Master holder Fellowship – Citizen Science Project Manager

Applications are open for a MSc Holder Fellowship, for a Citizen Science Project Manager under the coordination of the Programa Ciência + Cidadã, as part of the European project “ORIGIN: Optimized Routing and Industrial Generation of Ingredients from Nature”, funded within the Horizon Europe HORIZON-IA programme, Call HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-08: Bioprospecting and optimized production of the terrestrial natural products: new opportunities for bio-based sectors, Grant Agreement No. 101289831, funded by Horizon Europe.

Scientific Area: Citizen Science, sociology, social sciences, science communication, Biology and related areas

Academic degree: Master and Bachelor in Biology, Biochemistry, Social Sciences, Biotechnology, Plant, Genetics, Medical Sciences or related areas.

Other requisites:

• Experience in Citizen Science and/or science communication projects;
• Experience in organizing events;
• Motivation for contributing in citizen science initiatives;
• Fluency in English and Portuguese with experience in writing and oral presentations;
• Good organizational skills and ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
• Organizational ability to handle multitasking;
• Being enrolled in a non-academic degree course, in accordance with the Article 6th of “Regulamento de Bolsas de Investigação da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. from FCT”, law in force.

Will be valued:

• Experience in project management;
• Experience or volunteering in initiatives with contact with citizens;
• Experience working in international and multicultural environments;
• Experience in managing social networks and websites;
• Experience in the areas of Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology and/or informatics
• Immediate availability.

Work Plan: The Citizen Science approach, within the scope of the ORIGIN European project, aims to investigate and foster public engagement, trust, and social acceptance of AI-driven biotechnology, sustainable food systems, and bio-based innovation through citizen participation, co-creation, and dialogue between science and society. The initiative will engage a diverse range of stakeholders, including scientists, schools and young people, farmers, healthcare professionals, industry representatives, policymakers, and local communities.
The selected candidate will support the implementation and coordination of the Citizen Science approach, contributing to participatory research, stakeholder engagement, communication, knowledge sharing, and the assessment of societal perceptions of emerging biotechnologies and sustainable bio-based innovations. In particular, the candidate will work on the following tasks:
(i) support the planning, coordination and implementation of the Citizen Science initiatives, ensuring that activities are organised in accordance with the project objectives, work plan, timeline, and deliverables;
(ii) support participatory research on public perception, trust, transparency, and social acceptance of AI-driven biotechnology, sustainable food systems, food safety, precision fermentation, and bio-based ingredients;
(iii) support the implementation of the national-level citizen science activities, including 2 focus groups with citizens and relevant stakeholders, 5 interviews and/or digital engagement activities, 2 participatory workshops for dialogue and co-creation, and 1 citizen visit to biotechnology companies and/or research facilities;
(iv) support the organisation and implementation of 2 international workshops involving participants from all partner countries, promoting the exchange of perspectives, experiences, and mutual learning across European contexts;
(v) contribute to the collection and documentation of traditional and intergenerational knowledge, particularly concerning medicinal plants and traditional remedies, supporting a citizen science approach that connects local and traditional knowledge with scientific research and validation;
(vi) support youth engagement activities involving schools and universities, including collaboration with ITQB NOVA, Oeiras Municipality, and other relevant partners in the context of the iGEM – International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition and related activities connecting synthetic biology with real societal challenges;
(vii) contribute to the co-creation and development of the Citizen Science Platform, supporting participation, knowledge sharing, communication, and access to open educational and public engagement resources;
(viii) support the development of at least 10 educational and public engagement materials, including infographics, videos, podcasts, blog articles, and other resources adapted to different audiences and levels of scientific literacy;
(ix) contribute to the development of co-created communication and outreach activities, including social media content and other dissemination materials developed collaboratively with citizens and stakeholders;
(x) support the organisation and maintenance of a Citizen Science Repository, providing open access to relevant resources, materials, and outputs generated through the citizen science activities;
(xi) contribute to the collection, organisation, and analysis of information on participants’ perceptions, concerns, expectations, experiences, and learning outcomes, supporting the assessment of the impact of the citizen science activities;
(xii) support the integration of citizen and stakeholder perspectives into project activities and outputs, including contributions to policy-oriented materials and recommendations;
(xiii) contribute to the preparation of project reports, deliverables, policy briefs, and other outputs related to the Citizen Science initiatives;
(xiv) support internal communication and coordination among researchers, social scientists, science communicators, citizen science practitioners, and other project partners involved in the implementation of the Citizen Science Initiative;
(xv) provide organisational and logistical support for citizen science activities, meetings, workshops, training activities, and other events related to the project;
(xvi) contribute to ensuring that citizen science activities and materials are inclusive and accessible to diverse audiences, taking into consideration gender equality, diversity, different levels of scientific literacy, and the needs of different stakeholder groups;
During the fellowship, the selected candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers, social scientists, science communicators, citizen science practitioners, and project managers from ITQB NOVA, Oeiras Municipality, and other ORIGIN consortium partners. The candidate will gain practical experience in citizen science, participatory research, science communication, stakeholder engagement, project management, and the communication of research and innovation.
The candidate will also have the opportunity to participate in national and international workshops, training activities, meetings, and conferences related to citizen science, science communication, biotechnology, synthetic biology, and public engagement with research. The fellowship will provide practical experience in the development and implementation of participatory activities, the co-creation of knowledge and communication materials, the organisation of stakeholder engagement activities, and the preparation of project and policy-oriented outputs.
Through these activities, the selected candidate will contribute to strengthening public engagement, scientific literacy, trust, and informed dialogue around AI-driven biotechnology, sustainable food systems, and bio-based innovation, while supporting the development of long-term collaboration between researchers, citizens, industry, policymakers, educational institutions, and local communities at national and European levels.

