PhD holder Researcher (Reference REQUIMTE 2022-41)

Reference: REQUIMTE 2022-41

Main research field: Chemistry

Sub research field: Organic Chemistry of Natural Products and Food Science

1. In a meeting the Board of Directors of REQUIMTE – Rede de Química e Tecnologia – Associação, has decided to open an international call for a PhD holder Researcher, under a work contract for a non-fixed term. This announcement is intended to 1 (one) research position (Reference REQUIMTE 2022-41), to pursue scientific research activities in the area Chemistry, under a work contract for a non-fixed term, at Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde - Tecnologias e Processos Limpos - UIDP/50006/2020, with the financial support of the FCT/ MCTES through national funds, in order to pursue research activities in Organic Chemistry of Natural Products and Food Science.

2. Applicable Legislation

Decree-Law no. 124/199 of April 20; Portuguese Labour Code, approved by Law 7/2009 of February 12, in its actual form and Articles 17th , 19th and 28th of the REC, published in Diário da Républica under the number 607-A/2017 of November 22.

3. Pursuant to article 13 of RJEC, the tender selection panel is be formed by: Victor Armando Pereira de Freitas (Professor Catedrático da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, chair of the jury by delegation of the Director of REQUIMTE), Nuno Filipe Batista Mateus (Professor Associado da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto) and Manuel António Coimbra (Professor Associado com agregação da Universidade de Aveiro).

4. The workplace shall be at Universidade do Porto.

5. The gross monthly salary entitle is € 3.230,31, corresponding to 195 index of the Scientific Research Career (Anexo I do Decreto-Lei nº 124/99, de 20 de Abril).

6. Application can be submitted by any national, foreign and stateless candidate(s) holding a doctorate degree in Chemistry and related area, with ten years or more relevant post-doctoral experience.

In case the doctorate degree was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law no. 341/2007 of October 12th, and all formalities established therein must be complied with at the signature of work contract.

7.The tender admission general requirements are those defined in the previous point 6, and additional specific requirements are:

1- Peer-reviewed articles in the areas of Food Chemistry, Structural Analysis of Organic Compounds, Sustainability and similar areas, with a special focus on the valorization of by-products from agri-food industries, with a total of more than 70 publications in Scopus;

2- Proven experience in structural characterization methods (NMR, Mass Spectrometry, Visible and Infrared spectroscopy, ...) and chromatography (HPLC-DAD/MS, liquid column chromatography - low pressure and GC-MS) for analysis of bioactive compounds such as polyphenolic compounds and food colorants;

3- Proven experience in (hemi)synthesis of organic compounds.

8. Pursuant to article 5 of RJEC, the selection is to be made based on the evaluation of the scientific and curricular career of the candidate.

9. Scientific and curricular career evaluation focuses on relevance, quality and up-to-datedness:

a) of scientific, technological, cultural or artistic production in the last five years, considered most relevant by the candidate;

b) of research activities, fundamental or applied science, developed in the last five years, considered of higher impact by the candidate;

c) of knowledge extension and dissemination activities developed in the last five years, namely under the scope of the promotion of culture and scientific practices, deemed most relevant by the candidate.

d) of activities of science management, technology and innovation programs, or of experience in observing and monitoring the scientific and technological system or higher education, in Portugal or abroad.

10. The five-year period mentioned above can be extended by the panel, if requested by the candidate, whenever the suspension of scientific activities is reasoned by socially protected grounds like paternity leave, long-term serious illness, and other legal situations of unavailability to work.

11. Evaluation criteria are the following:

The evaluation of the CV of the candidates, in particular the scientific merit and research experience will take into consideration the elements presented for the last five years of activity falling within the scope of the specific areas of the tender (see Point 1) and will be performed according to the following criteria:

11.1 Integrated assessment of the curriculum trajectory of the candidate, based on an overview of their scientific merits, namely:

I. overall scientific coherence of the CV – 15%

II. Diversity and quality of bibliometric indicators, including peer-reviewed articles, relevant in the areas indicated in points 1 and 7 or that demonstrate relevant technical-scientific skills, especially in the structural characterization of natural compounds and studies of their physicochemical properties - 20%;

III. participation and/or coordination of research projects in the areas of Organic Chemistry of Natural Products and Food Science – 15%.

IV. Experience in the supervision of MSc, PhD and post-doctoral students – 10%.

11.2 Relevant experience, proved in CV, in:

I. Structural analysis using different techniques (NMR, Mass Spectrometry, Visible and Infrared spectroscopy) – 15%;

II. Chromatographic studies with different types of detectors (HPLC-DAD/MS, liquid column chromatography – low pressure) for the analysis of bioactive compounds such as polyphenolic compounds and food colorants – 15%;

III. Characterization and by-products valorization with importance in the national economy - 10%.

Only candidates who obtain a classification equal to or greater than 50% in the parameters indicated above will be eligible.

12. In the case of admitted candidates whose evaluation does not differ more than 10% from that obtained by the best positioned candidate, the jury will interview the best positioned candidate and the candidates in this situation. This will be aimed at obtaining clarifications and explanations about the curricular elements and additional information as well as to evaluate the attitude profile and motivation of the candidate.

The final score of each jury member is obtained by the following assessment: 90% scientific and curricular career evaluation and 10% interview.

13. Candidate final classification system shall be given based on a scale 0 to 100.

14. The panel shall deliberate by means of roll-call vote justified under adopted and disclosed selection criteria, with no abstentions allowed.

15. Minutes of panel meetings shall be executed and include a summary of all occurrences of said meeting, as well as of all votes casted by the members and respective reasoning, and shall be provided to candidates whenever required.

16. After selection criteria application, the panel shall prepare a sorted list of approved candidates and respective classification.

17. Panel’s final decision shall be validated by the leader of the institution, who is also in charge of deciding about the hiring.

18. Application formalization:

18.1 The applications are formalized at the electronic address https://www.requimte.com/ with following documents in a digital form, in PDF format:

i) Curriculum vitae;

ii) Motivational Letter;

iii) Qualifications Certificate;

iv) other relevant documentation.

18.2. The application period is from 08/08/2022 to 22/08/2022.

19. All candidates who formalize their applications in an improper way or fail to prove the requirements imposed by this tender are excluded from admission. In case of doubt, the panel is entitled to request any candidate to present further documentation supporting their statements.

20. False statements provided by the candidates shall be punished by law.

21. Both admitted and excluded candidate list and final classification list shall be published at the address of REQUIMTE (Praça Coronel Pacheco nº 15-6º andar, Porto), in the website of the Institute and the selected candidate shall be notified by email.

22. Preliminary Hearing and Final Decision Deadline: After publication, all candidates have 10 working days to respond. Panel’s final decisions are pronounced within a period of 90 working days, from response period deadline.

23. This tender is exclusively destined to fill this specify position and can be terminated at any time until approval of final candidate list, expiring with the respective occupation of said position.

24. Non-discrimination and equal access policy: REQUIMTE 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, sex, sexual preference, marital status, family and economic conditions, instruction, origin or social conditions, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, origin territory, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and union membership.

25. The panel has approved this announcement in meeting held on 27/07/2022.

26. According to Decree-Law no. 29/2001 of 3 February, disabled candidates shall be preferred in a situation of equal classification, and said preference supersedes any legal preferences. Candidates must declare, on their honour, their respective disability degree, type of disability and communication/expression means to be used during selection period on their application form, under the regulations above.

27. The selection of candidate to be hired is determined by orientations and regulations issued by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia upon verification of all legal requirements. REQUIMTE is entitled to cancel the present process in case the legal requirements are not fulfilled.