedure. At any time, the interested party can contact CNC through the email dpo_cnc@cnc.uc.pt to request information on the processing of personal data or to exercise the legally established rights.

The President of the CNC, José Paulo Sousa Neto.

The University of Coimbra (UC) has open an international call for Expression of Interest for the Team Leader Position ((future ERA Chair holder) of project EXCELScIOR - “EXCELlent Science with Impact, Open and Reliable” (GA reference: 101087416), funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe – ERA Chairs programme, call HORIZON-WIDERA-2022-TALENTS-01.
The official announcement of this call is available at euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/141079.

Scientific area: Meta-Research – within any of its closely associated fields

Work plan/Objectives: EXCELScIOR is a Horizon Europe ERA Chair project (doi: 10.3030/101087416) that aims to develop, extend and fully unlock UC’s research potential through the implementation of a new interdisciplinary Chair devoted to Meta-Research (i.e., “research on research”, also known as Meta-Science). Under the guidance of its senior scientific consultant - Professor John P.A. Ioannidis (from Stanford University, USA), the project aims to improve research methods and practices and to enhance approaches to integrate information, to generate reliable evidence and to maximize its impact, primarily focusing on Biomedical Sciences, the long-term goal being to expand to multiple other research areas, within UC and beyond. For that, the project will create a permanent and excellent research group in Meta-Research.

Skills/Qualifications: UC is now looking for the permanent Team Leader (future ERA Chair holder) of the said research group in Meta-Research. This leader should be an outstanding researcher in meta-research or closely related field(s), with an international reputation based on research excellence. It can be a citizen of any country in the world and must be willing to move on a permanent basis (full-time position) to the University of Coimbra, to become the leader of a growing meta-research team and the key driver of the field at UC. Interested candidates must demonstrate consolidated scientific independence, a leadership track-record (at team and/or institutional level), proven capacity to attract/secure significant competitive funding and resources and to develop, manage and lead research projects. Given the wide-spectrum of meta-research applications that practically cover all fields of science, the research and scholarship portfolio of the future Team Leader can be diverse in terms of topics within the biomedical, natural sciences, social sciences (including psychology), economics or mathematics/ statistics fields or a combination of them, and may include theory, applications, observational or experimental studies, methods, and/or other evidence-based approaches.

Specific Requirements:
- Education Level: PhD or equivalent
- Languages: English (Advanced User)

Benefits: The researcher (Team Leader) will be hired by the University of Coimbra, for the duration of the project, as Coordinator or Principal Researcher under a full-time work contract (exclusive regime).
The gross salary will range from 58,534.42€/year (Principal Researcher) to 68,090.96€/year (Coordinator Researcher) depending on the career stage and academic qualifications of the successful candidate. During the initial 3 years of the project, and following the applicable national law, UC commits to appoint the researcher on a permanent basis.
A team-dedicated lab/office space will also be provided along with the financial resources for the Team Leader (together with Professor Ioannidis) to recruit other core members of the team for the duration of the project.

Selection methods: Curricular Evaluation (60%) and Interview (40%).

Selection criteria:

- The Curricular Evaluation (CE) will consider the following criteria weighted according to the  formula CE = 60%CV + 30%ML+ 10%PR, where

• CV: Curriculum Vitae (Professional experience; Career path; Leadership; Other relevant skills) = 60%
• ML: Motivation letter = 30%
• PR: Professional References = 10%

-  The Interview (I), to which only the top 5 candidates in the CE evaluation will be invited, will consider the following criteria weighted according to the  formula I = 30%E + 30%MI + 40%SP, where

• E: Expertise in the area of Meta-research = 30%
• MI: Motivation and interest for the position = 50%
• SP: Suitability of the candidate’s profile for the position = 20%.

