Post-Doctoral research Fellowship

Scientific Area: Biological Sciences

Recipient category: The BIPD is intended for doctorates in in the field of Biological Sciences or related fields, namely Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Biomedicine, Microbiology or Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Admission Requirements:

• Hold a doctoral degree obtained within three years prior to the date of submission of the scholarship application;
• To have carried out the research leading to the award of the doctoral degree in an organization other than the one hosting the scholarship; *
• Not exceed, with the conclusion of the contract in question, including possible renewals, an accumulated period of three years in this type of scholarship, consecutive or interpolated;
• Not to have previously held a post-doctoral scholarship contract with the same I&D Unit. Once the BIPD contract has ended, no new scholarship contract can be signed between the same host organization and the same scholarship holder.

Candidates who do not cumulatively meet the requirements described will be excluded.

* This includes different I&D Units, even if they are based in the same Organic Unit (UOEI) of UMinho (according to nº 4 and 5 of the Article 7º of the FCT I.P. Research Grants Regulations in force).

Other requirements: Availability to carry out duties on an exclusive-dedication basis and to actively participate in the laboratory/group’s activities, team meetings and dissemination activities (publications, conference presentations, reports and outreach events).

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:

1. Mandatory: PhD in Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedicine, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a related scientific field, obtained within the three years prior to the date of submission of the application; laboratory research experience in the assessment of bioactivities (antimicrobial, wound-healing and/or anti-ageing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activity) in cellular models and/or in chemico assays, evidenced by scientific publications in the field;
2. Preferred: experience in the characterisation of natural products/bioactive ingredients of bee or plant origin, in particular propolis and/or honey; prior experience in the production and/or characterisation of cosmetic products (formulation, assessment of stability, safety and performance); experience in cell culture techniques, cytotoxicity assays and molecular biology; experience in microbiological assays and in the assessment of antimicrobial activity (MIC determination, contact killing assays); scientific publications in indexed journals (Q1); fluency in Portuguese and a good command of English, both written and spoken; prior experience in R&D projects.

Workplan and objectives to be achieved: The BIPD are restricted in time in order to stimulate scientific employment and the use of researcher contracts as a rule for hiring them - according to nº 2, article 7º of the FCT I.P. Research Grants Regulation (2019).

The fellow will join UMinho’s R&D teams at the Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), taking part in its activities, in particular Activities 1 to 4 of the BioCosMAp project, with special responsibility for Activity 2 (Study of new cosmetic products at laboratory scale) and Task 1.3 (Assessment of the bioactive properties of bee-derived ingredients), both led by UMinho. The work plan under this project includes: i) participation in the assessment of the bioactive properties of the bee-derived ingredients (propolis extract and honey from the Montesinho Natural Park), namely antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, wound-healing and anti-ageing activity, in cellular models and in chemico assays (Task 1.3); ii) support for the definition of specifications and for the study of the formulations of the three organic cosmetic products (anti-acne cream, soothing and repairing cream, and hydrating and anti-ageing facial serum) developed at laboratory scale (Tasks 2.1 and 2.2); iii) characterisation of the safety, stability and performance of the new cosmetic formulations, including toxicity tests in vitro and assessment of the biological properties retained in the final formulations (Task 2.3); iv) collaboration in the pilot-scale demonstration of the products developed (Activity 3); and v) participation in the scientific dissemination of the project’s results, including the preparation of technical-scientific reports and scientific papers, and the presentation of results at conferences (Activity 4). The work plan aims to consolidate the fellow’s post-doctoral scientific training in the fields of bioactivity assessment and the development of organic cosmetic products based on natural ingredients.

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, 2025 Amended 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 at the Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), School of Sciences, University of Minho, located at the Department of Biology, Gualtar Campus, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, under the scientific supervision of Cristina Alexandra de Almeida Aguiar, Assistant Professor and the coordination of CBMA Director, Maria Cláudia Gonçalves Cunha Pascoal.

Fellowship duration: The grant will take place for a period of 12 months, with a provisional starting date on the October 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 1901,00 €/month, according to the table of FCT grants in the country (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-2026.pdf) and the table of values of the Scientific Research Scholarships of the University of Minho, updated annually by decision of 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 benefits: Reimbursement of Voluntary Social Insurance, if the candidate chooses to receive it, corresponding to the 1st step of the contribution base (for scholarships of 6 months or more) 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.

Selection panel:

President: Cristina Alexandra de Almeida Aguiar, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Minho;

Effective members:

Rui Pedro Soares Oliveira, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Minho;

Maria Teresa Correia Guedes Lino Neto, Associate Professor with Habilitation, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Minho.

Substitute members:

Maria Fátima Monginho Baltazar, Associate Professor, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of Minho;

Ana Cristina Gomes Cunha, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Minho.

The first effective member will substitute the President of the selection panel in case of impediment, being nominate the first substitute member in the place of the first effective member.

