Postdoctoral Research Grant - intraSTAPH

Reference Number: HR25_00467

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The University of Coimbra opens a call for the assignment of a postdoctoral research grant, with 1 position(s), under the project intraSTAPH, Investigating Staphylococcus aureus Intracellular Lifestyle to Inform Antibiotic Selection.

The call is governed by this Notice of Opening, the University of Coimbra Research Grant Regulations (RBIUC), subsidiarily by the Research Grant Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology (RBIFCT), by the Research Fellow Statute (EBI), by the Norms for Grant Assignment and Management within R&D Projects, by the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA), all in their current wording, and by other applicable national and community legislation.

Procedure Reference: IT137 -26 - 410

I - Legal admission requirements

I.I - Grant Recipients:
Holders of a doctoral degree in the scientific area of Cell Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, or in a related scientific field, obtained within the three years prior to the start date of the grant, where the research work leading to the degree was carried out at a host institution different from the one where the work of the current grant will be conducted.

I.II – Ineligible candidates:
The following candidates will not be admitted to the call:

• Candidates who, with the award of the current grant, including possible renewals, exceed a cumulative period of three years in this type of grant, whether consecutive or intermittent.
• Candidates who obtained their doctoral degree more than three years before the application submission date.
• Candidates who have conducted the majority of the research work leading to their doctoral degree at the host institution of the current grant.

I.III - Eligible for grant assignment if meeting the requirements:

1. Portuguese nationals or nationals of other EU Member States
2. Nationals of third countries
3. Stateless persons
4. Beneficiaries of political refugee status

II - Grant location

UC-Biotech, Biocant Park, Cantanhede - Centro Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Universidade Coimbra.

III - Scientific supervision/coordination of the grant

Researcher Ana Sofia Bregieiro Eulálio

IV - Work Plan / Goals to be achieved

The researcher will be responsible for: the phenotypic profiling of the intracellular lifestyle of a library of S. aureus single mutants in macrophages, using fluorescence microscopy-based infection assays, followed by automated image analysis; validation of the intracellular profiles of S. aureus mutants selected from the screening, including generation of the corresponding complemented strains, complementary assays in various host cell types, and analysis of S. aureus subcellular localization; testing the activity of different antibiotics against intracellular S. aureus, including concentration-response curves, and evaluating their in vivo efficacy. The researcher will contribute to experimental planning, task execution, and data interpretation.

V - Initial grant duration

12 months

V.I - Renewal Possibility: Possibly renewable.

VI - Funding and financial conditions of the grant

VI.I - Monthly grant amount (paid by bank transfer at the end of each month): 1901,00 EUR

VI.II - Other financial components of the grant: N.A.

VI.III - In addition to the above amounts, voluntary social security (SSV) is included when the grant has a duration of six months or more, corresponding to the first level, if the candidate opts for it, as well as mandatory personal accident insurance.

VI.IV - Funding: The grant(s) assigned under this call will be funded by the La Caixa Foundation as part of the Health Research Programme 2025 | intraSTAPH Project, reference HR25_00467.

VI.V - Information and publicity about the funding: Information and publicity regarding the funding awarded: In all R&D activities directly or indirectly funded by the grant – specifically, in all communications, publications and scientific works, as well as theses, produced with the support provided under the grant – explicit acknowledgement must be given to the financial support provided by the La Caixa Foundation through the Health Research Programme 2025. To this end, the La Caixa Foundation’s logos must be included in documents relating to these activities, in accordance with the Programme’s graphic guidelines. The dissemination of research results funded under the RBI must comply with the current open access standards for data, publications and other research outputs.

VII - Selection Methods

Evaluation of the academic record (AR) and Interview (I)

VII.I - AR - In the evaluation of the academic record, the candidates' academic performance will be assessed according to the following weights and criteria:

• Criteria 1: Absolute merit of the curriculum vitae – 30%;
• Criteria 2: Specific knowledge related to the work plan – 20%
• Criteria 3: Publications in scientific journals and minutes – 20%
• Criteria 4: Adequacy of the candidate's profile to the work plan to be developed – 30%

VII.II - I – In the evaluation of the interview, candidates' performance will be assessed according to the following weights and criteria:

• Criteria 1: Knowledge and profile appropriate to the functions to be performed – 50%
• Criteria 2: Motivation and interest – 40%
• Criteria 3: Ability to express oneself and verbal fluency – 10%

VII.III - The evaluation of the criteria and the final classification will be based on a scale from 0 to 100, with scores rounded to the nearest hundredth, applying the following formulas:

• Academic Record (AR): Absolute merit of the curriculum vitae * (30%) + Specific knowledge related to the work plan * (20%) + (Publications in scientific journals and minutes) * (20%) + Adequacy of the candidate's profile to the work plan to be developed * (30%) = X
• Interview (I): Knowledge and profile appropriate to the functions to be performed * (50%) + Motivation and interest * (40%) + (Ability to express oneself and verbal fluency) * (10%) = X
• Final classification (FC): AR * (%) + I * (%) = X

VII.IV - All candidates who meet the admission requirements are subject to the academic record evaluation, carried out according to the criteria and weights defined in VII.I.

VII.V - Candidates who score below 50 in any selection method will be excluded, and subsequent methods, if any, will not apply to them. Candidates who are duly notified but fail to attend the interview (if applicable) or withdraw at any stage will also be excluded.