Selection Panel: Professor John P.A. Ioannidis (Stanford University, USA); Doctor Paulo Jorge Oliveira (University of Coimbra, PT); Professor João Ramalho-Santos (University of Coimbra, PT); Professor Isabelle Boutron (Université Paris Cité, FR); Professor Ana Marušić (University of Split, HR); Professor Anna Dreber Almenberg (Stockholm School of Economics, SE); Professor Florian Naudet (Université de Rennes 1, FR), Professor Evropi Theodoratou, University of Edinburgh, UK).

How to apply: Applications must be send by email to excelscior@uc.pt with subject EOI-TeamLeader_EXCELScIOR <first-name last-name of candidate>, and include the following documents:

• Detailed curriculum vitae;
• Motivation letter with a short research/career plan (max. 3 single-spaced A4 pages) explaining how you and the plan match/synergize with EXCELScIOR and the to be created Meta-Research group;
• 2 letters of recommendation and the name and contact details of their signatories.

Submission of applications: Between 31/08/2023 and 31/10/2023

Additional Information:

Work Location: Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB) - University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, FMUC - Polo I, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal

About us: Founded in 13th century, the University of Coimbra (UC) is the oldest academic institution in Portugal and a national reference in higher education and scientific research in multiple areas of knowledge, with worldwide recognition.The Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB) is a top (100% score) Associate Laboratory (a national status of excellence) and UC’s flagship in Life & Health Sciences. CIBB encompasses the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC-UC) and the Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), along with a health-driven nucleus of the UC-Faculty of Economics and clinicians of the Coimbra University Hospitals. It offers a wide array of research opportunities, collaborations and cutting-edge resources to suit your aspirations.
Beyond the academic realm, Coimbra offers an exceptional quality of life. Nestled amidst breath-taking landscapes and steeped in history (UC is World Heritage), it is a harmonious blend of old-world charm and modern comfort, a very affordable European city, safe and with an inviting atmosphere to live, work and raise a family, with excellent weather all year round and a 45-minute drive to the beach.

Funding:

PUBLIC NOTICE
It is hereby made public that, pursuant to article 11 of Decree-Law no. º 57/2016, of 29 August, that, by order of the President of the Centre for Neurosciences and Cell Biology (CNC), is hereby open for a period of 10 working days an international tender, in the form of an indefinite-term employment contract, under the Labour Code, to fulfill one vacancy for the position of PhD Researcher equivalent to the category of Assistant Researcher in the scientific area of Experimental Biology and Biomedicine, within the scope of the Project “ UIDP/04539/2020 associado à Unidade de I&D CIBB (Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia)”,

Project funded by national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology, within the scope of the UID Programme F. - 2017/2018 * 6817 - DCRRNI ID * Biological Sciences.

This international tender shall be conducted pursuant to the Decree nr. 57/2016, in its latest version, by the Labour Code, approved by Law no. 7/2009, of 12 February, in its latest version and by other applicable legislation and regulations

I – Reference and Place of Work:

I.1. Public tender reference: CNC-AR UIDP 02/2023

I.2. Place of Work: Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Coimbra, Portugal and Health Sciences Centre of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

I.3. Job description: Within the scope of the above-mentioned project: i. Boost institutional communication in line with CNC-UC's mission, vision, values and objectives, promoting institutional reputation and the research centre's global brand; ii. Coordinating the CNC Neurogenetics Laboratory in both its diagnostic and scientific research areas; iii. Developing and implementing the clinical and predictive genetic tests available in the laboratory for neurological diseases, as well as the various existing laboratory techniques, namely fragment analysis and next-generation sequencing; iv. Analysing and validating the results obtained, taking into account the pathogenic nature of the various genetic variants identified; v. Drawing up the various operating procedures and issuing the respective reports; vi. Participating in national and international consortia in the field; vi. Organising the various laboratory activities, ensuring good laboratory practice and teamwork; vii. Supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students; viii. Developing, promoting and participating in funded scientific research projects; ix. Publish scientific articles; x. Taking part in national and international conferences

I.4. Gross monthly wage:  3.327,76€, corresponding to the levels 53.º e 54.º to the single remuneration table, approved by Ordinance nr. 1553-C/2008, of December 31st, in its current version

I.5. Maximum duration: The candidate will be contracted for the time necessary for the implementation of the project, which may not extend beyond its terminus or the maximum limit of 4 years.

