A competition is open for the attribution of one contract in the scope of the project BIOPROTEC, “Advancing area-based management tools to accelerate the protection and restoration of marine biodiversity across the European sea basins”, supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Framework Programme (101157341), according to the following conditions: 

Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree in Marine or Aquatic Sciences, with a minimum final grade of 15 out of 20. In addition, they must demonstrate the following qualifications:

1. Technical and Scientific Expertise:
   • Strong experience in analyzing community diversity using molecular tools.
   • In-depth knowledge of next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques and bioinformatics pipelines (e.g., metabarcoding, metagenomics).
   • Proficient in the R programming language.
   • Participation in open ocean and coastal oceanographic research campaigns.
   • Hands-on experience with environmental DNA (eDNA) fieldwork and the Ocean Sampling Day filtration protocol.

   • Skilled in eDNA optimization methods (e.g., primer optimization).

      

2. Academic and Professional Experience:

   • A good track record of preparing and publishing scientific and technical reports, as well as peer-reviewed publications.

      

3. Language Skills:
   • Proficiency in English and Portuguese, both written and spoken.

4. Preferred Qualifications:

• Academic training in molecular biology laboratory work flows.
• The ability to customize NGS techniques and bioinformatics pipelines.

The jury reserves the right to close the application in case none of the candidates meets the desired profile. 

In cases where the degree was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, the said degree must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law no. 66/2018 of 16th August until the signature of the contract. 

5. Responsibilities:

As part of the BIOPROTECT project, the technician will play a central role in supporting Work Package 3 (WP3), which focuses on developing innovative molecular tools for biodiversity observation and monitoring. A key aspect of this role will be the optimization of environmental DNA (eDNA) methodologies, particularly for the detection of BIOPROREC target species, ensuring both accuracy and reliability in monitoring results. 

The technician will be actively involved in the validation of an autonomous eDNA biosampler, including its deployment during oceanographic campaigns. These field trials will allow for real-world testing in varied marine environments, contributing to a robust assessment of the sampler’s performance. In parallel, the role will involve analyzing sequencing data generated through next-generation sequencing (NGS), with the goal of evaluating the system’s capacity to detect and identify specific marine species. Results from these tests will be used to produce scientific reports and visual outputs, helping to effectively communicate findings to both scientific and project teams. 

Beyond the technical aspects, the technician will contribute to the coordination and management of project activities, helping ensure the smooth implementation of tasks and the overall success of WP3 objectives.

The candidate should foster good relations with researchers, students and visitors by promoting positive attitudes, good will, cooperation, and providing high standards of service.

Please note the job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.

6. Legislation and official rules: 

Art. 140 n. 1 and n. 2, g) and 148 the Labor Code (Law 7/2009, of 12 February and respective updates).

7. Work place: 

The work will be carried out at CIIMAR, Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, Matosinhos. 

8. Duration of the contract: 

An uncertain term working contract will be sign, starting in September 2025. 

9. Monthly salary: 

Technical career, level 19: gross monthly salary 1 600.46 €, holidays, food and Christmas allowance apart.

10. Selection methods: 

The contract will be awarded based on the candidates’ curriculum, technical skills and experience. The ranking of candidates will be performed by a global evaluation (GE) of the applicant’s Academic Performance (AP), Professional Experience in the Field of Study (PE) and Motivation Letter (ML) performed according to the following criteria:

GE1 = (AP*0.4) + (PE*0.4) + (ML*0.2)

• AP: Academic performance relevant for the scientific area, taking into account the appropriateness of the University degrees, to the position as well as the performance of the candidate in each of such degrees, ranked from 0 to 10.
• PE: Professional experience in the field of study, including scientific production, ranked from 0 to 10.
• ML: A global appreciation of the motivation of the candidate and interest in the field of research, taking into account the motivation letter, and any other element in the CV or transcripts that can help in this regard, ranked from 0 to 10.

In the case of a tie between the scores of the top candidates, and provided that such scores are higher than 7 values, a Personal Interview (PI), ranked from 0 to 10, will be done to the three top candidates, after which a final ranking will be performed as following:

GE2 = (GE1*0.8) + (PI*0.2)

11. Composition of the jury selection: 

President of the jury: Catarina Magalhães

Vogal: Joana Xavier

Vogal: Miguel Semedo

12. Form of Advertising/notification of results: 

The final results of the evaluation will be published through a list sorting the candidates according to their attributed mark, on the CIIMAR website and by e-mail; After the announcement of the results, candidates are considered automatically notified to, if they wish to do so, comment on the results on a preliminary hearing period within 10 working days after that date, as provided for in the Código do Procedimento Administrativo. 

The jury reserves the right to not assign the vacancy depending on the quality of the applications. 

In case of resignation or withdrawal of the selected candidate, the next candidate with the highest evaluation score will be notified immediately. 

Based on the final sorted list of the candidates it will be made a reserve list that will be used for the future recruitment of technicians for this project. 

13. Deadline for application and presentation of applications: 

The competition is open from 28/7/2025 until 8/8/2025. The applications cannot exceed 20 MB and must be formalized, compulsorily, by sending the following documents: 

1. detailed Curriculum vitae with clear specification of i) reports and proof the experience in the above-mentioned fields ii) list of the skills 

   1. copy of the eligibility certificates;
      1. motivation letter;
      2. one or more reference contact information of current or past supervisors;
      3. contact e-mail address and phone number;
      4. indication of the reference of the competition (as indicated in this announcement).
      5. any other documents that the candidates may recognize as relevant to demonstrate the adequacy to the function;

    

The applications should be sent by e-mail to: rh@ciimar.up.pt  and cmagalhaes@ciimar.up.pt with the offer reference "2025_058_TS_BIOPROTECT" in the subject. The applications that do not include all the elements previously indicated will not be considered. 

14. Non-discrimination and equal access policy: 

CIIMAR actively promotes a non-discrimination and equal access policy, wherefore no candidate can be privileged, benefited, impaired or deprived of any rights whatsoever, or be exempt of any duties based on their ancestry, age, sex, sexual preference, marital status, family and economic conditions, instruction, origin or social conditions, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, origin territory, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and union membership. 

Pursuant to Decree-Law no. 29/2001 of 3 February, disabled candidates shall be preferred in a situation of equal classification, and said preference supersedes any legal preferences. Candidates must declare, on their honour, their respective disability degree, type of disability and communication/expression means to be used during selection period on their application form, under the regulations above.