1229884 - Call for Research Grant Assignment

Universidade de Coimbra; Portugal; On-site; EUR 14,000 - 17,000; Full time

Job summary

Universidade de Coimbra invites applications for a first stage researcher grant tied to the PREDICT2TREAT project. The role focuses on experimental work, sample handling, DNA analysis, and data organization within a collaborative team at the Institute of Microbiology and iCBR.

Eligibility includes a Master’s degree in life sciences and active doctoral enrollment or related non-degree courses. The grant lasts four months with possible renewal and a monthly stipend of 1,359.64€ under national and

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical Research, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Microbiology or related areas.
• Enrolled in doctoral studies or non-degree granting course related to the project.
• Eligibility includes EU/Portuguese nationals or equivalents and residence in Portugal if work occurs abroad.

Responsibilities

• Join PREDICT2TREAT project team and carry out experimental activities.
• Process and organize biological samples (blood, fecal, oral).
• Isolate and characterize yeasts, extract and analyze DNA, study host variants.
• Prepare samples for sequencing and document results for integration.
• Contribute to outreach and project communications.

Skills

Research experience

Data analysis

Lab techniques

Education

Master's degree in Life Sciences

Tools

PCR

DNA extraction

DNA sequencing

Job description

Organisation/Company Universidade de Coimbra Department Divisão de Projetos e Atividades (Bolsas) Research Field Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Master Positions Application Deadline 23 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Country Portugal Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The call is governed by this Notice of Opening, the University of Coimbra Research Grant Regulations (RBI-UC), subsidiarily by the Research Grant Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology (RBI-FCT), by the Research Fellow Statute (EBI), by the Norms for Grant Assignment and Management within R&D Projects, by the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA), all in their current wording, and by other applicable national and community legislation.

Procedure Reference: IT137-26-[ARdS1.1]433

Legal admission requirements

I.I - Grant Recipients: Master’s degree holders, in the scientific area of Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical Research, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Microbiology or other related areas, enrolled in doctoral degree or in a non-degree-granting course[JB2.1][JB3.1] in areas relevant to the project.

I.II - The non-degree-granting course must be related to the type of activity covered by the grant. Non-degree-granting courses are defined as those referred to in subparagraph e) of paragraph 3 of Article 4 of Decree-Law No. 74/2006, in its current wording, provided that, under subparagraph e) of Article 3 of RBI-FCT, they are developed in association or cooperation between the higher education institution and one or more R&D units.[JB4.1]

I.III - Ineligible candidates: Candidates enrolled in non-degree-granting courses who have already benefited from a grant contract and who, with this grant assignment, including possible renewals, exceed a total accumulated period of two consecutive or non-consecutive years in this type of grant.[JB6.1]

I.IV - Eligible for grant assignment if meeting the requirements:

• a) Portuguese nationals or nationals of other EU Member States
• b) Nationals of third countries
• c) Stateless persons
• d) Beneficiaries of political refugee status

When the work plan takes place, in whole or in part, in foreign institutions, only candidates who can prove permanent and habitual residence in Portugal at the start of the grant are eligible.[JB7.1]

Grant location

Institute of Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Coimbra and Group of Medical Microbiology at iCBR at the University of Coimbra

Scientific supervision/coordination of the grant

Lisa Catarina Oliveira Rodrigues

Work Plan / Goals to be achieved

The fellow will join the PREDICT2TREAT project team, contributing to the implementation of experimental activities and to the organization and analysis of the data obtained. The main activities to be developed include:

• Processing and organization of biological samples collected within the scope of the project (blood, fecal, and oral swab samples);
• Isolation and characterization of yeasts, particularly Candida albicans, from fecal samples, including the assessment of relevant phenotypic characteristics;
• Extraction, quantification, and analysis of DNA from selected biological samples, as well as from the fungal isolates obtained;
• Characterization of host genetic variants, namely polymorphisms associated with the purinergic receptors A2AR and P2X7R;
• Processing and characterization of the oral and intestinal microbiota and mycobiota, including sample preparation for sequencing;
• Organization, recording, and processing of experimental results, contributing to the integration of data obtained from the different components of the project;
• Collaboration in the general research activities and in the science outreach and communication activities foreseen within the project.

Initial grant duration

4 months

Renewal Possibility

Possibily renewable

Funding and financial conditions of the grant

VI.I - Monthly grant amount (paid by bank transfer at the end of each month): 1.359,64€

VI.II - Other financial components of the grant: N/A

VI.III - In addition to the above amounts, voluntary social security (SSV) is included when the grant has a duration of six months or more, corresponding to the first level, if the candidate opts for it, as well as mandatory personal accident insurance.