II – Admission Requirements:

II.1. At the time of application, applicants shall hold a Ph.D. in the above-mentioned scientific area(s) or in a correlated one, in which case the applicant’s scientific background shall demonstrate the ability to thoroughly develop work in the main field(s) of the tender.

II.2. Hold the title of Clinical Laboratory Geneticist (CLG) awarded by the European Board of Medical Genetics;

II.3. Proficiency in English (to be assessed during the interview).

Candidates with qualifications obtained abroad must provide proof of recognition, equivalence or registration of the doctoral degree, in accordance with the applicable legislation. This formality must be fulfilled by the date of conclusion of the contract.

II.2 – Hold a certificate of completion of a course in animal experimentation, accredited by the DGAV (Directorate General for Food and Veterinary), in order to fulfil the legal requirements for carrying out procedures on animals within the scope of the project.

III – Application

III.1.  Submission: Candidates should access the CNC's electronic tendering platform, available at https://cnc.uc.pt/en/job-opportunities, selecting the procedure they wish to apply for and inserting the necessary documents exclusively in digital portable document format (pdf).

When formalizing the application, if a classified document is submitted that reveals commercial or industrial secrets, or secrets relating to literary, artistic or scientific property, the applicant must select this option, available on the platform for each document entered, under penalty of the work in question being freely accessed by any of the other applicants, in consultation process.

III.2. Documents to be delivered

III.2.1. Curriculum Vitae, duly dated and signed, for the last five years (or the extended period to which the decision of the jury refers, if requested by the candidate, on grounds of suspension of scientific activity for socially protected reasons, namely parental leave, prolonged serious illness, and other situations of unavailability for legally protected work, in which case the candidate must indicate the period of assessment desired and attach a document proving the grounds invoked).

The Curriculum Vitae must contain a preamble, if it exists, containing the history of all contractual relations of the candidate during the last five years (or the extended period to which he/she is entitled), the projects in which he/she has participated, and respective periods, identifying the scientific area in which has been working, and explaining, precisely, the employment bond detained and the institution where he/she performs functions on the date of application. It must also include a substantiated synopsis showing that the candidate has a specialty appropriate to the scientific area or areas for which the competition is open.

The candidate must also organize his/her Curriculum Vitae in such a way as to respond separately to each one of the criteria listed in point IV.2. and respective subpoints, as well as identify and substantiate, from among the works he/she produces, which 3 to 5 he/she considers to be his/her most significant contributions in the perspective of each evaluation criterion, explained in point IV.2. Published works mentioned in the Curriculum Vitae must be labelled with their unique identifier(s) (e.g. DOI, PMID) and/or access URL.

III.2.2. Copy of all qualification certificates. Opponents selected for the position(s) to be filled who hold a foreign doctoral degree must present the recognition or registration (as applicable) of their degree at the time of contract signing, in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018, dated August 16th, under penalty of exclusion.  The information required for the degree recognition process can be consulted at the following link: https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento.

III.2.3 — Attach autonomous copy (one PDF file per paper) of the 3 to 5 papers that the candidate considers best represent his/her most significant contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the area or areas for which the tender is open.

III.2.4. Any other elements that the candidate considers relevant.

III.3 — All application documents indicated in item III.2. shall be submitted in Portuguese or English,

III.4. Applications that do not fulfil the formal criteria for admission to the competition, under the terms defined in the legislation in force and in this notice, will not be admitted. The submission of any required documentation outside the stipulated deadline also determines the non-admission to the contest.

III.5. Applicants who are non-native speakers of either Portuguese or English shall attest their proficiency at level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in, at least, one of those languages.

III.6. The present tender ceases with the occupation of the positions or, when the positions cannot be totally occupied, due to the inexistence or insufficiency of candidates to continue the contest..

