Research Scholarship – Refª Monchique+ BI_2

MPr-2025-4 - SIID, under the following conditions, set out below.

Scientific area: Biotechnology, Nutritional Sciences

Admission requirements:

General requirements:

Candidates for the Research grant must, at the date of application, be enrolled, or present a commitment to enroll in a study cycle conferring a PhD degree in the field of Biotechnology or related areas. Candidates for the Research Grant, after being selected, must enroll in the doctoral program in Biotechnology at the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia in order to initiate the grant agreement. This enrollment should align with the theme and work plan of the grant to be carried out under the above-mentioned project. Accordingly, the doctoral program must be undertaken at the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia by the team designated to implement the work plan.

Candidates for the Research grant must hold a master’s degree in biotechnology, Health Sciences, or related areas.

Specific requirements:

Candidates must also have knowledge/research experience in the following areas:

a) Higher academic qualifications in Biotechnology, Health Sciences, Food Science and Technology, Nutritional Sciences, or related fields.

b) Good command of spoken and written English.

c) Strong interest in the scientific field and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary and multicultural research environment, integrating both academic and industrial perspectives.

Preferred Factors:

Will be considered preferred factors:

a) Experience in the development and optimisation of functional food products.

b) Experience in the extraction, characterisation, and stability assessment of bioactive compounds (e.g., phenolic compounds and soluble dietary fibers) in food matrices.

c) Knowledge of physicochemical, microbiological, and chromatographic techniques applied to food analysis.

d) Experience in food quality control and food safety.

e) Experience in nutritional assessment, participant follow-up, and the collection of clinical and nutritional data in hospital or clinical research settings.

f) Knowledge of statistical data analysis and experimental data processing.

g) Previous participation in applied research projects and scientific publications in the fields of food science or nutrition.

Work Plan:

The selected fellow will be integrated into the MONCHIQUE+ – Functionalization of Monchique Water for the Promotion of Digestive Health and Well-being project, funded by the COMPETE2030/ALGARVE2030 Programme. The work plan will include the following activities:

1. development and optimization of functional water formulations based on Monchique natural mineral water, enriched with soluble dietary fibers and phenolic compounds, aimed at promoting gastrointestinal health;
2. selection and characterisation of bioactive ingredients with prebiotic and antioxidant potential;
3. evaluation of the physicochemical and microbiological stability of the developed formulations;
4. in vitro assessment of the bioaccessibility and bioactivity of the bioactive compounds, including their potential effects on gastrointestinal health;
5. support for the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of a clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of the developed functional water in promoting gastrointestinal well-being;
6. support for the collection, management, and analysis of clinical, nutritional, and laboratory data, including statistical analysis of the study results; and
7. preparation of technical reports and scientific publications, as well as participation in project meetings and dissemination activities.

Applicable legislation and regulations:

• Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow: https://dre.pt/web/guest/legislacao-consolidada/-/lc/58216179/view?w=2019-08-28;
• Regulation of Research Scholarships of the Science and Technology Foundation, I.P: https://dre.pt/application/conteudo/127238533;
• Regulation of Research Scholarships of the Portuguese Catholic University: http://www.porto.ucp.pt//sites/default/files/files/DRH/RegBolsasInvestigacao_Cientifica_UCP2020.pdf

Workplace:

The work will be developed at the CBQF- Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina. of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Portugal, in Porto, under the scientific supervision of Prof. Doctor Manuela Pintado.

Duration of the scholarship:

The research fellowship, on an exclusive basis, will have an initial duration of 31 months, with an expected start date of 01/11/2026. Any renewals are subject to the extension of the project (currently scheduled to end on 31/05/2029), and the overall duration of the fellowship may not exceed any of the following limits:

1. The end date effectively determined for the project;
2. The maximum of 36 months of overall duration funded for this fellowship.

Without prejudice to the aforementioned limits, the fellowship will automatically terminate upon the effective closure of the project.

Monthly maintenance allowance amount:

The amount of the scholarship corresponds to 1359,64 €. according to the research scholarship values awarded directly by FCT, I.P. in the Country (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-2026.pdf) and will be paid by bank transfer.

Selection methods:

The selection methods to be used will be the following: i) curriculum evaluation (40%); ii) previous experience (60%). If necessary, the 3 best positioned candidates may be interviewed, and in this situation, the weighting will be curricular evaluation (35%).; ii) previous experience (50%) and selection interview (15%).

Only candidates with a final classification equal to or greater than 75 points, on a scale of 0 to 100, will be selected for this position.

Applications that do not meet the admission requirements, delivered on time and incomplete applications will be considered ineligible.

