COMPETITION FOR GRANTING 1 Research Scholarship - #NOVAID-B421

Organisation/Company NOVA. id. FCT- Associação para a Inovação de Desenvolvimento da FCT Department Department of Life Sciences Research Field Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Master Positions Country Portugal Application Deadline 9 Dec 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Type of Contract Other Type of Contract Extra Information Research Scholarship Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 24 Nov 2025 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

1. Scientific Area: Medical Biotechnology (sub-area: Biomaterials).

2. Mandatory Requirements:

• Academic background in the scientific area, preferably with a Master's degree in Molecular Genetics and Biomedicine, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, or related fields;
• Experience in the field of 2D and 3D animal cell culture;
• Current enrollment in a Ph
  D program or a non‑degree course integrated into an educational project of a Higher Education Institution for the 2025/2026 academic year (declaration of honour replaces academic degree proof during the application phase).

3. Preferred factors: Proficiency in English.

3. Work Plan:

• 3D cell culture (spheroids and organoids).
• Validation of new therapeutic approaches in spheroids.
• Maintenance and culture of organoids derived from colorectal cancer patient cells.
• Isolation of nucleic acids/proteins for omics analyses.
• Immunofluorescence of 3D cultures.
• Validation of new therapeutic combinations in organoid models.

4. Applicable legislation and regulations:

Law No. 40/2004, of August 18, amended and republished by Decree‑Law No. 202/2012 of August 27 (Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow) and amended by Decree‑Law No. 233/2012 of October 29, by Law No. 12/2013 of 29 January, by Decree‑Law No. 89/2013, of 9 July and Decree‑Law No. 123/2019, of 28 August; Regulation of Research Grants of NOVA. id. FCT – Association for Innovation and Development of FCT; Regulation of Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I. P. in force (link).

5. Workplace:

The work will be carried out at UCIBIO, Department of Life Sciences (Nanomedicine/Human Genetics and Cancer Therapeutics laboratories) at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA FCT), under the scientific supervision of Professor Dr. Pedro Viana Baptista and Professor Dr. Alexandra R. Fernandes, with the contracting entity being the NOVA. id. FCT – Association for Innovation and Development of FCT.

6. Fellowship duration: 6 months, starting on 24 November 2025; contract may be renewed within project duration.

7. Monthly maintenance allowance: € 1, 309. 64, paid monthly by bank transfer.

8. Selection criteria:

• Curriculum evaluation (0-20): 30%
• Laboratory experience with the methodologies referred to in point 2 (0-20): 60%
• Publications in the area and topic of this project (0-20): 10%

In case of a tie between the top two candidates, interview may be conducted with adjusted weighting: curriculum 25%, laboratory 40%, publications 5%, interview 30%.

9. Composition of the Selection Jury:

• President: Professor Dr. Pedro Viana Baptista, UCIBIO and DCV-NOVA-FCT
• Effective Jury Member: Professor Dr. Ana Rita Grosso, UCIBIO and DCV-NOVA-FCT
• Substitute Jury Member: Professor Dr. Marta Martins, UCIBIO and DCV-NOVA FCT
• Substitute Jury Member: Professor Dr. Pedro Costa, UCIBIO and DCV-NOVA FCT

10. Marketing / notification of results: Evaluation results will be notified up to 90 days after deadline via email, with access to minutes and final ranking. Candidates will have 10 working days to comment. Final decision notified by email. Appeals within 15 working days for complaint or 30 for hierarchical appeal to NOVA. ID. FCT’s Board (coord1@novaidfct. pt).

11. Application deadline and submission: 24 November to 09 December 2025.

12. Documentation required in application:

• Certificate of Qualifications.
• Other supporting documents considered relevant, and, if not enrolled in a Ph
  D program or non‑degree course, a declaration under honour stating eligibility for enrollment in 2025/2026.
• Proof of enrollment in a Ph
  D program or non‑degree course at time of contracting.

13. Drafts: Fellowship contract, final report to be presented by the fellowship holder, final report by the scientific advisor, and declaration on honour are all available on the NOVA. id. FCT website.

Where to apply

E‑mail: ma. fernandes@fct. unl. pt