IV – Selection methods and criteria

IV.1. Selection Methods: Assessment of scientific background and CV [ABC (90%)] and Interview [I (10%)].

IV.2. In the assessment of the candidate’s background and CV, scientific performance and outreach and management activities are considered, with emphasis on the works indicated by the candidates as their most significant contributions to the area or areas for which the competition is open and in accordance with the with the weighting and criteria set out below.

IV.2.1. Scientific performance of the candidate in the research area(s) for which the tender is open, in the last five years or the extended period requested, if accepted by the committee, with a weight of 70%, based on the following parameters:

IV.2.1.1. Scientific, technological, cultural or artistic production: Relevance, quality and national and international recognition of the scientific, technological, cultural or artistic production, with emphasis on the works indicated by the candidates as their most significant contributions to the area or areas for which the competition is open.

IV.2.1.2. Applied research: Activities of applied or practice-based research, their impact and national and international recognition.

IV.2.2. Outreach and management activities in the last five years in the area(s) for which this tender is open, with a weight of 30%, based on the following parameters:

IV.2.2.1. Outreach activities: Extension and knowledge dissemination activities developed, namely in the context of promoting culture and scientific practices, including mentoring and/or supervision of researchers and students.

IV.2.2.2 — Management: Management of science, technology and innovation programs, observation and monitoring of the scientific and technological system or the higher education system, in Portugal or other countries, and also the coordination and participation in scientific projects.

IV.3. The assessment of the candidate’s background and CV is based on the criteria and parameters defined in IV.2, and is duly justified and graded on a scale of 0 to 20 points (calculated to the hundredths) by the selection Committee.

IV.4. The evaluation of the interview is made according to the criteria and weightings defined in IV.2., being duly substantiated and expressed by the jury on a scale of 0 to 20 values, with valuation up to hundredths, and aims exclusively at clarifying aspects related to the results of the candidates' research. The interview is public and may be attended by all interested parties.

IV.5. All the candidates complying with the application requirements are subject to the background and CV assessment, which shall be conducted under the criteria and evaluation parameters defined in IV.2. and IV.3. However, only the first 4 candidates with the best scores in the ranking resulting from the assessment of the background and CV will be called for the interview.

IV.6. Candidates who obtain a score under 9.5 points in one of the selection methods will be excluded from the tender procedure, pursuant to paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 13 of RRCPADCT, and the next method, if it exists, is not applied. Candidates who fail to appear, who desist or who, although approved, were not included in the lots used, will also be excluded from the tender.

IV.7. The final score (FS) is expressed in a scale of 0 to 20 points, calculated to the hundredths, based on the following formula:

FS = (ABC x 90%) + (I x 10%)

V - Selection Process

V.1. First meeting:

V.1.1. The Selection Committee decides, first, on the admission and exclusion of applications. In case of non-fulfilment or partial fulfilment of any of the requirements defined in section III. above, the Committee decides whether this insufficiency prevents accepting the application, or if having no relevant impact on the evaluation process, the application may nevertheless be accepted.

V.1.2. After deciding on the admission and exclusion of candidates, the Committee begins the procedures relating to the phased application of the selection methods. First, it assesses the scientific background and CV of all the admitted candidates. The merit of the candidates will only be assessed based on their previous experience in the scientific area(s) for which the tender is open, according to the selection criteria and evaluation parameters described in this public notice. The candidates’ merit and experience in other areas shall not therefore be taken into consideration by the Committee. The ranking of the candidates in the ABC method is based on the scores given to each candidate.

V.1.3. Candidates both excluded and admitted to the interview shall be notified by e-mail.

V.2. Second meeting:

V.2.1. The Selection Committee conducts the interview with the admitted candidates, which shall have the maximum duration of half hour, although the Chairman of the Committee may decide to extend it further for a period of 30 minutes. The Committee shall only consider the merit of the candidates based on their experience in the scientific area(s) for which the tender is open. The interview is conducted by the Chairman of the Committee, although other committee members may also interact with the candidate. This interview shall be held in Portuguese, unless the candidate or any members of the Committee are not proficient in that language. In this case, it may be conducted in English, upon decision of the Chairman.

