Assistant Researcher (M/F)_Biopolis 2024-54-Onestop

Organisation/Company: ASSOCIAÇÃO BIOPOLIS

Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology

Researcher Profile: Established Researcher (R3)

Positions: PhD Positions

Country: Portugal

Application Deadline: 5 Nov 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon)

Type of Contract: Temporary

Job Status: Full-time

Hours Per Week: 35

Offer Starting Date: 1 Jan 2025

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe

Reference Number: 101180559

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description
Reference: BIOPOLIS 2024-54

Main research field: Natural Sciences

Sub research field: Natural Resources and Sustainability

1. Associação Biopolis opens a call for applications for an Assistant Researcher position (Reference BIOPOLIS 2024-54) , within the project OneSTOP (HORIZON-CL6-2024-BIODIV-01-1-101180559, Grant Agreement No. 101180559), funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe Framework Programme. The position is open under a non-fixed contract term, for an expected duration of two years, which can be extended until the end of the project.

The project OneSTOP has a pioneer, innovative and joined-up approach to biosecurity for terrestrial invasive alien species, strengthening the interconnections between applied ecology and animal, plant, environmental and human health. The project brings together a multi-disciplinary team of leading European experts to develop a research and innovation programme to minimise the introduction, establishment, spread and impact of invasive alien species. This will be achieved by applying innovative methods for detecting, prioritising and modelling invasive alien species (IAS), and by developing and applying future scenarios. Collaboration with local stakeholders to test these technologies will also be a key point of the project.

OneSTOP is built on four pillars: (i) detection, (ii) prioritisation, (iii) dissemination and (iv) socio-political action. Each pillar of OneSTOP contributes to the overarching aim to maximise the benefits from synergies and harmonise approaches across various sectors within the terrestrial realm to reduce the threat of IAS.

OneSTOP's methodology builds on the concept of One Biosecurity and especially the emerging need to bring together environmental DNA, novel surveillance technology, machine learning models, artificial intelligence and social sciences to deliver advances in managing IAS.

The position holder will carry out research activities related to the participation of BIOPOLIS-CIBIO in OneSTOP, namely: (i) development of predictive ecological models at the European scale, (ii) model projection under climate and land use future scenarios, (iii) development of prioritisation frameworks for invasive alien species, (iv) support in the establishment of a Living Lab in the North of Portugal with stakeholder engagement, (v) planning multi-stakeholder scenario workshop series through OneSTOP Living Labs, and (vi) co-production of scientific publications. The position holder is also expected to collaborate in the general development of the project, including participation in meetings (national and international), communication and dissemination activities, production and revision of deliverables, among others.

6. Application can be submitted by any national, foreign and stateless candidate(s) holding a doctorate degree in Biology, Ecology, Forestry or related areas and a scientific and professional curriculum whose profile is suited for the activity described below (item 7). In case the doctorate degree was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law n.º 66/2018, de 16th August, and all formalities established therein must be complied with at the signature of work contract.

7. The tender admission general requirements are those defined in the previous point 6, and additional preferential requirements are:

Holding a PhD in Biology, Ecology, Geography, Environmental Sciences or related areas.

Proved expertise in Computational Statistics and Data Analysis.

Proved experience in applying spatial ecological models (both static and dynamic) for several taxa and using programming languages (preferably R or Python).

Previous experience of participation and leadership (tasks and work packages) in large European projects (e.g. Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe).

Exhibit exceptional written and verbal communication and presentation skills (aimed at both the scientific community and local stakeholders).

Availability to travel nationally and internationally on behalf of the team.

Have a minimum of 5 years of post-doctoral experience.

Demonstrated strong track record of scientific publications.

Possess fluency in Portuguese and English.

Be available to start work in the first month of the project (January 2025).

8. Pursuant to article 5 of RJEC, the selection is to be made based on the evaluation of the scientific and curricular career of the candidate.

9. Scientific and curricular career evaluation focuses on relevance and quality:

a) of scientific production in the last 5 years, considered most relevant by the candidate.

b) of significant roles taken in European projects (Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe).

c) of research activities, fundamental or applied science, developed in the last 5 years, considered of higher impact by the candidate.

d) of communication and dissemination activities related to the topics of the call.

e) The ability to work in a team and grasp complex problems with broad inputs and impacts.

10. The 5 period mentioned above can be extended by the panel, if requested by the candidate, whenever the suspension of scientific activities is reasoned by socially protected grounds like paternity leave, long-term serious illness, and other legal situations of unavailability to work.

11. Evaluation criteria are the following:

The evaluation of the motivation letter and CV of the candidates, considering in particular the scientific merit, motivation and adequacy of the provided elements in relation to the role to be taken in the OneSTOP project.

11.1 Integrated assessment of the motivation letter, namely (50%):

I. Motivation expressed to develop the activities described in the call (Point 1);

II. Vision expressed regarding the subject of the project OneSTOP within BIOPOLIS-CIBIO.

11.2 Integrated assessment of the curriculum trajectory of the candidate, based on an overview of their scientific merits, namely:

I. overall scientific coherence of the CV – 15%

II. diversity and quality of scientific indicators, including relevant published peer-reviewed articles and communications in areas related to the call topics (Point 1) - 20%

III. role in large European research projects - 15%

12. In the case of admitted candidates whose evaluation does not differ more than 10% from that obtained by the best positioned candidate, the jury will interview these candidates. This will be aimed at obtaining clarifications and explanations about the curricular elements and additional information as well as to evaluate the attitude profile and motivation of the candidate.

The final score of each jury member is obtained by the following assessment: 90% scientific and curricular career evaluation and 10% interview.

13. Candidate final classification system shall be given based on a scale 0 to 100.

14. The panel shall deliberate by means of roll-call vote justified under adopted and disclosed selection criteria, with no abstentions allowed.

15. Minutes of panel meetings shall be executed and include a summary of all occurrences of said meeting, as well as of all votes casted by the members and respective reasoning, and shall be provided to candidates whenever required.

16. After selection criteria application, the panel shall prepare a sorted list of approved candidates and respective classification.

17. Panel's final decision shall be validated by the leader of the institution, who is also in charge of deciding about the hiring.

18.2. The application period is from 22/10/2024 to 5/11/2024.

18.3. Expect starting date: 1st January 2025

19. All candidates who formalize their applications in an improper way or fail to prove the requirements imposed by this tender are excluded from admission. In case of doubt, the panel is entitled to request any candidate to present further documentation supporting their statements.

20. False statements provided by the candidates shall be punished by law.

21. Both admitted and excluded candidate list and final classification list shall be notified by email.

22. Preliminary Hearing and Final Decision Deadline: After notification, all candidates have 10 working days to respond. Panel's final decisions are pronounced within a period of 90 working days, from response period deadline.

23. This tender is exclusively destined to fill this specific position and can be terminated at any time until approval of final candidate list, expiring with the respective occupation of said position.

24. Non-discrimination and equal access policy: Associação BIOPOLIS actively promotes a non-discrimination and equal access policy, wherefore no candidate can be privileged, benefited, impaired or deprived of any rights whatsoever, or be exempt of any duties based on their ancestry, age, sex, sexual preference, marital status, family and economic conditions, instruction, origin or social conditions, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, origin territory, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and union membership.

25. In order to comply with Law no. 4/2019, of 10 January, candidates must declare on the application form, under a statement of honor, their degree of disability, the type of disability and the means of communication/expression to be used in the selection process.

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