Science jobs in higher education represent a diverse array of academic positions dedicated to advancing knowledge in natural sciences, physical sciences, life sciences, and earth sciences. These roles, often referred to as science positions, include lecturers, professors, researchers, and postdoctoral fellows who conduct experiments, teach students, and publish groundbreaking findings. The term 'science jobs' broadly defines careers where professionals apply the scientific method—observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and analysis—to explore phenomena from molecular biology to astrophysics.
Historically, science positions evolved alongside the establishment of modern universities in the 19th century, when disciplines formalized into departments. In Portugal, institutions like the University of Coimbra, founded in 1290, integrated science faculties in the 20th century, fostering talents in areas like oceanography due to the country's Atlantic coastline.
Individuals in science jobs balance teaching and research. Lecturers deliver courses on topics like quantum mechanics or genetics, while professors lead labs and mentor PhD students. Researchers focus on grant-funded projects, such as climate modeling or semiconductor breakthroughs, contributing to global challenges. Responsibilities also include peer review, conference presentations, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
For example, a physics researcher might develop materials for renewable energy, publishing in journals and applying for European Research Council grants.
Securing science jobs demands rigorous academic preparation. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in a relevant field, such as biology or chemistry, is the minimum for most positions. Research focus should align with departmental needs, like computational neuroscience or environmental science.
Preferred experience encompasses 5-10 peer-reviewed publications, successful grant applications, and postdoctoral training. In Portugal, familiarity with Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) funding enhances competitiveness.
Science professionals excel with strong analytical skills, proficiency in tools like MATLAB or Python, and ethical research practices. Communication is key for writing proposals and explaining complex ideas to non-experts. Soft skills, including teamwork and adaptability, support collaborative projects, such as those in EU Horizon programs.
Portugal's universities, including the University of Lisbon and Nova University, host vibrant science departments. With EU investments, opportunities abound in marine biology and renewable energy research. Recent events like Storm Leslie highlighted resilience in university infrastructure, impacting science labs. For career advice, explore postdoctoral success or research assistant tips, adaptable globally.
Nobel-recognized fields like physics AI applications influence hiring, as seen in recent awards.
To land science jobs, build a robust CV showcasing impact metrics, like h-index scores. Practice interviews focusing on research vision. Platforms like higher-ed-jobs, higher-ed-career-advice, and university-jobs list openings. Institutions can post a job to attract talent. Stay updated via research-jobs for the latest opportunities.
Science jobs in Portugal span wet labs, field stations, core facilities, and computational groups — and they are rarely labelled the same way twice. One employer posts “Scientist,” another “Associate Scientist,” another a faculty science line with a heavy research load. Academic Jobs pulls those titles into one science-filtered board so you can compare roles by discipline and location instead of guessing which keyword a university HR team used.
Search intent here is practical: you want a science job you can apply for, with a clear employer, city, and closing date. The heading count is the current number of matching science openings in Portugal. Use Advanced Search to add a method or field (genomics, ecology, materials, neuroscience), a city, or an institution. If you are open to related research-track titles, switch to Research Jobs without leaving the same board.
AJ is useful because science hiring in universities is fragmented. A hospital-affiliated medical school, a faculty of science, and a government-funded institute may all hire “scientists” in the same city and never share a careers page. AJ is the layer that sits on top of those boards. Create an alert with the science filters already applied on this page so you see new associate-scientist and faculty science posts as they go live — important when closing dates are two or three weeks out.
General job sites mix biotech industry ads with academic science. That is fine if you want industry; it is noise if you want a university or research-institute contract, pension, and PI. AJ keeps the default on higher education. If your goal is “find science jobs in Portugal at universities and institutes, not a generic STEM feed,” start here, filter once, and apply from the listing. That is the search this page is built to answer.
Reach qualified science professionals across any industry. List your vacancy on AcademicJobs.com.
Get notified when new science vacancies are posted on Academic Jobs.
All USA, USA Territories: American Samoa (USA); Guam (USA); Puerto Rico (USA); Virgin Islands (USA); Northern Mariana Islands (USA);, USA Compact Free Associations: The Federated States of Micronesia (USA) Marshall Islands (USA) Republic of Palau (USA), International, Israel and Canada.
All USA, USA Territories: American Samoa (USA); Guam (USA); Puerto Rico (USA); Virgin Islands (USA); Northern Mariana Islands (USA);, USA Compact Free Associations: The Federated States of Micronesia (USA), Marshall Islands (USA), Republic of Palau (USA), International, Israel and Canada.
USA, Canada, and International
All USA, Canada
All USA, Canada