VI.IV - Funding: The grant(s) assigned under this call will be funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P., through national funds and the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) through the Innovation and Digital Transition Thematic Program (COMPETE2030), Portugal 2030, and the European Union | Operation 16069, operation code COMPETE2030-FEDER-00721800 at the Funds Desk.[LM8.1]

VI.V - Information and publicity about the funding: In all R&D activities directly or indirectly funded by the grant, namely in all communications, publications, and scientific creations, as well as theses, carried out with the support provided by the grant, mention must be made of the financial support provided by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) and the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), through the Innovation and Digital Transition Program (COMPETE 2030) of Portugal 2030.[LM9.1]

Selection Methods

Evaluation of the academic record (AR) and Interview (I)

AR - Evaluation criteria

In the evaluation of the academic record, the candidates’ academic performance will be assessed according to the following weights and criteria:

• Criterion 1 – Absolute merit of Curriculum Vitae (30%)
• Criterion 2 – Specific knowledge related to the work plan (60%)
• Criterion 3 – Adequacy of the candidate’s profile to the work plan to be developed (10%)

Interview - Evaluation criteria

In the evaluation of the interview, candidates’ performance will be assessed according to the following weights and criteria:

• Criterion 1 – Ability to express oneself and verbal fluency (20%)
• Criterion 2 – Motivation and interest (30%)
• Criterion 3 – Knowledge and profile appropriate to the functions to be developed (40%)
• Criterion 4 – Interpersonal relationships (10%)

The evaluation of the criteria and the final classification will be based on a scale from 0 to 100, with scores rounded to the nearest hundredth, applying the following formulas:

• AR: criterion 1 * (30%) + criterion 2 * (60%) + criterion 3 * (10%) = X
• I: criterion 1 * (20%) + criterion 2 * (30%) + criterion 3 * (40%) + criterion 4 * (10%) = X
• Final Classification (FC): AR * (70%) + I * (30%) = X

All candidates who meet the admission requirements are subject to the academic record evaluation, carried out according to the criteria and weights defined in VII.I.

Candidates who score below 50 in any selection method will be excluded, and subsequent methods, if any, will not apply to them. Candidates who are duly notified but fail to attend the interview (if applicable) or withdraw at any stage will also be excluded.

All candidates who score above 80 in the AR will proceed to the next method, i.e., the interview. [JB10.1]

In the event of a tie in the rankings, candidates will be ordered in descending order as follows:

• Based on the score obtained in the first method applied;
• Based on the score of their academic qualifications.

All provisional and final jury decisions must be justified, recorded in minutes, and published on https://apply.uc.pt/ .

Jury Composition

• President: Lisa Catarina Oliveira Rodrigues
• Effective Members: Teresa Maria Fonseca Oliveira Gonçalves and Raquel Sofia Freitas Boia
• Alternate Members: Chantal Ana Vicência Fernandes and Teresa Margarida Ribeiro Rodrigues

Selection reserve list

N/A

Application deadline

12/10/2026 to 23/10/2026

Activity Regime

The grant does not create or constitute a legal-labor relationship. It is carried out under an exclusive dedication regime, and the grantee is awarded the Research Grantee Status, as stipulated in the EBI and the RBI-UC.

Notification of Candidates

All notifications will be made through the electronic platform Apply UC, under the terms of subparagraph c) of paragraph 1 and subparagraph b) of paragraph 2 of Article 112 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC. The notifications will take effect after being made, as provided in Article 113 of the CPA.

Comments and appeals

Under Articles 121 and 122 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC, candidates may, if they wish, submit comments regarding the jury's decisions within 10 business days, through the “Audiência dos Interessados” option in the platform’s procedure section.

Candidates may also submit a complaint within 15 business days or an appeal to the UC's highest-ranking official within 30 business days, both following the respective notification, under Articles 191 and 192 of the CPA.

Acceptance declaration

Selected candidates must declare in writing, within five business days of notification, their acceptance of the grant and confirm that they meet the requirements to accept the proposed start date of the grant contract. Unless a justifiable reason is provided, failure to provide this declaration within the stipulated time will be considered a renunciation of the grant. In case of renunciation or withdrawal by the selected candidate, the next candidate on the final classification list will be notified.

Full competition process

The full competition process can be consulted by candidates, subject to prior scheduling, by sending an email to the Human Resources Management Service at: [e-mail] .

Equal opportunities and diversity

In compliance with subparagraph h) of Article 9 of the Constitution, the University of Coimbra, as an employer, actively promotes a policy of equal opportunities between men and women in terms of employment access and career progression, ensuring that any form of discrimination is strictly avoided. It encourages underrepresented minorities in each area to apply.

Accordingly, no one may be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged, or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the grounds of ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family status, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, place of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union membership.

The University of Coimbra also promotes measures to facilitate the balance between professional, family, and personal life, recognizing the efforts of its employees and fostering motivation.

Annual activity reports

The grantee must submit annual activity reports for each renewal and at the end of the grant contract, as stipulated in Article 7 of the RBI-UC, subject to an opinion issued by the respective supervisor(s). The report models, performance evaluation criteria, and the grant contract model are those approved under the University of Coimbra's Research Grant Regulations.