Research Fellowship for a Master’s degree holder - NeuroTrackAD; 1 vacancy

University of Minho; Portugal; On-site; EUR 17,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Reimbursement of Voluntary Social Ins.

Personal accident insurance

Job summary

University of Minho invites applications for a Research Fellowship aimed at a Master’s degree holder in Biomedical Engineering or Physics Engineering to work on the NeuroTrackAD project. The researcher will develop a microfluidic liver-BBB-brain on-a-chip platform with optical biosensor arrays and multiplexed immunoassays, under CMEMS-UMinho supervision, starting late 2026.

Preferred candidates have experience in microfluidics, COMSOL, and immunosensors; publications and teamwork are valued.

Qualifications

• Master in Biomedical Engineering or Physics Engineering or related field.
• Enrollment in a non-academic degree course or in a doctoral program during contracting.
• Experience in microfluidics, COMSOL, immunosensors, and optical detection systems is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop a microfluidic device for liver-BBB-brain-on-a-chip platform.
• Optimize antibody immobilization on microfluidic substrates.
• Create multiplexed immunoassays for liver and brain biomarkers.
• Develop electronics for acquisition and readout of optical signals.
• Experimentally test the biosensor multiplex and publish results.

Skills

Microfluidics

COMSOL Multiphysics

Immunosensors

Optical detection systems

Education

Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering

Master's degree in Physics Engineering

Tools

COMSOL Multiphysics

Job description

Organisation/Company University of Minho Department CMEMS - Dept. of Industrial Electronic Research Field Engineering » Biomedical engineering Engineering » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Master Positions Application Deadline 9 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Country Portugal Type of Contract Not Applicable Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 27 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number NeuroTrackAD_100010434-BI-01/2026_CMEMS Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

DRAFT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

Title: Research Fellowship for a Master’s degree holder - NeuroTrackAD; 1 vacancy

A call for applications is now open for the attribution of 1 (one) grant of a Master’s degree holder within the scope of the I&D project of Center for Microelectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), NeuroTrackAD - Microengineered Liver-BBB-Brain device: Next-generation preclinical platform for screening of Alzheimer’s therapies, reference ID 100010434, financed by ”la Caixa” Foundation through the fellowship code is LCF/BQ/PR25/12110020, under the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Biomedical Engineering, Physics Engineering or related fields area.

Recipient category: The fellowship is intended for Masters in the areas of Biomedical Engineering, Physics Engineering or related fields, enrolled in a non-academic degree course or in a doctoral program related to those specified in the public notice.

Requirement for granting the fellowship:

• The applicants may apply without prior registration in the course for which the fellowship is open. The requirement to enroll in a degree course will be verified on the date of contracting the fellowship;
• Only fellowships whose selected applicants present a valid proof of enrollment in a degree course will be contracted, according to the type of the fellowship,issued by a Higher Education Institution, indicating, respectively, the academic year or its duration (start and term).

Applicants’ 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 eligibility requirements:

a) Candidates must have, at the date of application, a Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, Physics Engineering or related areas. During the contracting phase, proof of academic qualifications completed by the application deadline is required, including those resulting from academic degree recognition processes.

b) Contracting phase requirements: enrollment in a non-academic degree course or in a doctoral program in the area or related area specified in the call of this proposal.

c) Preferred requirements: Experience in microfluidics, COMSOL Multiphysics’ simulation, immunosensors development and optical detection electronic systems. Proficiency in Portuguese and English. Participation in competitive projects. Publication has first author at least one scientific article in indexed journals. Good teamwork skills. Motivation.