V.2.2. Candidates who fail to attend the interview at the set time and place shall be excluded from the tender procedure. Similarly, candidates failing to attend a duly scheduled teleconference call shall also be deemed excluded.

V.2.3. After conducting and scoring the interviews, the Committee calculates the final score and ranks the candidates approved in both methods by applying the formula defined above in IV.7.

V.2.4. The notification of the draft’s final decision to the candidates, which contains the list with the proposed ordering of the successful candidates as well as the list of the excluded candidates, by e-mail.

V.3. Candidates can, if they so wish, appeal the decision of the Committee, in due respect for their right to a fair hearing, pursuant to Article 121 of the Código do Procedimento Administrativo [CPA - Code of Administrative Proceedings]. The period to submit an appeal begins on the day the public notice with the Selection Committee’s deliberation is published, pursuant to paragraph 8 of Article 113 of the CPA..

V.4. Third meeting:

V.4.1. If any of the candidates exercises their right to be heard, the Selection Committee shall hold a third meeting in order to analyse the request, and the candidates will be notified of its deliberations, under the terms of section VI herein.

V.4.2. If the Selection Committee finds the candidates’ allegations well founded, it shall proceed according to its deliberations, thereby notifying the candidates under the terms of VI.3 herein.

V.4.3. If the Selection Committee finds such allegations unfounded, following the candidates’ notification under the terms of VI.3 herein, the procedure shall then be submitted to the Rector for approval.

V.5. All the candidates will be notified regarding the approval decision under the terms by e-mail The administrative records of the tender may be consulted by the candidates, through prior scheduling, requested by sending an e-mail.

VI. Notification of candidates

VI.1. Applicants are notified by email of the following actions: the list of admitted and excluded candidates; the date, place and identification of the selected candidates for the interview, as well as, among them, the identification of the candidates to whom the President of the Jury has granted the interview by teleconference; the draft final decision of the competition; the decisions regarding eventual allegations of the candidates and, the final result of the competition, after homologation.

VI.2. The entire tender records may be consulted by candidates, upon previous appointment, requested via e-mail sent to the Human Resources Management Service e-mail address: rh@cnc.uc.pt.

VII – Selection Committee:

Chairman:

Luís Fernando Morgado Pereira de Almeida, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra and Coordinator of the CIBB

Committee members:

Ana Luísa Carvalho, Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, and Coordinator of the Neurosciences and Disease research line at the CIBB.

Paulo Jorge Gouveia Simões da Silva Oliveira, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of the University of Coimbra and Coordinator of the Metabolism, Ageing and Disease research line at the CIBB.

Maria Isabel Jacinto Santana, Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra

Alternate committee members:

Lino da Silva Ferreira, Coordinating Researcher at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra and Coordinator of the Innovative Therapies research line at CIBB.

Elsa Fernanda de Sousa Henriques, Assistant Researcher at the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra, and Coordinator of the CNC | CIBB Funding and Project Management Office.

João Nuno Moreira, Associate Professor with academic title of Habilitation – Agregação - at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra

In the event of absences or impediments of the Chairman, he/she shall be replaced by the Committee member indicated first, which, in the same case of impediment, will be replaced by the Committee member indicated next and so on.

This Public Notice will be published in Portuguese in Diário da República, 2nd Series, and on the website Bolsa de Emprego Público (Governmental Public Employment Portal), as well as in both Portuguese and English in the Apply UC computer platform and in the EURAXESS Portugal Portal, at https://www.euraxess.pt/..

