Research Grant for PhD Holder – (BI-PhD) 1 vacancy
REFERENCE: SPONGES/BPD/2019-015
A competition is open for the attribution of 1 research grant in the framework of the project SponGES – Deep-Sea Sponge Grounds of the North Atlantic: an ecosystem-based approach towards their conservation and sustainable exploitation (EC Grant agreement no. 679849), within the R&D Institution CIIMAR (Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research), supported by the European Union Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020), according to the following conditions:
1. Scientific area: Environmental sciences/marine sciences
2. Admission requirements:
The candidates must hold a PhD degree in a discipline related to Biology with experience in marine sciences.
The applicants must have demonstrated experience in:
– sponge taxonomy and systematics
– optical and electron microscopy
– standard molecular biology techniques (DNA extraction, PCR, sequencing; including primer design, and protocol development/optimization)
– phylogenetic and/or phylogeographic analyses
Conditions of preference:
Experience in participating in projects and fieldwork related to deep-sea benthic ecosystems is highly advantageous. Good knowledge of ecological statistics, and data management skills, are also an advantage.
3. Workplan:
The candidate will be responsible for supporting the work being developed under “WP2 – Biodiversity”, namely the identification of ground-forming species by means of morphological and molecular approaches; as well as development of identification tools and a classification system of deep-sea sponge habitats of the North Atlantic; and “WP3 – Biogeographic patterns and connectivity”, specifically investigating the evolutionary history of key ground-forming sponge groups. The candidate will also be supporting the analysis of the results and the writing of deliverable reports, as well as scientific papers.
4. Legislation and official rules:
Law no.40/2004, 18th August (Research Fellowship and Studentship Regulation) amended and republished by Decreto-Lei n.o 202/2012, 27th August; Regulations for Studentships and Fellowships of the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. and CIIMAR Grants Regulation.
5. Work place:
The work will be carried out at CIIMAR with headquarters located in Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, Matosinhos (Portugal), under the scientific supervision of Dr. Joana R. Xavier.
6. Duration of the grant:
Duration of ten (10) months, starting preferably in April 2019, under the regime of exclusive dedication, eventually renewable according to the end of the project and the legal terms.
7. Monthly maintenance stipend:
The monthly maintenance allowance is 1509, 80 € (one thousand five hundred and nine Euros and eighty cents), in agreement with the monthly maintenance stipend table of the grants directly attributed by FCT, I.P. within the country. (https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores.phtml.en).
8. Selection method:
The ranking of candidates will be performed by a global evaluation based on the evaluation of the Curriculum Vitae and supporting documents. This evaluation will take into account: i) academic performance (global appreciation taking into account the University – level degrees, their appropriateness to the position as well as the performance of the candidate in each of such degrees), ranked from 0 to 10 with a relative weight of 30% and ii) the experience in the field of study (sponge taxonomy and systematics), ranked from 0 to 10 and with a relative weight of 50% and iii) a global appreciation of the motivation of the candidate and interest in the field of research, taking into account the motivation letter, the reference letters and any other element in the CV or transcripts that can help in this regard (ranked from 0 to 10 and with a relative weight of 20%).
The candidate with the highest score will be offered the position, provided that such score is above seven (7) values. In the case of a tie between the scores of the top candidates, and provided that such scores are higher than 7 values, an interview will be performed to these candidates to allow for the selection of a single candidate. The selection will be based on the vote of each member of the jury regarding the most adequate candidate for the position, and, in the case of a tie in the vote, the vote of the president of the jury will prevail.
9. Composition of the jury:
President: Dr. Joana R Xavier
Vogal: Prof. Isabel Sousa Pinto
Vogal: Dr. Elsa Froufe
10. Form of advertising/notification of the 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; in case of disagreement, the candidates have a 10-working day term in which to contest the decision, if he/she so wishes, as provided for in the “Código do Procedimento Administrativo” in a preliminary hearing setting. The jury reserves the right to not assign the grant depending on the quality of the applications.
11. Deadline for application and presentation of applications:
The competition is open from 25th March until 5th April 2019.The applications must be formalized, compulsorily, by sending the following documents:
-detailed Curriculum vitae including contact details
-copy of the eligibility certificates
-motivation letter outlining past research activities and their relevance to the position
-reference letters of two researchers familiar with the candidate’s skills and competences
-any other documents that the candidates may recognize as relevant.
The applications must be send by e-mail to: secretariado@ciimar.up.pt and jxavier@ciimar.up.pt with SponGES – Postdoctoral grant in the subject line. The applications that do not include all the elements previously indicated will not be considered.
In case none of the candidates prove to have the profile indicated for carrying out the work plan, the jury reserves the right not to award the grant to the competition.
Non-discrimination and equal access policy: CIIMAR actively promotes a policy of non- discrimination and equal access, by which no candidate can be privileged, can benefit or be put in disadvantage, or can be deprived of any rights or duties based on their social or cultural background, ethnic group or race, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, economic status, education, social condition, genetic assets, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic disease, nationality, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs and unionization.
As set forth by the Decree Law 29/2001, the candidate with disability has preference if equally classified, which prevails over any other legal preference. The candidates with disability must declare in their application, on their word of honour, their degree and type of disability, and the means of communication/expression that are to be used in the selection process, as provided by the above mentioned legal diploma.