064/BI/2026 - Fellowship for Masters

EURAXESS Ireland; Oeiras; Híbrido; EUR 16 000 - 21 000; Tempo integral

Resumo da oferta

ITQB NOVA in Oeiras invites applications for a Master Fellowship in antimicrobial hybrid development. The project tests efficacy and cytotoxicity of novel compounds, within the Intracellular Microbial Infection Biology and Bacterial Cell Biology groups, under senior supervision. The period is six months, starting November 2026, funded by FCT regulations. Applications by email preferred.

Qualificações

• BSc in Microbiology, Biology, or equivalent (min 15/20).
• MSc in Microbiology, Cell Biology or equivalent (min 17/20).
• Experience in antimicrobial assay validation.
• Experience in S. aureus cell biology.
• Experience in fluorescence microscopy.
• Experience in mammalian cell biology.
• Scientific publications in antimicrobial development.
• Enrolled in a PhD or non-academic degree per FCT rules.

Responsabilidades

• The selected candidate will test antimicrobial efficacy and mammalian cell cytotoxicity of chaotropic hybrids.
• Work within ITQB NOVA intracellular biology groups under supervision.

Conhecimentos

Antimicrobial assay validation

S. aureus biology

Fluorescence microscopy

Mammalian cell biology

Scientific publication experience

Formação académica

BSc in Microbiology/Biology

MSc in Microbiology/Cell Biology

PhD enrollment / non-academic degree course (as per regulations)

Descrição da oferta de emprego

Organisation/Company Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier ITQB NOVA Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Master Positions Application Deadline 15 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Country Portugal Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Sep 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number 064/BI/2026 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Applications are invited for a Master Fellowship in the scope of the project entitled “ChaoTROPIC Antimicrobial Hybrids for Bacterial Penetration", reference “TROPIC", funded by the La Caixa foundation.

Scientific Area: Biological Sciences, Biology

Requisites

• BSc in Microbiology, Biology, or equivalent (with a grade of at least 15/20)
• MSc in Microbiology, Cell Biology or equivalent (with a grade of at least 17/20)
• Experience in antimicrobial assay validation.
• Experience in S. aureus cell biology.
• Experience in fluorescence microscopy.
• Experience in mammalian cell biology.
• Scientific publication(s) in the field of antimicrobial development.
• Being enrolled in a PhD, or in a non‑academic degree course, in accordance with number the Article 6th of Regulamento de Bolsas de Investigação da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. from FCT”, law in force.

Work Plan: Bacterial resistance is becoming one of the major problems for the future of human health. Currently, numerous potential antimicrobial molecules are underexplored and underexploited due to their low bacterial penetration across bacterial membranes. Even a range of efficient and non-toxic antibiotics for gram positive infections cannot be applied to treat gram negative bacteria due to their hindered transport across the more complex membrane of these pathogens. Boron superchaotropic clusters have been introduced as a disruptive technology for the membrane translocation of hydrophilic carriers that abandon the classical amphiphilic topology. The selected candidate will test the antimicrobial efficacy and mammalian cell cytotoxicity of chaotropic antimicrobial hybrids.

Applicable Law and Regulations: Status of Scientific Research Fellow, approved by Law number 40/2004, of August 18th, changed and republished by Ordinance 202/2012 of August 27th and changed by Ordinance 233/2012 of October 29th and by Law 12/2013 of January 29th and by Ordinance 89/2013 of July 9th and by the Ordinance 123/2019 of August 28th, and by the Ordinance 65/2024 of October 1st.
Regulations for Research Fellowships from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in force ( https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/RBi_Republicado_2025.pdf ).

Working Place: The work will be carried out in the Intracellular Microbial Infection Biology and the Bacterial Cell Biology groups at ITQB NOVA, under supervision of Doctor Pedro Matos Pereira and Professor Mariana Pinho.

Duration of the fellowship: The fellowship will have the duration of 6 months, expected to start in November 2026, on a full-time basis, according to Fellowship Regulations of Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.

Selection procedure: The evaluation procedures will be based on the analysis of the candidates´ CV and if needed an interview for the selected candidates may take place. In this case, the curriculum evaluation and the interview will have a weight of 50% each.

Juri composition: President: Doctor Pedro Pereira; effective members: Professor Mariana Pinho and Doctor Raquel Portela; Substitute member: Doctor Marc Hennes.

Application documents: The application should be formalized in a cover letter indicating the corresponding fellowship reference together with the following documents: detailed Curriculum Vitae, degree certificate. All documents should be preferably sent by email ( [e-mail] ) in a single pdf file.

Notification of candidates: All the candidates will be informed of the final result by e-mail.

Deadlines and procedures for complaints and appeals: If the result is not favorable, the candidates have a period of 10 working days, after the disclosure of the results, to comment, if desired, in a prior hearing of interested parties, in the terms provided for in the Code of Administrative Procedure.

Application period: From 1 October to 15 October 2026.

Applications should be sent to:
Doctor Pedro Matos Pereira
Email: [e-mail]
Ref. 064/BI/2026
ITQB NOVA
OEIRAS