Pursuant to paragraph h) of Article 9 of the Portuguese Constitution, the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, as employer, actively promotes a policy of equal opportunities between men and women in their access to employment and professional development, and acts to prevent all forms of discrimination. Therefore, no one can be privileged, benefited, harmed or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on account of, in particular, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family, economic situation, education, origin or social condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic or racial origin, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs and trade union membership.

Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data (RGPD) and Portuguese Law no. 58/2019 of 8 August, the entity responsible for processing the personal data of the candidates, collected within the scope of this tender, procedure is the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC). CNC guarantees that personal data collected in physical or digital support, whatever their nature, are treated responsibly, only for the purpose of recruitment, through appropriate policies and measures in order to prevent access and misuse or possible intrusions, minimizing risks and contributing to their safety. CNC does not provide or allow access to personal data by third parties, except for the purpose of complying with duly justified legal obligations. The personal data collected will be kept for a maximum of 6 months, counting from the end of the legal period of preservation foreseen for the procedure. At any time, the interested party can contact CNC through the email dpo_cnc@cnc.uc.pt to request information on the processing of personal data or to exercise the legally established rights.

The President, José Paulo Sousa Neto.

CALL FOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

The Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, opens a call for one research fellowships, under the project/s with reference PTDC/BTM-SAL/5174/2020, funded through the Specific Regulation of the System of Support for Entities of the National Scientific and Technological System by the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) and by the “Fundação para a Ciência e Tenologia I.P.”

The call for proposals is governed by this Call for Proposals, the Research Grants Regulations (RBI) of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the Research Grantee Statute (EBI), the Rules for Awarding and Managing Grants within the scope of R&D Projects, all in their current wording, the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA) and other applicable national and Community legislation.

Job Fellowship Reference: CNC – PTDC/BTM-SAL/5174/2020

1. Scientific area: Medical and Health Sciences/ Medical Biotechnology

     Scientific subfield: Biotechnology and Health

2. Legal Admission requirements:

2.1. Candidates must be enrolled in an integrated master's or master's degree or in a doctoral degree course in the field or Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Biotechnology or related field, or be graduates or masters enrolled in Courses not conferring an academic degree integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units.

2.2. Candidates must hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree

2.3. Courses not conferring an academic degree must be related to the research fellowship’s activity type.

The academic degree/s and higher education diploma/s awarded by foreign higher education institutions, must be recognized under the terms of Decree Law no. 66/2018, and of no. 2 of article 10 of the FCT RBI, in its current wording

2.4. Courses not conferring an academic degree are the courses referred to in paragraph e) of number 3 of article 4 of Decree-Law no. 74/2006, of 24 March, in the current wording, provided that they are developed in association or cooperation between the higher education institution and one or more R&D units, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph e) of article 3 of the Regulation for Research Fellowships of the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P

2.5.  Candidates in the following situations will not be admitted to the call:

-      Candidates enrolled in non-awarding degree study cycles who have already benefited from scholarship contract/s, including possible renewals, for an accumulated period of two consecutive or interpolated years, in this typology.

-      Candidates enrolled in a Master's degree programme who have already benefited from a scholarship contract/s, including possible renewals, for an accumulated period of two consecutive or interpolated years, in this typology.

-      Candidates enrolled in a PhD programme who have already benefited from a grant contract/s, including possible renewals, for an accumulated period of two consecutive or interpolated years, in this typology.

3. Location: CNC – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, UC-Biotech Cantanhede

3.1.  Grant Coordination: Susana Rosa, PhD Researcher at CNC - Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology

4. Duration: 6 months

4.1. Renewal: Not renewable

5. Scientific orientation: Susana Rosa, PhD Researcher at CNC - Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology and Lino Ferreira, Coordinating Researcher at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra

5.1. Work plan/ Objectives: The work to be carried out consists of characterising the ageing programme of the brain, in particular the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in aged animals at the cellular and molecular level.

6. Financial conditions:  The amount of the fellowship is € 1.199,64 corresponding to the monthly compensation stipulated in the FCT table (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM_2023.pdf) plus social security (Seguro Social Voluntário), first-level contributions) and personal accident insurance. The payment will be made by bank transfer.

