GreenCoLab is hiring: Aquaculture Nutrition Researcher (PhD) (M/F) | EN

Vacancy Purpose

ASSOCIAÇÃO OCEANO VERDE – LABORATÓRIO COLABORATIVO PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DE TECNOLOGIAS E PRODUTOS VERDES DO OCEANO (hereinafter referred to as GreenCoLab) opens recruitment and selection tender for 1 Researcher (M/F), vacancy to satisfy temporary needs under an uncertain term employment contract under the scope of application ALG-05-3559-FSE-000022, called Hiring Highly Qualified Human Resources, under Application Opening Notice n.º ALG-59-2020-48, financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Social Security Budget (OSS), through the Algarve Regional Operational Program, to support the work carried in the context of the GreenCoLab R&D agenda.

Project: ALG-05-3559-FSE-000022, called Hiring Highly Qualified Human Resources, under Application Opening Notice n.º ALG-59-2020-48, financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Social Security Budget (OSS), through the Algarve Regional Operational Program.

Profile Required PhD (GutPerformance)
Researcher that will co-lead research aiming to evaluate the potential of microalgae and macroalgae commercial products as functional ingredients for aquaculture. The products include algae biomass and ingredients fractionated using a biorefinery process. The candidate will support the establishment and optimization of screening platforms and will coordinate and perform laboratory activities to assess the products functional effects in aquatic species with a special focus in animal gut performance, but also immune and antioxidative status, integrating the activities in the GreenCoLab R&D agenda.

Tasks:

• Evaluate the potential of algae-based products and refined fractions obtained from the biorefinery process as a functional ingredient for aquatic animals;
• Optimize screening platform (in vitro/ex vivo) and assess and rank the potential of new ingredients;
• Coordinate in vivo trials for validation of new formulations;
• Coordinate and perform analysis that will determine effects of new ingredients in organisms. These will include physiological, molecular and biochemical assessments;
• Identify new potential ingredients and functionalities to increase the value of the assessed products;
• Guidance of students at bachelor, master and doctor level;
• Identify research funding opportunities, at European and National levels, develop project consortia, and prepare project applications, in collaboration with other GCL and its partners researchers;
• Dissemination of research results in scientific journals, conferences and fairs in the area of aquaculture nutrition.

Profile required:

1. PhD in Aquaculture Nutrition, Animal Science, or related areas;
2. Proven experience in the evaluation of functional ingredients for aquaculture or other animal production;
3. Preference criteria:
   (a) Experience in design and monitoring in vivo nutritional trials;
   (b) Experience in physiology techniques (e.g., enzyme assays);
   (c) Experience in molecular techniques (e.g., PCR, gene expression RNA-seq, metagenomics);
   (d) Experience in in vitro assays;
4. Be strongly motivated, demonstrate autonomy and ability to propose new approaches;
5. Guidance on objectives, results and meeting deadlines;
6. Have proven fluency in the English language (written and spoken).
7. Failure to meet these requirements determines the rejection of the application. The decision not to be admitted shall be notified to the candidates by e-mail for the purposes of the hearing of the interested parties. False statements made by applicants will be punished under the law.

Other Preferred Requirements:

• Be strongly motivated, demonstrate autonomy and the ability to propose new approaches.
• Have proven fluency in English language (written and spoken);
• Experience in the development and / or execution of national and international projects.

Governing Law

Labour Code, approved by Law No. 7/2009 of 12 February, as amended.

Starting Date: The contract is scheduled to start from November 2022 and will only last for the period necessary to implement the proposed work plan.
Workplace: The activities will be carried out at GreenCoLab headquarters, as well as at other locations to be indicated by the Executive Committee, to fulfil the tasks to be performed.
Work schedule: Full time (35 hours a week).
Monthly Compensation: The gross monthly remuneration is fixed in accordance with the subsection a), section 1, Article 15 of the Law no. 57/2017, 19th July and Article 2 of Implementing Decree no. 11-A/2017, of 29th December (level 33 of “Tabela Remuneratória Única”, approved by Decree-Law no. 10-B/2020 of 20th March 2020). However, the remuneration position may vary within the range 1 (€2.153,94) to 4 (€2.987,72), according to selected applicant’s profile and work experience.
Application Period: The application period starts on Setember 2nd, 2022 and ends on 23rd Setember, 2022, at 23:59H (Lisbon Time, Portugal).

Evaluation Panel

In accordance with article 13 of the RJEC, the tender the evaluation panel is composed of João Carlos Serafim Varela, researcher at CCMAR (chairman), Hugo Galvão Caiano Pereira, General Manager at GreenCoLab and Ana Teresa Gonçalves researcher at GreenCoLab.