Composition of the Selection Jury: President of the Jury: Prof. Doctor Manuela Pintado, Effective Members: Prof. Doctor Marta Correia and Doctor Ana Sofia Salsinha. Substitute Jury: Prof. Doctor Ana Maria Gomes.

Form of advertising/notification of results: The jury deliberates in accordance with the selection criteria adopted and disclosed. The jury meetings minutes will contain a summary of the meeting content. After completing the application of the selection criteria, the jury proceeds with the elaboration of the ordered list, with the ranking of the approved candidates. The ranking list of eligible candidates will be published on the premises of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, in Porto, located at Rua de Diogo Botelho, 1327, 4169-005 Porto - Portugal, with each candidate being notified of his/her position on the list ranking of candidates via email. Ineligible applicants will be notified by email, with details of the missing eligibility elements.

Complaint and appeal procedures: Candidates have a period of ten working days, after the disclosure referred to in the previous number, to give their opinion at a prior hearing.

Deadline for acceptance of the scholarship: Within ten working days following notification of the grant award, the selected candidate must confirm in writing his/her availability to start the scholarship on the proposed date. Failing to do so or not having availability, the candidate placed in the next position will be called.

Application deadline and form of submission:

Candidates submit their application from September 15, 2026. until September 29, 2026. (until 5 pm, Lisbon time).

Applications are formalized by completing the Application Form https://hr-ucpporto.inqueritos.porto.ucp.pt/588151?lang=en

It will be necessary to submit the following documents:

1. Cover letter, identifying the title and reference of the project, describe the motivation and professional objectives of the candidate.
2. Detailed Curriculum Vitae (should contain all the elements to assess the admission requirements, including language knowledge and research experience).
3. Copy of the certificate(s) of qualifications conferring academic degree in the terms requested in the notice, which contain the final classifications.
4. Registration of recognition of the academic degree awarded by a foreign higher education institution, preferably with the registration of the conversion of the respective final classification to the Portuguese classification scale to guarantee eligibility in this call for application.
5. Proof of registration or letter with the commitment to register/enroll in a degree-awarding study cycle under the terms already described in this notice.

Only applications received during the opening period of the above-mentioned call shall be considered. Candidates who incorrectly formalize their application or who do not prove the requirements of this call are excluded. False statements made by applicants will be punished under the law.

Privacy Policy:

Universidade Católica Portuguesa is the controller responsible for the processing of Personal Data in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – General Regulation on Data Protection.

The personal data processed in the scope of this tender procedure is processed within the framework of said tender procedure only and will be processed by Universidade Católica Portuguesa with the purpose of verifying the fulfilment, by the candidates, of the assumptions established in the applicable legislation for their contracting. Opposition to the processing of data by the candidates will make it impossible to accept the application and, therefore, to analyse and evaluate it.

The personal data of the Data Subject, if it be indispensable for the fulfilment of the obligations of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, may be conveyed to third parties, namely to the Financing Entities identified in this announcement.

The data retention period shall correspond to the legally defined period of five years.

The Data Subject is entitled to oppose to the collection and processing of data, has the right to verification, the right to rectification, the right to deletion, and the right to restriction of processing of the data collected. However, the exercise of such rights may be excluded when the personal data is used to protect public interest, namely in the detection and prevention of crimes or when subject to professional rules of confidentiality.

The Data Subject has the right of access and portability of the data.

Rights of Personal Data Subjects: https://www.ucp.pt/rights-data-subjects.

For purposes of exercising the respective rights, contact the University through the e-mail address compliance.rgpd@ucp.pt or by using the address found at the end of this announcement, through the means set out in “Contacts for clarification”.

The Data Subject is always entitled to contact and file a complaint with the Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (Portuguese Supervisory Authority for Personal Data).

Non-discrimination and equal access policy:

Universidade Católica Portuguesa actively promotes a non-discrimination and equal access policy, wherefore no candidate can be privileged, benefited, impaired or deprived of any rights whatsoever, or be exempt of any duties based on their ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, family and economic conditions, instruction, 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 union membership.

If you have any questions about this position, please contact:

Universidade Católica Portuguesa – Centro Regional do Porto

Rua de Diogo Botelho, 1327

4169-005 Porto, Portugal

Direção de Recursos Humanos

drh.recrutamento.porto@ucp.pt

If the required academic degree has been conferred by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the Portuguese legislation on the recognition of foreign degrees, regulated by DL no. 66/2018 of 16 August.

Applicants are advised to consult the website of the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) for additional information on this matter: https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento

The contracting of the research scholarship requires the candidate to provide enrollment in the degree-awarding course required in this notice. If the document is not presented within a maximum period of 30 days (in a row), counting from the date of communication of the selection to the candidate, the Jury Panel will have the power to disqualify the application due to failure to present the registration within the aforementioned period.