VII.VI - All candidates who score above 50 in the AR will proceed to the next method, i.e., the interview.

VII.VII - Tie-breaking criteria: In the event of a tie in the rankings, candidates will be ordered in descending order as follows:

1. Based on the score obtained in the first method applied;
2. Based on the score of their academic qualifications.

VII.VIII - All provisional and final jury decisions must be justified, recorded in minutes, and published on https://apply.uc.pt/.

VII.IX - Jury Composition:

President: Ana Sofia Bregieiro Eulálio, Principal Investigator, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology

Effective Members:
Miguel Luís Cunha Mano, Principal Investigator, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (First effective member);
Inês Rodrigues Lopes, Invited Assistant Researcher, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (Second effective member).

Alternate Members: Bruno José Fernandes Oliveira Manadas, Principal Investigator, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (First alternate member); Rui Jorge Gonçalves Pereira Nobre, Invited Principal Investigator, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology.

VII.X - Selection reserve list: N/A.

VIII - Application Submission

Candidates must access and register on the electronic platform https://apply.uc.pt/ to submit their application, selecting the procedure to which they wish to apply.

Documents uploaded for the application must be in portable document format (PDF). Applications are submitted by completing the sections available in the electronic platform Apply UC under My Application.

VIII.I - Mandatory documents to attach when applying:

• Curriculum Vitae, duly updated, dated, and signed;
• Copy of academic degree certificates.

a) If the possession of a degree is a requirement for the grant, candidates holding a degree obtained abroad must, by the end of the application period, provide proof of recognition or evidence that it has been requested, as per Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of August 16. Failure to present degree recognition at the time of contract signing, as per the RBI-UC, will result in exclusion.

b) If duly justified, documents proving the possession of academic degrees and diplomas, or their recognition, may be waived at the application stage and replaced by a candidate's sworn statement. However, until the grant agreement stage, the respective proofs must be submitted under penalty of exclusion.

Whenever possible, documentation proving prior grant benefits should also be attached to the application.

VIII.II - Other documents to attach when applying:

• Any other elements the candidate considers relevant.
• Motivation Letter.
• Contact information for two academic references (recommendation letters are not required).

VIII.III - All application documents must be submitted in Portuguese and/or English. When the originals are in another language, a translation into one of these languages must be provided.

VIII.IV - Applications that are not properly completed or do not meet the admission criteria defined in the applicable legislation and this notice will not be accepted.

VIII.V - No documents required for the application may be submitted after the application deadline.

VIII.VI - Without prejudice to the penal provisions of the law, false statements made by candidates or grant holders regarding relevant matters for the grant award or renewal, or for the evaluation of its progress, will result in its cancellation.

IX – Application deadline

22/09/2026 to 05/12/2026

X - Activity Regime

The grant does not create or constitute a legal-labor relationship. It is carried out under an exclusive dedication regime, and the grantee is awarded the Research Grantee Status, as stipulated in the EBI and the RBI-UC.

XI - Notification of Candidates

All notifications will be made through the electronic platform Apply UC, under the terms of subparagraph c) of paragraph 1 and subparagraph b) of paragraph 2 of Article 112 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC. The notifications will take effect after being made, as provided in Article 113 of the CPA.

XII

Under Articles 121 and 122 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC, candidates may, if they wish, submit comments regarding the jury's decisions within 10 business days, through the Audiência dos Interessados option in the platform's procedure section.

XIII

Candidates may also submit a complaint within 15 business days or an appeal to the UC's highest-ranking official within 30 business days, both following the respective notification, under Articles 191 and 192 of the CPA.

XIV

Selected candidates must declare in writing, within five business days of notification, their acceptance of the grant and confirm that they meet the requirements to accept the proposed start date of the grant contract. Unless a justifiable reason is provided, failure to provide this declaration within the stipulated time will be considered a renunciation of the grant. In case of renunciation or withdrawal by the selected candidate, the next candidate on the final classification list will be notified.

XV

The full competition process can be consulted by candidates, subject to prior scheduling, by sending an email to the Human Resources Management Service at: sgrh@uc.pt.

XVI

In compliance with subparagraph h) of Article 9 of the Constitution, the University of Coimbra, as an employer, actively promotes a policy of equal opportunities between men and women in terms of employment access and career progression, ensuring that any form of discrimination is strictly avoided. It encourages underrepresented minorities in each area to apply.

Accordingly, no one may be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged, or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the grounds of ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family status, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, place of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union membership.

The University of Coimbra also promotes measures to facilitate the balance between professional, family, and personal life, recognizing the efforts of its employees and fostering motivation.

XVII

The grantee must submit annual activity reports for each renewal and at the end of the grant contract, as stipulated in Article 7 of the RBI-UC, subject to an opinion issued by the respective supervisor(s). The report models, performance evaluation criteria, and the grant contract model are those approved under the University of Coimbra's Research Grant Regulations.

Where to apply

Website: https://apply.uc.pt/

Requirements

Research Field: Other

Education Level: PhD or equivalent

Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology; Chemistry » Biochemistry; Other

Additional Information

Website for additional job details: https://apply.uc.pt/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available: 1

Company/Institute: University of Coimbra

Country: Portugal

Street: UC-Biotech, Biocant Park, Cantanhede - Centro Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Universidade Coimbra.

Contact

City: Coimbra

Website: https://www.uc.pt/administracao/dpa

Street: Rua Larga