Evaluation and Selection Process

The evaluation is carried out in two stages, which result in a final classification from 0 to 100 points.
The deliberations of the evaluation panel are taken by reasoned roll call and abstentions are not allowed.

Stage One: Curriculum Evaluation

The selection of the admitted candidates is made through the evaluation of the motivation letter that will indicate the most relevant activities, career development plan and the curriculum vitae that will include the candidate’s scientific and professional career focusing on the relevance, quality and timeliness of the criteria, according to Article 5 (2) (a) to (d) of the RJEC. The following selection criteria will be considered and the candidate’s ability to perform the duties:

CA) Scientific and technological production of the last 5 years considered most relevant by the candidate;
CB) Applied or practice-based research activities in an academic and industrial environment, developed over the past five years and considered as having the greatest impact by the applicant.
CC) Activities of knowledge extension and dissemination in the academic and / or business environment in the last five years, namely in the context of the promotion of knowledge and scientific practices, considered most relevant by the candidate.
CD) Project management, collaborators, technology and innovation activities in academic and / or business environment.

The period of 5 years referred to in the evaluation criteria may be extended by the Evaluation Panel at the request of the applicant, on grounds of suspension of scientific activity for socially protected reasons, on grounds of parental leave, prolonged serious illness, and other situations of unavailability for work legally protected.

Stage Two: Interview

If the evaluation panel deems it necessary for the evaluation, the best ranked candidates for the curriculum evaluation will proceed to the second phase, which will consist of an individual interview, either in person or via videoconference. The interview will have a maximum weight of 10% of the final grade and will only serve to clarify aspects related to the research results of the candidates.

Evaluation Panel Procedure

Each evaluation panel member will evaluate candidates on all CA to DC factors between 0 and 100 points and indicating the reasons for the points awarded. Abstentions are not allowed. A similar procedure will be followed for applicants who are invited to the interview. Candidates who are not called for the interview will have 0 points in the second evaluation phase.

The curricular evaluation (C) of each candidate is obtained according to the sum of the scores of each criterion multiplied by the respective weights according to the following formula rounded to one decimal place.

C = CA*35 + CB*40 + CC*10 + CD*15

The final score (FS) of each candidate is obtained by summing the scores of the curriculum evaluation (C) and interview (I), if applicable, according to the following formulation, rounded to the units.

FS = C*90 + I*10

Each candidate’s final score is obtained by averaging the scores of the evaluation panel members. In case of a tie applying the previous criteria, the decision to break will be up to the president of the evaluation panel.

The evaluation panel will write minutes of the meetings describing the evaluation process and selection process including an ordered list of candidates for their score and the final decision. GreenCoLab Board of Directors will validate the evaluation panel’s final decision.

In the event that the candidates do not have the appropriate profile for the proposed duties, or the financing conditions change significantly after the publication of this notice, the evaluation panel reserves the right to terminate the tender without any recruitment. In the event that the selected candidate does not accept the post, or terminates the employment contract, the evaluation panel reserves the right to assign a post to the next candidate in the order of final grade, upon judgment of convenience and timeliness.

Application Process and Submission:

Only applications submitted directly and necessarily by email to concursos@greencolab.com are accepted. Receipt of applications is considered valid only upon receipt of confirmation by email from GreenCoLab. The application in (English or Portuguese) must include a Motivation Letter (with a personal assessment of the suitability of the activities of the last 5 years to the present tender, highlighting the publications chosen and considered most relevant, and career plan as well as any entrepreneurial activities carried out by the candidate), detailed Curriculum Vitae according to the requirements and selection criteria of the tender, digital copies (e.g., PDF) of up to 3 publications considered by the applicant as most relevant; copy of PhD certificate; indication of up to 3 references and their contact by email; other documents which the applicant considers to be important for this tender.

Results

The list of admitted and excluded candidates and the final ranking list are posted on the GreenCoLab Headquarters and on the website www.greencolab.com. The candidates are notified by email.

Prior Hearing and Deadline for Final Decision

Under Article 121 of the Administrative Procedure Code, after notified, candidates have 10 days to comment. Within 90 days from the deadline for the submission of applications, the final decisions of the evaluation panel are issued.

The candidate with disabilities has a preference in equal ranking, which prevails over any other legal preference. Applicants must declare in the application, on their honour, their degree of disability, the type of disability and the means of communication / expression to be used in the selection process, in accordance with the above-mentioned diploma.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Access Policy

No candidate may be privileged, benefited, harmed or deprived of any right or exempt from any duty on the grounds, in particular, of descent, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, economic situation, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnicity, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs and trade union membership.

The members of the evaluation panel approved this announcement on the 2nd Setember, 2022.