CENTRE OF BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING: CEB-BI-53-2026

Centro De Engenharia Biológica Da Universidade Do Minho; Portugal; On-site; EUR 13,000 - 18,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Reembolso de Segurança Social

Seguro de acidentes pessoais

Job summary

Centro de Engenharia Biológica da Universidade do Minho procura um(a) bolseiro(a) de investigação para o projeto Beet4pastry, com duração de 12 meses, starting December 2026, no âmbito de uma bolsa de investigação financiada. Requer-se Mestrado em áreas afins e inscrição num ciclo de doutoramento.

A candidatura está aberta a nacionais da UE e a candidatos estrangeiros, com prioridade para quem possua experiência em bioquímica, fitoquímica e métodos analíticos.

Qualifications

• Mestrado em Biquímica, Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos ou áreas relacionadas.
• Não exceder, com a assinatura do contrato, quatro anos de bolsas de investigação para doutoramento.
• Fatores preferenciais: experiência em bioquímica, fitociem/extração e caracterização de compostos bioativos de plantas.

Responsibilities

• Preparação e processamento de amostras de beterraba para quantificar compostos bioativos.
• Determinação de atividade antioxidante e, quando relevante, atividade antimicrobiana.
• Avaliação dos efeitos de tratamentos térmicos, mecânicos e enzimáticos na preservação da bioatividade.
• Análise estatística dos resultados e identificação de condições que melhor preservam o potencial bioativo.

Skills

Bioquímica

Química de plantas

Bioatividade

Cromatografia líquida

Ensaios analíticos

Education

Mestre em Biociências

Job description

Organisation/Company Centro de Engenharia Biológica da Universidade do Minho Department Engenharia Biológica Research Field Biological sciences — Biological engineering Researcher Profile Other Profession Positions Master Positions Application Deadline 7 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Country Portugal Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

Research Fellowship (1 vacancy)

CEB-BI-53-2026

A call for applications is now open for the attribution of 1 research grant within the scope of the R&D project, Beet4pastry - Valorization of beetroot for pastry applications through whole-product utilization and the exploration of its bioactive properties, with the reference NORTE2030-FEDER-01471100 (Operação n.º 18386), Centre of Biological Engineering at University of Minho, financed by national funds through Agência Nacional de Inovação, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Innovation and Digital Transition Programme (COMPETE 2030) under the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Food Technology

The open position is intended for candidates holding a Master’s degree who, on the date of their hiring, prove their enrolment in one of the following courses:

- PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering or in Food Science and Technology and Nutrition.

Requirement for granting the fellowship:

• The applicants may apply without prior registration in the course for which the fellowship is open. The requirement to enrol in a degree course will be verified on the date of contracting the fellowship;
• Only fellowships whose selected applicants present a valid proof of enrolment in a degree course issued by a Higher Education Institution will be contracted, according to the type of the fellowship, indicating the academic year.

Applicant’s eligibility:Candidates who meet the conditions set out in Article 9 of the Research Grant Regulations, set out in Article 9 of FCT, I.P.’s Research Fellowship Regulations No. 950/2019 of 16 December 2019.

Nationals or citizens of other European Union member states, third-country nationals, stateless persons, and citizens with political refugee status are eligible to apply for this competition.

Candidate admissibility requirements:

Mandatory requirements:

• Have a master’s degree in Biochemistry, Food Science and Technology or related areas;
• Do not exceed, with the signing of the fellowship contract in question, including possible renewals, a cumulative period of four years of research fellowship intended for doctoral students.

Preferential factors:

• Experience in biochemistry, phytochemistry, or related fields, focusing on the extraction, stabilization, and characterization of plant-derived bioactive compounds.

Experience with analytical techniques, bioactivity assays, and liquid chromatography.

Workplan and objectives to be achieved:

Preparation and processing of beetroot samples to quantify bioactive compounds, specifically betalains and phenolic compounds. Determination of antioxidant activity and, where relevant, antimicrobial activity. Evaluation of the effects of thermal, mechanical, and enzymatic treatments on preserving the bioactivity of the identified compounds, and monitoring compound stability during formulation storage.

Statistical analysis of results and identification of conditions that best preserve bioactive potential.

The work will enable the establishment of characterization protocols and the selection of ingredients and processes suitable for obtaining pastry formulations that are more stable and functional, while promoting the whole-use of beetroot. The work plan also aims to consolidate and expand the scholarship holder's skills as part of their advanced training, in alignment with the doctoral program.

Applicable legislation and regulations: Research Fellow Statute (EBI), approved by Law nº. 40/2004 of August 18, in its current wording and FCT Research Fellowship Regulation, approved by Regulation nº 950/2019, published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, of December 16, 2019, in its current wording, and Scientific Research Fellowship Regulation (RBIC) of the University of Minho, approved by order nº 4998/2025, published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, nº 81, of April 28, 2025 Amended and republished through amendment statement no. 634/2025/2, published in the Official Gazette, 2nd series, no. 132, of July 11.

Host/Contracting institution and scientific supervision: The workplan will be carried out in the Centre of Biological Engineering of University of Minho, located in the University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, in Braga, under the direction of Doctor Nuno Miguel Dias Cerca, coordinator of the host entity, and whose scientific guidance will be the responsibility of the Professor António Vicente

Fellowship duration: The grant will take place for a period of 12 months, with a provisional starting date in December 2026.

