JUNIOR RESEARCHER VACANCY

Offer Description

JUNIOR RESEARCHER VACANCY

The Instituto INEB invites applications for a Junior Researcher in Supramolecular Biomaterials for the project “Molecular Bioengineering in health ERA chair, ” funded by Horizon 2020 under Grant Agreement no. 951723.

Project Summary and Work Plan

Supramolecular biomaterials offer injectability, self‑healing, and tissue‑mimetic properties. The role will focus on designing and developing innovative biopolymer‑based biomaterials, optimizing fabrication protocols, characterizing materials, establishing external collaborations, and participating in outreach activities.

• Design and develop innovative supramolecular biomaterials based on biopolymers (e. g. , hyaluronic acid) and self‑assembling peptides.
• Optimize protocols for the fabrication of supramolecular biomaterials with properties tailored for biomedical applications.
• Assist and advance the work in the Molecular Biomaterials Group on material characterization.
• Establish contacts with stakeholders in supramolecular biomaterials.
• Participate in outreach activities organized under the project.

Workplace

The position is a 12‑month contract starting 1 January 2026, with a monthly salary of €2, 351. 53 (level 33 of the Single Remuneration Table, applicable to Ph
D holders with limited postdoctoral experience).

Eligibility and Requirements

Eligible candidates must hold a doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences or a closely related field, with less than 4 years of postdoctoral experience, and a scientific profile suited to the research activity.

Desired competencies and skills:

• Experience and interest in supramolecular biomaterials.
• Skilled in solid‑ and solution‑phase peptide synthesis and combination methods.
• Experience with analytical and preparative high‑performance chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) for peptide characterization and purification.
• Experience in biomaterials characterization (UV‑visible, fluorescence, circular dichroism, rheology, scanning electron and confocal microscopy).
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with a proven record of research papers.
• Team‑player with collaborative project experience.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of the following weighted criteria:

• Track record of significant achievements and research experience in supramolecular biomaterials (30 %)
• Demonstrated experience with relevant techniques such as MS, HPLC, CD, SEM, confocal microscopy, rheology (30 %)
• Experience supervising postgraduate students (10 %)
• Research experience in international and interdisciplinary teams and networking skills (10 %)
• Letter of motivation (10 %)

Application Details

Applications must be submitted in English and include:

• Ph
  D certificate or diploma copy.
• Curriculum vitae (max 5 pages) with at least 2 references.
• Letter of motivation (max 1 page).
• Any additional documentation relevant to the scientific evaluation.

Applications will be accepted from 3rd to 14th November 2025 via the online portal.

Expected Starting Date

01 January 2026.

Equal Opportunity Statement

INEB/i3S promotes a non‑discrimination and equal access policy. No candidate can be privileged, benefited, impaired or deprived of any rights based on ancestry, age, sex, sexual preference, marital status, family, economic conditions, disability, nationality, ethnic origin, language, religion, political convictions or union membership.

Disability Preference

Under Decree‑Law No.  29/2001, candidates with disabilities receive preference in case of equal classification.

Contact

For enquiries, contact Dr Helena Azevedo (hazevedo@i3s. up. pt).