038/BPD/2021 - Fellowship for PhD Holders

Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier
Application for a Postdoctoral Fellowship
within the project PTDC/BIA-BFS/0391/2021

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the scope of the project entitled “HUBs – The architecture of a pathogen-driven signaling Hub” with the Ref. PTDC/BIA-BFS/0391/2021, funded by FCT- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia I.P./MCTES, through national funding (PIDDAC).

Main Scientific Areas & Sub Research Fields:
Biology Sciences – Biology;
Chemistry – Biochemistry;
Physics – Biophysics

Academic degree: We are seeking candidates with a PhD degree in Life Science or related areas (i.e., Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedicine, Biophysics, Chemistry etc.)

Other requisites: The ideal candidate must have prior experience and peer-reviewed publications in integrative structural biology applied to macromolecular assemblies; Biochemistry and Biophysical studies of Intrinsically disordered proteins or multi-domain scaffolding proteins. It will be advantageous also to have experience with one or several of the following topics: Molecular dynamics, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for studying flexible proteins. Experience with lipid mimetics for study membrane proteins will be a plus.
The candidate will be exposed to a broad range of research questions that require a genuine interest in basic biochemistry to advanced structural biology and computational modelling tools. Also, with a curiosity-driven mindset to collaborate well within a multidisciplinary environment and a positive attitude towards challenges. A good level of spoken and written English is essential. International experience and mobility will be a plus.

Under regulations for Research Fellowships from "FCT- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia":
• The applicant must have obtained a PhD degree in the three years before this call;
• Candidates must not have carried out their PhD research at the host entity (ITQB NOVA);
• Research activities do not require post-doctoral experience;
• The scholarship holder should not exceed an accumulated period of three years in this type of scholarship, consecutive or interpolated;
• The selected candidate will have specific training in small-angle scattering and NMR hybrid applications applied to the field of host-pathogen interactions and pathogenicity.

Working Plan: The candidate will be responsible for implementing experimental and computational approaches for studying the structural dynamics of membrane receptors and their complexes at native-like conditions.

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;
Regulations for Research Fellowships from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in force (https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/docs/RegulamentoBolsasFCT2019.pdf ).

Working Place: The work will be carried out in the Dynamic Structural Biology Lab at ITQB NOVA, under supervision of Tiago Neto Cordeiro. The postdoctoral fellow will work together with scientists with different backgrounds, and engage in collaboration with other partner laboratories within ITQB-NOVA. The project is a primary focus of the lab, with facilities for molecular biology, protein handling and expression, and access to state-of-the-art technology platforms dedicated to structural biology and bioimaging. ITQB NOVA strategic axes is advanced training and career development, offering attritive conditions to grow as a scientist and team player.

Duration of the fellowship: The fellowship will have the duration of 24 months, eventually renewable, expected to start in 1st of February 2021, on a full-time basis, according to according to Fellowship Regulations of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P.

Stipend amount: The scholarship amount corresponds to 1646,00 €, according to the table of values of grants awarded directly by the FCT, I.P. in the Country (https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/docs/Tabela_Valores_SMM_LOE_2021.pdf ) plus the additional costs refer to Social Security contributions 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 50% each.

Juri composition: Doctor Tiago Neto Cordeiro (President); Doctor Zach Hensel (member); Doctor Carlos Frazão (member); Doctor Manuel Melo (substitute member).

Application documents: The application should be formalized in a cover letter indicating the corresponding fellowship reference together with the following documents: detailed Curriculum Vitae, degree certificate. All documents should be preferably sent by email in a single pdf file. If the degree has been conferred by a non-Portuguese higher education institution, the selected candidate must obtain the certificate of the degree recognition, issued by the Portuguese Directorate General for Higher Education or by a Portuguese Public Higher Education Institution, until the signature of the contract. Regarding this issue, please consult the website of the Portuguese Directorate General for Higher Education: https://www.dges.gov.pt/en .

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 favorable, 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 6 to 20 of December 2021

Applications should be sent to:
Nome and academic title of the person in charge of receiving the applications
[email protected]
Ref. 038/BPD/2021
OEIRAS