Title: Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship– 1 vacancy

Reference: ICVS_BIPD_2023_002(1)

A call for applications is now open for the attribution of 1 (one) Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, within the scope of the R&D project “Hippocampal connectivity and behavioral performance in health and depression: where does adult astrogliogenesis stand?”, with the reference 2022.02201.PTDC, funded by national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, subject to the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Basic Medicine

Recipients: Doctorates in the area of Basic Medicine or in related scientific areas, who cumulatively meet the following requirements:

-         Hold a PhD degree, obtained in the three years prior to the date of submission of the fellowship application**;

-         Have carried out the research work that led to the attribution of the PhD degree in an entity other than the unit hosting the present fellowship (namely the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute of the School of Medicine)***;

-         Do not exceed, with the conclusion of the fellowship contract in question, including the possible renewals, an accumulated period of three years in this type of fellowship, consecutive or interpolated.

NOTE: Candidates who do not cumulatively meet the requirements described above will be excluded from the present competition.

**The documents proving the ownership of the academic degrees and diplomas, or their respective recognition, when awarded by foreign higher education institutions, may be waived during the application phase, being replaced by a declaration of honour of the candidate, with the verification of this condition occurring only in the fellowship contracting phase. The documents proving the ownership of the academic degrees and diplomas, or their respective recognition, will be required in the contracting phase. The aforementioned declaration of honour of the candidate must attest to facts that occurred on a date prior to the application. In situations of discrepancy between the information contained in the declaration and the documentation delivered for the purpose of contracting the fellowship, only the information contained in the documentation delivered for the purpose of contracting the fellowship will be considered. If it is verified that the documents proving the ownership of the academic degrees and diploma, or their respective recognition under the terms of the Decree-Law n.º 66/2018, of august 16th, do not correspond to the classifications attributed in the evaluation of the academic path and that it may, consequently, change the ranking of the candidate, the contracting of the fellowship will not be carried out.

***Different R&D Units are included, even if headquartered in the same Organic Unit (UOEI) of UMinho (no. 4 and 5 of article 7 of the Regulation of Research Grants from FCT, I.P., in force).

Other requirements:

Knowledge and/or experience acquired along the path/academic training in: i) behavioral tests in rodents; ii) evaluation of neuronal circuits using viral vectors; and iii) electrophysiological recordings and optogenetics.

Candidate’s eligibility: Candidates must meet the eligibility conditions set out in article 9 of the Regulation of Research Grants (2019) from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), I.P.

Work plan and objectives to be achieved: aims to develop and consolidate the scientific training of the fellowship holder, through involvement in research work.

The project in which the research fellowship is part of focuses on unveiling how hippocampal adult-born and pre-existing astrocytes control neuroplasticity, neurophysiology and complex behaviors in health and depression. In this context, the work plan includes the execution of the following R&D activities:

- Behavioural tests to evaluate emotional and cognitive performance in rodents;

- Evaluation of neural circuits in rodents using viral vectors and in stereotaxic surgeries;

- Electrophysiological recordings in vivo e in vitro and optogenetics;

- Fiber photometry and calcium imaging;

- Cellular morphology and characterization (imunofluorescence, western-blot, RT-PCR).

The following are identified as result indicators:

1- Execution of the tasks indicated above with quality and in safe conditions;

2- Detection of less than 10% of failures in the execution of the indicated tasks.

Applicable legislation and regulations: Statute of the Research Fellow, approved by the Law no. 40/2004, of August 18th, in its current version, published by Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of August 28th; Regulation of Scientific Research Grants of the University of Minho, published in “Diário da República”, 2nd serie, no. 119, through dispatch no. 6524/2020, of June 22nd, rectified through the rectification statement no. 447/2021, of June 22nd; and the Regulation of Research Grants, no. 950/2019, of December 16th, from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT I.P.) - in force.

Host/contracting entity and scientific supervision: The work plan will be developed at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), from the School of Medicine (EM) of the University of Minho, located at the Gualtar Campus, in Braga, under the scientific supervision of Doctor Luisa Alexandra Meireles Pinto.

Fellowship duration: The fellowship will last for 12 months, starting predictably in September 2023. The fellowship may eventually be renewed, after a positive evaluation, not exceeding, with the renewal in question, the maximum period of duration for the type of fellowship in question, namely 3 (three) years, and not exceeding the maximum duration of the project in which this grant is included, which is expected to end on 28/02/2026.

