Assistant Researcher with PhD

Organisation/Company Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde da Universidade do Porto (i3S) Research Field Medical sciences Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Ph
D Positions Country Portugal Application Deadline 3 Dec 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 19 Nov 2025 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Next
Generation
EU Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

NOTICE OF OPENING OF AN INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR THE SELECTION OF A Ph
D HOLDER RESEARCHER UNDER DECREE-LAW NO. 57/2016

Internal code: Researcher/COMPETE2030/i3S/1911/2025

A call is opened for the position of a Ph
D holder, for a unfixed term work contract to carry out research duties within the project “ BREAST_TO_BONE - The Influence of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Secretome in Bone Pre-Metastatic Reprogramming ”, with reference COMPETE2030-FEDER-00686000, Operation no. 15753, funded by COMPETE2030 within the scope of Notice No. MPr-2023-12.

Scientific Area: Oncobiology

Approximately 40% of patients with
- negative breast cancer (TNBC) are diagnosed with bone metastases, which cause pain, fractures, and spinal cord compression, as well as poor quality of life and prognosis. Based on previous results, the aim of this project is to explore the role of TNBC-specific biomarkers, transferred by secreted extracellular vesicles (s
EVs), in bone reprogramming and metastasis formation.

The selected researcher will have the following main tasks:

• To determine the in vivo impact of s
  EVs secreted by
  - tropic breast cancer cells on the formation of pre‑metastatic bone niches and bone metastases;
• To study, in vitro, the uptake of s
  EVs derived from bone‑tropic breast cancer cells by bone‑resident cells;
• To evaluate the expression of biomarkers in human samples, specifically in a retrospective series of primary tumors and corresponding metastases, as well as in circulating CTCs and s
  EVs isolated from liquid biopsies of patients.

Decree No. 57/2016, of August 29 – Legal Framework for Scientific Employment (RJEC) – in its current version.

Portuguese Labor Code, in its current wording.

3. Jury

4. Workplace

5. Professional category and monthly remuneration

€ 3. 501, 28, corresponding to index 195 of the Tabela Remuneratória Única, whose application is intended for Ph
D holders with post‑doctoral experience.

6. Requirements for admission

Mandatory:

• Ph
  D degree in Biomedicine or a related area;
• Relevant publication record in Oncobiology, advanced in vivo and in vitro models of cancer, particularly in breast cancer and metastasis;
• The development of advanced in vivo and in vitro models of cancer;
• Functional experiments in oncobiology;
• Tumor pathology;
• Fluency in written and spoken English;
• Good teamwork and interpersonal skills;
• Contacts of two references. These will only be contacted during the interview stage;
• Immediate availability to start the contract.

Preferential:

• Practical experience in in vivo models of metastatic tropism;
• Practical experience in monitoring metastasis by IVIS;
• Participation in science outreach initiatives;
• Proven experience in securing competitive research funding and leading projects;
• Proven experience in supervising master and doctoral students (supervision and/or co‑supervising).

7. Evaluation of the applications and publication of the results

The evaluation of the scientific and curricular background of the candidates should focus on the activity of the last five years that the candidate considers most relevant. The five‑year period may be extended by the jury, at the candidate’s request, when justified by suspension of scientific activity for socially protected reasons, namely for reasons of parental leave, prolonged serious illness, and other situations of unavailability for work that are legally protected.

Weight of the different curricular valuation criteria:

• Detailed CV and experience as detailed in point 6, of d) (70%):
• Interview – facultative (10%)

If the jury decides to obtain further clarifications and additional information about the curricular elements presented, the 3 best candidates classified on the basis of the curriculum may be called for an interview.

Candidates who submit their application incorrectly or fail to meet the required qualifications for this competition will be excluded from admission.

The jury reserves the right to request any candidate, in case of doubt, to provide supporting documents for their statements.

False statements made by candidates will be sanctioned in accordance with the law.

The jury will draw up minutes of its meetings, which can be consulted at the candidate's request within 10 working days after the selection results are released.

The jury deliberates by means of a reasoned vote according to the evaluation criteria, with no abstentions allowed, and draws up a list of excluded and admitted candidates, ordered by respective classification.

All candidates are notified of the selection results by email. After notification, candidates have 10 working days to comment.

In the 90 days following the deadline for submission of applications, the jury's final decision is communicated to the candidates. Subsequently the institute Director, who is also responsible for the final decision of hiring, will ratify the decision of the jury.

This call is intended exclusively to fill the indicated position on offer and may be canceled before the final ranking list of candidates is ratified by the Director. Accordingly, the position will no longer be available.

8. Submission of applications

Applications must include all the documents proving that they fulfill the admission requirements, namely:

• Copy of certificate or diploma of the Ph
  D degree;
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae;
• Contacts of two references - These will only be contacted during the interview stage;
• Other documents relevant for the evaluation of qualifications in a related scientific area.

The submission of applications is digital, in pdf format, from November-19 to December-03, 2025, in the following link:

The anticipated start date of the contract is 15/01/2026 and is subject to budget availability. The expected duration of the contract will be 12 months.

10. Non-discrimination and equal access policy

i3S actively promotes a policy of
- discrimination and equal access. No applicant shall be privileged, benefited, prejudiced, or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the basis of ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, origin or social condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union membership.

Within the framework of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, i3S adopts the Open, Transparent and Merit-based (OTM‑R) principles for the recruitment of researchers, with the aim of conducting fair and transparent recruitment processes, bringing equal opportunities to all candidates.

11. Applicants with disabilities

Under the terms of Decree-Law 29/2001, of February 3, the candidate with a disability is given preference in equal ranking, which takes precedence over any other legal preference. Candidates must declare under oath their degree of disability, the type of disability and the means of communication/expression to be used in the selection process, under the terms of the aforementioned decree.