Workplan and objectives to be achieved

The work plan aims to develop an advanced microfluidic platform integrated with optical biosensor multiarray to detect liver and brain biomarkers related with Alzheimer’s disease – integrated into the activity 1 of the NeuroTrackAD project:

• Design and optimization of a microfluidic device for liver-BBB-brain-on-a-chip platform with multiplexed immunoassays;
• Development of protocols and optimization of antibody immobilization on microfluidic substrates;
• Development of multiplexed immunoassays for quantification of liver and brain biomarkers related to Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid beta (Ab40-42), phosphorylated tau (p-tau217), neuroinflammation cytokine (IL-6), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP);
• Development of electronics for acquisition and readout of optical absorption signals for quantification of liver and brain biomarkers;
• Experimental testing of the biosensor multiplex.
• The work plan also aims to consolidate the scientific training of the grantee within the scope of the diploma course, through the preparation/revision of scientific articles, project reports and dissemination of the work contributing to activity 4 and 5.

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, 2025Amended 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 Center for Microelectromechanical Systems of the University of Minho (CMEMS-UMinho), located in the Azurém Campus - Guimarães, under the scientific supervision of the Doctor Raquel Oliveira Rodrigues, Assistant Research, and coordination of Professor Luís Miguel Valente Gonçalves.

Fellowship duration

The grant will take place for a period of 30 months, with a provisional starting date on the December of 2026. The fellowship grant may, eventually, be renewed up to the maximum limit allowed by the project and/or applicable legislation.

Amount of the research grant

The amount of the grant corresponds to 1 700 €/month, according to the table of values of the Research scholarship of the University of Minho, updated annually, as decided by 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 contratualization process.

Other components of the research grant

Define other components of the scholarships, as provided for in Article 18º of the FCT Research Scholarship Regulations (RBI).

Other benefits

Reimbursement of Voluntary Social Insurance, if the candidate chooses to receive it, 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 5º of the Research Fellow Statutes and applicable regulations.

• President: Professor Luís Miguel Valente Gonçalves, Associate Professor from the Department of Industrial Electronics of University of Minho;
• Effective member: Doctor Raquel Oliveira Rodrigues, Assistant Researcher at Center for Microelectromechanical Systems of University of Minho (CMEMS-UMinho);
• Effective member: Professor Graça Maria Henriques Minas, Associate Professor with Habilitation from the Department of Industrial Electronics of University of Minho;
• Substitute member: Doctor Paulo Jorge Teixeira de Sousa, Junior Researcher at Center for Microelectromechanical Systems of University of Minho;
• Substitute member: Professor Susana Oliveira Catarino, Assistant Professor from the Department of Industrial Electronics of University of Minho;

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:

• Academic path (considering the classifications of academic degrees), with a weighting of 35%;
• Personal curriculum (considering professional and scientific background), with a weighting of 40%;
• Proven knowledge of the preferred requirements described in item c) of the Eligibility Criteria

for the Application, with a weighting of 15%.

• Motivation letter, with a weighting of 10%.

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

MC=(a*0.35) +(b*0.40) +(c*0.15) +(d*0.10)

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.

Fellowship contractualization

The scholarship 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 enrollment 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

Universidade do Minho actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access, so that no candidate may be privileged, benefited, harmed or deprived of any right or exempt from any duty due, namely, to ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and trade union membership.

Declaration of Honor

I, (full name), candidate for the vacancy for the award of a (type of scholarship), within the scope of the project (name or reference of the project), published on the Euraxess portal, with the reference (ref. notice), declare on my honor that I have completed the academic degree of (academic degree), qualifying for the type of scholarship in the competition, namely the course (designation), by the (University conferring the degree), on the date XX/XX/XXXX, with a final average of XXXXX 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 at the conclusion of the scholarship contract, in the event that I am selected for the vacancy in the competition.

As this is true, I hereby date and sign this declaration.

(Place), (date).

__________________________

(full name)

NOTE: The declaration may only 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 purpose of contracting the scholarship, only the information contained in the latter will be taken into account.

Declaration of Honor

I, (full name), bearer of identification document number (XXXX), candidate for a research grant (type of grant), within the scope of the project (name or reference of the project), published on the Euraxess portal, with the reference (ref. call for proposals), declare on my honor that (I have not received any research grants to date / I have received the following research grants) under the Research Grant Holder Statute.

University

Project

Type of Grant

Duration

Start

Term

As this is true, I hereby date and sign this declaration.

(Place), (date).

__________________________

(full name)