Amount of the Monthly Maintenance Allowance: The amount of the monthly maintenance allowance corresponds to 1.741€/month, according to the table of values regarding the fellowships in the country from FCT I.P. (Annex I – Table of monthly maintenance allowances of the Regulation of Research Grants from FCT I.P.), the Annex II of the Regulation of Scientific Research Grants of the University of Minho, published in Diário da República, 2nd serie, n.º 119, dispatch n.º 6524/2020, of 22-06-2020, rectified through the rectification statement n.º 447/2021, of 22-06-2021, and remaining applicable regulations.

Payment is made until the 23rd of each month, through bank transfer to the Bank Identification Number of the fellowship holder indicated in the contracting process.

Other benefits: Reimbursement of the Voluntary Social Insurance, corresponding to the 1st Echelon of the contributory base (for fellowships with a duration equal to or greater than 6 months), and Personal Accident Insurance.

Exclusivity regime: The performance of functions as a research fellow is carried out on an exclusive basis, under the terms set out in article 5 of the Statute of the Research Fellow and applicable regulations of research grants.

Composition of the Selection Jury:

President:

– Doctor Luísa Alexandra Meireles Pinto, Assistant Researcher at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute from the School of Medicine of the University of Minho.

Effective Members:

– Professor João Miguel Seiça Bessa Peixoto, Associate Professor from the School of Medicine of the University of Minho;

– Doctor João Filipe Pedreira Oliveira, Assistant Researcher at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute from the School of Medicine of the University of Minho.

Substitute Members:

– Doctor Ana João Gomes Rodrigues, Assistant Researcher at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute from the School of Medicine of the University of Minho;

– Professor João Carlos Cruz Sousa, Associate Professor from the School of Medicine of the University of Minho.

In case of impediment of the President of the jury, he will be substituted by the first effective member, being appointed a substitute member to replace the first effective member.

In case of impediment of one of the effective members, a substitute member will be appointed to replace the effective member.

Evaluation and selection criteria and procedures: The evaluation of the applications will focus on the Merit of the Candidate, in which the following evaluation criteria will apply, valued on a scale of 0 to 5 values:

Merit of the Candidate - MC (90%):

AP - Academic Path, which reflects the classifications of the academic degrees, with a weight of 20%;

STP - Scientific and Technological Production, which reflects the scientific path/curriculum, namely the scientific and technological productivity, taking into account the quantity and the quality of the scientific and technological production (number of articles published in peer-reviewed international scientific journals , including review articles, book editions, book chapters, etc., as well as the recognition given to it by the scientific community, translated in the quality of the places of publication, in the impact of the scientific production and in the citations made to it by other authors), with a weight of 50%;

STD - Science and Technology Dissemination, which reflects the science and technology dissemination activities, namely the organization and/or participation in scientific events/science and technology dissemination initiatives (congresses, conferences, lectures, seminars, among others), with a weight of 20%;

ML - Motivation Letter, with a weight of 10%.

The classification in the Merit of the Candidate will be obtained by applying the following formula:

MC=(AP×0,2)+(STP×0,5)+(STD×0,2)+(ML×0,1)

After the application of the Merit of the Candidate, the following evaluation method, namely the Interview, will be applied to the 3 (three) best classified candidates, with the remaining candidates being excluded from the Contest.

Within the scope of the Interview - INT (10%), with a maximum duration of 30 minutes, the following evaluation criteria will apply, valued on a scale of 0 to 5 values:

CM - Candidate Motivation (which reflects the candidate's level of motivation for the performance of the activities to be carried out in the project), with a weight of 50%;

OC - Oral Communication (which reflects the candidate's oral communication skills), with a weight of 50%.

The classification in the Interview will be obtained by applying the following formula:

INT=(CM×0,5)+(OC×0,5)

The Final Classification (FC) of each candidate is obtained through the combining of the results obtained in the two methods adopted in the Contest, in accordance with their respective weightings, namely the Merit of the Candidate (MC, with a weighting of 90%) and the Interview (INT, with a weighting of 10%).

The Fellowship will be awarded to the candidate ranked in the 1st position, by order of the final ranking.

Note: Candidates with degrees obtained abroad must present a proof of the recognition of their qualifications in Portugal and the conversion of the final classification obtained to the Portuguese classification scale or, alternatively, a declaration of honour of the candidate, attesting the ownership of the academic degree required for the present competition and the final classification obtained. Candidates who do not comply with one of these provisions will be awarded a score of “0” by the jury in what concerns the classification of the candidate’s academic degrees. Candidates will be evaluated on the remaining parameters.