The fellowship grant may eventually be renewed within the limits established for each type of fellowship and cannot exceed the maximum duration of the projectand if the project is extended.

Renewal conditions: BI research fellowships can be renewed for additional periods until they reach:

• 4 years, when awarded to a student enrolled in a doctoral programme.

Amount of the research grant: The amount of the grant corresponds to 1359,64 €/month, according to the table of valuesofFoundation for Science and Technology (FCT, I.P.) grants in the country and the table of valuesof Scientific Research Grants of the University of Minho, updated annually by decision of the Management Board.

Payment is made on the 23rd of each month, through bank transfer to the Bank Identification Number of the fellow identified in the contracting process.

Other benefits: Reimbursement of Voluntary Social Security (Social Security contributions), corresponding to the 1st level of discounts (for research grants with a total duration 6 months or higher) and personal accident insurance.

Exclusivity regime: The grantee will perform the activities under exclusivity, as foreseen in article 5 of the Research Fellow Statutes and applicable regulations.

Selection panel: The jury will be composed of three effective members and two substitute members.

President:

António Augusto Martins de Oliveira Soares Vicente, full professor at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Minho;

Effective members:

Ricardo Nuno Correia Pereira, Assistant Researcher at the Centre of Biological Engineering at the University of Minho and

Ana Cristina Braga Pinheiro, Assistant Researcher at the Centre of Biological Engineering at the University of Minho;

Substitute members:

Luís João Abrunhosa Pereira, Assistant Researcher at the Centre of Biological Engineering at the University of Minho and

Cristina Maria Ribeiro Rocha Soares Vicente, Assistant Researcher at the Centre of Biological Engineering at the University of Minho

The first effective member or the second effective member in the event of the first member’s inability, will substitute the President of the selection panel in case of impediment, with these members being replaced by the designated substitute members.

Criteria and procedures for applications assessment and selection: The applications assessment will focus on the candidate's Merit, following evaluation criteria, valued on a scale of 0 to 5 values and will include an interview for the first 3 classified candidates, who obtain a minimum classification of 4 in the AM.

A1 - Academic path (considering the classifications of academic degrees), with a weighting of 45%;

A2 - Personal curriculum (considering professional and scientific background), with a weighting of 35%

A3 – Motivation letter, with a weighting of 20%.

Interview – INT (30%):

B1 - Interpersonal competences, with a weighting of 10%;

B2 - Demonstrated knowledge in the area of the competition, with a weighting of 50%

B3 – Motivation, with a weighting of 20%

B4 – Language skills, with a weighting of 20%

The final classification of the applicant’s merit will be achieved through the following formula:

Candidates with a score of less than 4 points in the FC criterion will be excluded.

Notes Applicants with degrees obtained abroad must present proof of recognition of qualifications in Portugal and conversion of the final classification obtained in them to the Portuguese classification scale or declaration under the terms indicated in the previous point. Candidates who do not comply with one of these provisions, the selection panel will assign “0” in the grade of the graduation and/or master course. Candidates will be evaluated on the remaining parameters.

Application deadline and submission:

The call for applications is open for a minimum period of 10 working days after the notice publication on the European Scientific Mobility Portal Euraxess.

a) Candidate’s updated curriculum vitae;

b) Certificates of the academic degrees obtained or, if applicable, the candidate's declaration of honour that he/she has completed the degrees required in the notice by the application deadline (Annex I).

For degrees obtained abroad, the record of recognition of the academic degrees and record of the conversion of the respective final classification to the Portuguese classification scale must be presented, or, alternatively, a declaration of honour from the candidate.

This declaration must attest to facts that occurred prior to the application. In the event of a discrepancy between the information contained in the declaration and the documentation submitted for the purposes of contracting the scholarship, only the information contained in the latter will be considered. If it is found that the documents proving the academic degree and diploma, or their recognition under the terms of Decree-Law n. º 66/2018, of August 16, do not correspond to the classifications awarded in the assessment of the academic career and may consequently alter the candidate's ranking, the scholarship will not be contracted;

c) Statement proving that meets the conditions for the grant typology, according to the application requirements (annex II);

Form of publication/notification of results: The results of the evaluation will be published through an ordered list by final grade obtained on the site of the Centre of Biological Engineering of UMinho ( https://empregoceb.wordpress.com/ ) or posted in a visible and public place of the host unit, as well as by email to all applicants, enclosing for that purpose, the minutes of the jury deliberations,within a maximum period of 90 working days from the deadline for submission of applications.

Candidates are informed, at a preliminary hearing, in accordance with Articles 121 and 122 of the Administrative Procedure Code, of the likely outcome of the final decision, and may comment within 10 working days of this notification.

An appeal may be lodged against the final decision within 15 working days, or an appeal may be lodged with the highest executive body of the funding entity within 30 days, both after the respective notification (Article 12 (nº 6) of the FCT Research Grant Regulations).

Within 10 working days of notification of the grant award, the applicant must declare their acceptance in writing. In case of non-acceptance, the next highest ranked applicant will be notified immediately.

Fellowship contractualization: The fellowship is awarded through the signing of a contract between the University of Minho and the scholarship recipient, in accordance with point 2.4 of the Rules for the Award and Management of Scholarships https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Normas_de_Atribuicao_de_Bolsas_2021.pdf and the draft contract in Annex II of the University of Minho's Scientific Research Scholarship Regulations.

The contract can only be signed