Research Fellowship - CENTRE OF BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING: CEB-BI-65-2026

Centro de Engenharia Biológica da Universidade do Minho; Portugal; On-site; EUR 14,000 - 17,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Reimbursement of Social Security

Personal accident insurance

Job summary

Centro de Engenharia Biológica da Universidade do Minho is inviting applications for a research fellowship in the BioNEXT project. The role focuses on identifying molecules with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties using machine learning and deep learning models, followed by synthesis and experimental validation.

The fellowship lasts 11 months, with a provisional start date in January 2027 and a monthly grant of 1359.64 €, plus social security reimbursement and personal accident

Qualifications

• Have a master’s degree in Informatics, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering or related areas
• Not exceeding a cumulative period of two years of research grant for graduates or master's students enrolled in a non-degree program

Responsibilities

• Identify molecules with antimicrobial activity and anti-inflammatory properties using ML/DL models
• Synthesize candidate molecules and test their biological properties experimentally

Skills

NLP models

Machine learning

Deep learning

Education

Master's degree in Informatics/Bioinformatics/Biotechnology/Biomedical Engineering or related

Job description

Offer Description

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

Research Fellowship (1 vacancy)

CEB-BI-65-2026

A call for applications is now open for the attribution of 1 research grant within the scope of the R&D project BioNEXT: Integrated Platform for Sustainable Biotechnologies and Digital Transition (NORTE2030-FEDER-02698600), co-financed by NORTE 2030, Portugal 2030 and the European Union through the Operation Program NORTE2030-2024-84 , under the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Informatics, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering or related areas

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:

- Non-degree course.

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 non-degree course will be verified on the date of contracting the fellowship;
• Only fellowships whose selected applicants present valid proof of enrolment in a non-degree course issued by a Higher Education Institution will be contracted, according to the type of the fellowship, indicating its duration (start and term).

Applicant’s eligibility:Candidates who meet the conditions set out in Article 9 of the Research Grant Regulations, No. 950/2019, of 16-12-2019, of FCT I.P. are eligible.

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 Informatics, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering or related areas
• Not to exceed, with the execution of the scholarship contract in question, including possible renewals, a cumulative period of two years, consecutive or intermittent, of a research grant intended for graduates or master's degree holders enrolled in a non-degree awarding program.

Preferential factors:

• Proven experience in the application of natural language processing models for automatic data monitoring and recovery and in the development and training of new machine learning and deep learning models for the inference of molecules with antimicrobial and/or anti-inflammatory properties.

Workplan and objectives to be achieved: Identification of molecules with potential antimicrobial activity (antibacterial and antifungal) and anti-inflammatory properties through the application of machine learning and deep learning models. The candidate molecules inferred by in silico approaches will subsequently be synthesised and subjected to experimental tests to validate their biological properties.

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 work plan will be carried out in the Centre of Biological Engineering of the University of Minho, located at 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 Professor Maria Olívia Baptista de Oliveira Pereira.

Fellowship duration: The grant will take place for a period of 11 months, with a provisional start date in January 2027.

The fellowship grant will not be renewed.

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 of 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:

Maria Olívia Baptista de Oliveira Pereira, Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Minho;

Effective members:

Ângela Maria Oliveira de Sousa França, Assistant Researcher at the Centre of Biological Engineering at the University of Minho; and

Susana Patricia Peixoto Lopes, Assistant Researcher at the Centre of Biological Engineering at the University of Minho

Substitute members:

Nuno Miguel Dias Cerca, Coordinating Researcher at the Centre of Biological Engineering at the University of Minho and

Ana Cristina Afonso Oliveira, 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 3,5 in the AM.

A1 - Academic path (considering the classifications of academic degrees), with a weighting of 40%;

A2 - Personal curriculum (considering professional and scientific background), with a weighting of 50%

A3 – Motivation letter, with a weighting of 10%.

Interview – INT (30%):

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

B2 - Demonstrated knowledge in 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:

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 will have the selection panel assign “0” as the grade of the graduation and/or master's course. Candidates will be evaluated on the remaining parameters.

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/wpcontent/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 after receipt of all the documentation required for the type of scholarship, which must occur within a maximum period of 6 months, including proof of academic degrees or diplomas, as well as enrolment in non-degree study cycles or courses, as applicable.

Once all the documentation has been received, the contracting entity has 60 working days to sign the scholarship contract. Once received by the scholarship holder, the contract must be returned, duly signed, within 15 working days.

Term and cancellation of fellowship contracts:Without prejudice to the other grounds laid down in the University of Minho's Scientific Research Scholarship Regulation and in the Research Fellow Statute, the scholarship will cease on completion of the contracted work plan, as well as on expiry of the period for which it was granted or renewed.

The final report must be submitted to the scientific advisor, in accordance with the defined objectives and evaluation criteria, no later than 60 working days after the end of the scholarship and must be drawn up in accordance with Annex I of the Regulations of the University of Minho.

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

ANNEX I

Declaration of Honor

Academic habilitations

I, XXXXXX (Full name), applicant to the research fellowship vacancy under the R&D project BioNEXT: Integrated Platform for Sustainable Biotechnologies and Digital Transition (NORTE2030-FEDER-02698600), co-financed by NORTE 2030, Portugal 2030 and the European Union through the Operation Program NORTE2030-2024-84, published on the Euraxess portal, with the reference CEB-BI-65-2026, declare on my honour to have completed the academic degree of XXXXX(academic degree), qualifying for the type of scholarship in the competition, namely the course XXXXXXX (name of the course), concluded in the University of XXXX, on the XX/XX/XXXX (conclusion date), with the final grade of XX values on the YY scale.

As it is not possible for me to present proof of qualifications until the end of the competition, I declare that I undertake to present the aforementioned certificate until the date of the contracting phase of the fellowship contract, in the event that I am selected for the vacancy in the competition.

As this is true, this declaration will be dated and signed by me.

(Place), (date).

________________________

(Full name)

ANNEX II

Declaration of Honor

History of Research Grants

I, XXXXXXX (Full name), bearer of identification document number XXXXXXX, applicant to the research fellowship vacancy under the R&D project BioNEXT: Integrated Platform for Sustainable Biotechnologies and Digital Transition (NORTE2030-FEDER-02698600), co-financed by NORTE 2030, Portugal 2030 and the European Union through the Operation Program NORTE2030-2024-84, published in the Euraxess portal with the reference CEB-BI-65-2026, hereby declare that until now have never received any research grant under the Research Fellow Statute.

Or

have received the following research grants under the research fellowship statutes.

(fill in as appropriate):

University

Project

Type of fellowship/Reference

Duration (Months)

Start

Term

As this is true, this declaration will be dated and signed by me.

The declaration can only certify facts that occurred on a date prior to the application.

In situations of discrepancy between the information contained in the declaration and the documentation submitted for the purpose of contracting the fellowship, only the information contained in the latter will be considered.

Where to apply

E-mail [e-mail]

Requirements

Research Field Computer science » Informatics Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field Technology » Biotechnology Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field Engineering » Biomedical engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field Biological sciences » Biological engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Details are Described in "Offer Description" section

Specific Requirements

Details are Described in "Offer Description" section

Details are described in "Offer Description" section

Eligibility criteria

Details are described in "Offer Description" section

Selection process

Details are described in "Offer Description" section