Announcement of the results: The project of the evaluation results, substantiated on a selection jury minute, will be sent to the candidates by email, in accordance with article 12 of the Regulation of Research Grants from FCT, I.P. (in force).

Candidates have a period of 10 (ten) working days to pronounce regarding the project of the evaluation results, if they so wish, in a prior hearing for the interested parties, under the terms of article 121.º and 122.º of the Code of the Administrative Procedure (Decree-Law no. 4/2015, of January 7th).

Complaint and appeal procedures: The final results of the evaluation will be publicized through an ordered list, posted in a visible and public place of the Host Unit, as well as through an email message sent to all candidates, attaching, for this purpose, the minutes with the deliberations of the jury.

The selected candidate must express in writing the intention to accept the fellowship. In case of non-acceptance, the fellowship will be awarded to the candidate ranked in the following position, by order of the final ranking.

A complaint may be lodged against the final decision, within a period of 15 working days, addressed to the President of the Jury. Interested parties may also submit an optional hierarchical appeal, addressed to the Pro-Rector for Research and Projects, Professor Sandra Paiva.

Deadline for applications and form of presentation of the applications: The call for applications is open from June 19th, 2023 till June 30th, 2023.

Applications must be formalized, obligatorily, by sending an application letter accompanied by the following documents (preferably in PDF format):

- Curriculum vitae (preferably: https://cienciavitae.pt/);

- Qualifications Certificate with the indication of the final classification obtained and, if possible, the classifications obtained in the curricular units, or a declaration of honour of the candidate, attesting to the ownership of the academic degree required for this competition (at the deadline for the applications) and the final classification obtained;

- Motivation Letter;

- Recommendation Letter(s);

- Declaration of honour of the candidate, attesting that the candidate meets the necessary conditions for the type of fellowship, in accordance with the application requirements (namely the requirements of paragraph c) of the point “Candidate’s Profile”);

- Other documents considered relevant to the evaluation process.

Applications must be sent by email to the address icvs.rh@med.uminho.pt, indicating the competition reference ICVS_BIPD_2023_002(1) in the Subject. Applications sent by other means or sent in breach of the application deadline stipulated in this Public Notice will not be admitted.

The lack of presentation of any of the aforementioned application documents, determines the exclusion of the respective application.

Fellowship contractualization: The granting of the fellowship takes place through the signing of a contract between the University of Minho and the fellowship holder, in accordance with the contract minute (Annex IV of the Regulation of Scientific Research Grants of the University of Minho, published in “Diário da República”, 2nd serie, no. 119, through dispatch no. 6524/2020, of June 22nd, rectified through the rectification statement no. 447/2021, of June 22nd), and in accordance with point 2.4 of the FCT document: “Rules for Granting and Management of Grants within the scope of R&D projects, including infrastructure projects, the multi-annual financing program for R&D units and other FCT financing instruments (Version 2021)”.

The contract can only be concluded after receipt of all required documentation depending on the type of fellowship in question, which must occur within a maximum period of 6 months (including proof of ownership of the academic degree or diploma required for the fellowship in question, or of its recognition in Portugal).

After receiving all the documentation, the contracting entity has a period of 60 working days to conclude the fellowship contract. In case of the fellowship contracts under the Regulation of Scientific Research Grants of the University of Minho, the deadline for the conclusion of the fellowship contract is of 15 working days, pursuant to paragraph 2 of article 15 of the aforementioned Regulation. Once received by the fellowship holder, he/she must return the contract duly signed within 15 working days.

Fellowship contracts can only begin after due authorization by the contracting entity.

Expiration and cancellation of fellowship contracts: Without prejudice to the other causes provided for in the applicable fellowship regulations (FCT and UMinho) and in the Statute of the Research Fellow, the fellowship ceases with the conclusion of the contracted Work Plan, as well as with the end of the period for which it was granted or renewed.

At the end of the fellowship, the fellowship holder is obliged to present a Final Report on the work carried out, in accordance with the objectives to be achieved by the fellowship holder and the evaluation criteria/result indicators defined with the scientific supervisor, within 30 days after the fellowship expiration.

he Final Report must be prepared in accordance with Annex I of the Regulation of Scientific Research Grants of the University of Minho, published in “Diário da República”, 2nd serie, no. 119, through dispatch no. 6524/2020, of June 22nd, rectified through the rectification statement no. 447/2021, of June 22nd.