7. Selection Method(s):

CV evaluation (CE) – 70% and Interview (I) – 30%

7.1. CV evaluation | 70%

7.1.1. The classification of the CV will obey to the following evaluation criteria, in a 0-100 scale:

-      Criteria 1 - Merit of the curriculum vitae (CV): 50%

-      Criteria 2 - Suitability of the candidate's profile to the tasks to be develop: 50%

7.1.2. In the CV criterion 1, the following parameters and weightings will be considered:

A.   Master's grade (60%)

1.   Under 17: 50

2.   Over or equal to 17: 100

B.   Participation in scientific meetings (10%)

1.   0 meetings: 0

2.   Between 1 and 4 meetings: 50

3.   Over 5 meetings – 100

C.   Scientific publications in journals or book chapters (both as first author or co-authorship) (30%)

1.   0 papers: 0

2.   Between 1 and 3 papers: 50

3.   Over 4 papers: 100

7.1.3. In the CV criterion 2, the following parameters and weightings will be considered:

D.  Immunofluorescence and molecular biology (30%)

E.   Cell culture and stem cell biology (30%)

F.   Animal experimentation (40%)

with each of D., E. and F. parameters valued as:

1.   No experience: 0

2.   Reasonable experience: 50

3.   Adequate experience: 70

4.   Proficient experience: 100

7.2.  Interview evaluation | 30%

7.2.1. In the interview, the performance of the candidates will be evaluated according to the following criteria and weighting

-      Criteria 1: Capacity to demonstrate the acquired knowledge in the requested areas: 50%

-      Criteria 2:  Clarity of speech: 50%

7.3. The formula to evaluate the CV evaluation (CVE) and the Interview evaluation (IE), on a 0-100 scale, will be:

CVE = (criteria 1 x 50%) + (criteria 2 x 50%)

In which:

CVE criteria 1 = (60% x A.) +(10% x B.) + (30% x C.)

CVE criteria 2 = (30% x D.) + (30% x E.) + (40% x F.)

I = (criteria 1 x 50%) + (criteria 2 x 50%)

7.4. Final Classification Formula | FCF:

FCF: = CVE x 70% + IE x 30%

7.5. All candidates who fulfil the eligibility criteria will be subject to an assessment of their curriculum vitae in accordance with the criteria and weightings set out in VII.1 and VII.3.

7.6. Only the first 3 candidates ranked highest in the order resulting from the evaluation of the curriculum vitae will be admitted to the interview.

7.7. Candidates who have obtained a mark of less than 50 in the CVE will be excluded from the competition, and the next method, i.e. the interview, will not be applied to them, if there is one, as will candidates who do not attend the interview or who have withdrawn from it.

7.8. Tie-breaking criteria:

In case of equal valuation between candidates/as, the following criteria will be adopted, in descending order:

a) valuation obtained in the first method used;

b) valuation of the basic academic qualification.

7..9. All the jury's provisional and final decisions must be reasoned and recorded in minutes

 8. Jury composition:

Effective members:

President of the Jury: Susana Rosa PhD Researcher at CNC - Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology

Jury members:  Lino Ferreira, Coordinating Researcher at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, Vítor Francisco, PhD Researcher at CNC - Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology

Substitute members: Luís Estronca PhD Researcher at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra and Susana Simões, PhD Researcher at CNC - Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology

9. Formalization of application:

9.1. Application form

Applications must be submitted online in digital format via the platform https://cnc.uc.pt/en/job-opportunities, by selecting the relevant announcement and uploading in the appropriate fields all the necessary documents in pdf (portable document format).

9.2. Mandatory documents, to be attached at the time of application:

-      Motivation letter and detailed CV with academic profile (including list of publications);

-      Copy of qualification certificates.