Criteria and procedures for applications assessment and selection: The evaluation of applications will be based on the Merit of the candidate, applying the following evaluation criteria: (i) Assessment of Scientific and Academic Curriculum (ACCA), or (ii) Assessment of Scientific and Academic Curriculum (ACCA) and Interview (E), scored on a scale of 0 to 5 points:

A. Scientific and Academic Curriculum Assessment (ACCA) (80%):

A.1: Academic background, assessing performance in degrees and courses relevant to the field of the call and to the work to be carried out, as well as prior experience in research projects (45%);

A.2: Experience and interest in the specified areas, highlighting experimental skills and providing access to a representative document (such as an article, thesis or conference presentation) aligned with the field of the call and the proposed work (45%);

A.3: Motivation letter, which will be assessed for clarity, relevance and alignment of the candidate’s goals with the project’s theme (10%).

The final score of the Scientific and Academic Curriculum Assessment (ACCA) will be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

ACCA = (A.1* 0.45) + (A.2* 0.45) + (A.3*0.10)

Should the panel deem it necessary, the best-ranked candidates, up to a maximum of 3, will be admitted to the Interview stage.

B. Interview (E) (20%)

The Interview (E) aims to objectively and systematically assess the candidate’s experience and relevant behavioural aspects, namely interpersonal and communication skills, attitude and critical thinking, motivation and suitability for the project, as well as language skills.

B.1: Interpersonal and communication skills (20%)

B.2: Knowledge demonstrated in the field of the call (20%)

B.3: Motivation (20%)

B.4: Language skills (20%)

B.5: Ability to work in a team and collaborate in multidisciplinary contexts (such as an R&D–business consortium) (20%)

The Interview (E) score will be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

E = (B.1* 0.20) + (B.2* 0.20) + (B.3* 0.20) + (B.4* 0.20) + (B.5* 0.20)

C. Final Score (FS)

The Final Score (FS) will be calculated as the weighted arithmetic mean of the selection methods, expressed on a scale of 0 to 5, according to the following formula:

FS = (ACCA* 0.8) + (E* 0.2)

Where:

FS – Candidate’s Final Score

ACCA – Score obtained in the Scientific and Academic Curriculum Assessment

E – Interview score

Should it be determined that an interview is not necessary, the candidate’s Final Score (FS) will correspond to the score obtained in the Scientific and Academic Curriculum Assessment (ACCA=100%), obtained by applying the following formula:

FS=ACCA

The panel may also decide not to award the Fellowship if none of the candidates meets a final score above 4.

Application deadline and submission: The call for applications is open from 5 August 2026 to 30 August 2026.

Applications must be submitted by email to bolsas@ecum.uminho.pt, indicating the reference number of the competition in the subject line: BIPD/BioCosMAp/CBMA-UMinho/2026. Only applications submitted within the established deadline and accompanied by the following documents will be accepted:

a) Candidate's updated curriculum vitae;

b) Certificates of the academic degrees obtained or, if applicable, the candidate's declaration of honor that he/she has completed the degrees required in the notice by the application deadline (not applicable to research initiation grants).

For degrees obtained abroad, the record of recognition of the academic degrees and record of the conversion of the respective final classification to the Portuguese classification scale must be presented, or, alternatively, a declaration of honor from the candidate.

This declaration must 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 purposes of contracting the scholarship, only the information contained in the latter will be considered. If it is found that the documents proving the academic degree and diploma, or their recognition under the terms of Decree-Law n. º 66/2018, of August 16, do not correspond to the classifications awarded in the assessment of the academic career and may consequently alter the candidate's ranking, the scholarship will not be contracted;

c) Representative document (such as an article, thesis or conference presentation) aligned with the field of the call and the proposed work;

d) Motivation letter (maximum 1 page); Proof of professional and/or scientific experience relevant to the position.

Form of publication/notification of results: The results of the evaluation are published in a single list by final score obtained, posted in a visible and public place in the host unit, as well as by email to all candidates, attaching, for this purpose, the minutes of the jury's deliberations, within a maximum period of 90 working days from the deadline for submission of applications.

Candidates are informed, at a preliminary hearing, in accordance with Articles 121 and 122 of the Administrative Procedure Code, of the likely outcome of the final decision, and may comment within 10 working days of this notification. Any waiver of the hearing for interested parties must be justified in accordance with Article 124 of the CPA.

An appeal may be lodged against the final decision within 15 working days, or an appeal may be lodged with the highest executive body of the funding entity within 30 days, both after the respective notification (Article 12(nº6) of the FCT Research Grant Regulations). Within 10 working days of notification of the grant award, the applicant must declare their acceptance in writing. In case of non-acceptance, the next highest ranked applicant will be notified immediately.

Constitution of a selection reserve list: The applicants ranked in the next positions on the ordered list will be included in a selection reserve list, which can be used until 30/07/2028.

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 Regulations for Scientific Research Scholarships 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

Academic qualifications

I, (full name), candidate for the vacancy for the award of a (type of scholarship), within the scope of the project “BioCosMAp – Strategy for the valorisation of bee products from the Montesinho Natural Park through the development of organic cosmetics”, reference COMPETE2030-FEDER-02162400, with reference BIPD/BioCosMAp/CBMA-UMinho/2026, 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 BioCosMAp – Strategy for the valorisation of bee products from the Montesinho Natural Park through the development of organic cosmetics”, reference COMPETE2030-FEDER-02162400, with reference BIPD/BioCosMAp/CBMA-UMinho/2026, 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

Funding Entity

Project

Type of Grant

Duration

Start

Term

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

(Place), (date).

_________________________

(full name)