Applicable Law and Regulations: Status of Scientific Research Fellow, approved by Law number 40/2004, of August 18th, changed and republished by Ordinance 202/2012 of August 27th and changed by Ordinance 233/2012 of October 29th and by Law 12/2013 of January 29th and by Ordinance 89/2013 of July 9th and by the Ordinance 123/2019 of August 28th, and by the Ordinance 65/2024 of October 1st.
Regulations for Research Fellowships from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in force (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/RBi_Republicado_2025.pdf).

Working Place: The work will be carried in the Scope of Ciência + Cidadã Program at the Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, under the supervision of Doctor Maria João Leão (Ciência+Cidadã Program)

Duration of the fellowship: The fellowship will have the duration of 6 months (possibility of being renewed), expected to start in November 2026, on a full-time basis, according to Fellowship Regulations of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P.

Stipend amount: 1359.64 € according to the table of values of grants awarded directly by the FCT, I.P. in the Country (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-2026.pdf) and payment will be made, monthly, through bank transfer.

Selection procedure: The evaluation procedures will be based on the analysis of the candidates´ CV and, if needed, an interview for the selected candidates may take place. In this case, the curriculum evaluation and the interview will have a weight of 80% and 20% each.

Juri composition: Doctor Maria João Leão (President), Doctor Marta Santos (Effective members), Doctor Sofia Ferreira (Effective members), Doctor Romana Yáñez (Substitute member).

Application documents: The application should be formalized with (a) a cover letter indicating the corresponding fellowship reference, (b) the detailed Curriculum Vitae, (c) Motivation letter of 1 page maximum, (d) a degree certificate and (e) reference name and contact. All documents should be preferably sent by email as a single pdf file.

Notification of candidates: All the candidates will be informed of the final result by e-mail.

Deadlines and procedures for complaints and appeals: If the result is not favourable, the candidates have a period of 10 working days, after the disclosure of the results, to comment, if desired, in a prior hearing of interested parties, in the terms provided for in the Code of Administrative Procedure.

Application period: From 1 October to 16 October 2026.

Applications should be sent to:
Doctor Maria João Leão
(mjleao@itqb.unl.pt)
Ref. 062/BI/2026