-      Proof of enrolment in a PhD course or non-degree training course relevant to the realisation of the planned R&D activities (mandatory only at the contractualisation stage);

-      Other documents that the applicant considers relevant to the application; Declaration, on honour, of a document proving the benefit of a previous scholarship of the same type (BI) and its duration(s).

-      Applicants who hold a PHD obtained abroad must, by the application deadline, provide proof of the respective recognition, or provide proof that they have requested it, under the terms of Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of 16 August. Failure to present the recognition of the degree at the time of hiring, under the terms of the FCT RBI, is a reason for exclusion.

-      For duly substantiated reasons, documents proving the holding of academic degrees and diplomas, or their respective recognition, enrolment in a degree or in non-degree academic courses may be waived at the application stage, being replaced by a declaration of honour by the candidate. Without prejudice, until the stage of contractualisation of the scholarship, their presentation is mandatory.

9.3 Candidates who incorrectly formalize their application or who do not prove to possess the requirements of this fellowship are excluded from admission. In case of doubt, the jury has the power to require any candidate to present additional documentation to attest their statements.

9.4. False statements made by candidates will be punished under the law.

9.5. The list of admitted and excluded candidates as well as the final ranking list are advertised at the respective Institute, and the candidates will be notified by email with receipt of delivery of the notification.

10. Period for submission of applications: 10 working days, counting from the first day after the publication date of this call.

11. Activity Regime:

The award of the scholarship does not generate or entitle a legal-labour relationship, moreover, it is exercised on an exclusive dedication basis, and the Scholarship Holder is attributed the CNC Scholarship Holder Status, in accordance with the provisions of the EBI and the RBI of the FCT.

12. Prior Hearing and Final Decision Deadline

12.1. The evaluation results will be announced within 90 working days after the end of the applications submission deadline, by notifying the applicants via email.

12.2. In accordance with the provisions of articles 121 and 122 of the CPA and article 12 of the FCT's RBI, candidates may, if they wish, within 10 working days, submit allegations on the decisions of the jury, which should be sent to the following email address.

12.3. Within the following 5 working days, counted from the end of the deadline for submitting complaints, the final decisions of the jury will be issued and published on the CNC website.

12.4. A complaint may also be lodged against the final decision within 15 working days, as well as an appeal to the CNC's highest executive body within 30 working days, both after the respective notification, under the terms of articles 191 and 192 of the CPA.

12.5. Selected candidates must declare their acceptance in writing. Unless justifiable, if the declaration is not submitted within the aforementioned period, the candidate will be deemed to have renounced the scholarship. In case of resignation or withdrawal of the selected candidate, the next candidate with the highest evaluation score will be notified immediately.

12.6. This competition is intended exclusively to fill the vacancy indicated, and may be terminated until the final ranking list of candidates has been approved and expired with the respective occupation of the job on offer.

13. Non-discrimination and equal access policy: CNC actively promotes a non-discrimination and equal access policy, whereby no candidate may be privileged, benefited, harmed or deprived of any right or immune from any duty on account of, in particular, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, origin or social condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, illness chronicle, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and union membership.

14.  At the end of the contractualisation in question, a Final Report must be prepared by the grantee and his/her supervisor(s), with the respective evaluation criteria that are established, under the terms of article 24 of the FCT RBI.

14. Additional information

Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data (RGPD) and Law no. 58/2019 of 8 August, the person responsible for processing the personal data of the candidates collected, within the scope of this tender procedure, is the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC). The CNC guarantees that personal data collected in physical or digital support, whatever their nature, are treated responsibly, only for the purpose of recruitment, through appropriate policies and measures in order to prevent access and misuse or possible intrusions, minimizing risks and contributing to their safety. CNC does not provide or allow access to personal data by third parties, except for the purpose of complying with duly justified legal obligations. The personal data collected will be kept for a maximum of 6 months, counting from the end of the legal period of conservation foreseen for the procedure. At any time, the interested party can contact the CNC through the email dpo_cnc@cnc.uc.pt to request information on the processing of personal data or to exercise the legally established rights.

The President of CNC

Paulo Neto