Organisation / Company Universidade de Coimbra, Department Divisão de Projetos e Atividades (Bolsas)Position Overview Research Field: Biological Sciences Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions: Bachelor (Graduates) – 3 positionsContract Details Type of Contract: Temporary Job Status: Full‐time Hours per week: 35 Starting Date: 10 Mar **** Application Deadline: 23 Mar *********:59 (Europe/Lisbon)Funding Information Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? No Is the job related to a staff position within a Research Infrastructure? NoCall for Research Initiation Grant The University of Coimbra opens a call for the assignment of a research initiation grant, with 3 positions, within the scope of the project **********. PEX, title BiosensTel – Electrochemical biosensor for the detection of telomerase cancer biomarker in precision oncology. This call is governed by the Announcement, the Research Grants Regulation of the University of Coimbra (RBI‐UC), supplemented by the Research Grants Regulation of the Foundation for Science and Technology (RBI‐FCT), the Research Grant Holder Statute (EBI), and the Rules for the Attribution and Management of Grants within the scope of R&D Projects, the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA), and other applicable national and EU legislation.Legal Admission RequirementsGraduates in the scientific area of Bioengineering or related fields, enrolled in a master's degree or an integrated master's degree;Graduates in the scientific area of Bioengineering or related fields, enrolled in a non‐degree granting course.The non‐degree‐granting course must be related to the type of activity of the grant.Non‐degree‐granting courses are those referred to in subparagraph e) of paragraph 3 of Article 4 of Decree‐Law No. *******, provided that, under subparagraph e) of Article 3 of RBI‐FCT, they are developed in association or cooperation between the higher education institution and one or more R&D units.Ineligible candidates: Candidates who have previously received any research grants under the terms of the EBI are not eligible.Eligible candidates:Portuguese nationals or nationals of other EU Member States;Nationals of third countries;Stateless persons;Beneficiaries of political refugee status.When the work plan takes place, in whole or in part, in foreign institutions, only candidates who can prove permanent and habitual residence in Portugal at the start of the grant are eligible.Grant InformationLocation: Universidade de CoimbraScientific supervision/coordination: Ana Maria Chiorcea PaquimWork Plan / Goals to be achieved:BiosensTel targets TERT, the catalytic subunit of telomerase expressed in tumour cells but inactive in normal somatic cells, making it a highly valuable cancer biomarker.Current TERT detection relies on expensive, time‐consuming, and specialised molecular biology methods.Goal: develop a low‐cost, miniaturised, and portable label‐free electrochemical biosensor for rapid TERT screening, suitable for laboratory use and point‐of‐care (POC) testing.Project organised around two aims:Clarify telomeric DNA structure and its interaction with TERT at electrified solid–liquid interfaces using in situ AFM, voltammetry, EIS and QCM.Translate this knowledge into a biosensor based on a nanostructured telomeric DNA film self‐assembled on carbon electrodes, enhanced with nanostructured materials and optimised for voltammetric and impedimetric detection.Final device will be miniaturised on screen‐printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs), providing a rapid, sensitive and selective tool for TERT detection with strong potential to improve early diagnosis and support personalised medicine.Initial grant duration: 5 monthsRenewal possibility: possibly renewableFunding and financial conditions:Monthly grant amount (paid by bank transfer at the end of each month): €651,12Other financial components: N/AVoluntary social security (SSV) is included when the grant has a duration of six months or more, corresponding to the first level, if the candidate opts for it, as well as mandatory personal accident insurance.Funding: The grant(s) assigned under this call will be funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT) through the state budget.Information and publicity: In all R&D activities carried out within the scope of scholarships indirectly financed by FCT, mention of financial support from FCT and the respective financing program must be expressed, including all communications, publications, scientific creations and theses carried out with the support of FCT. It is expressly mandatory to use the FCT logo available at / and, when applicable, the logos of the European Union and the Operational Program, following the graphic standards available on the websites of the respective Operational Programs. The dissemination of research results must comply with open‐access standards for data, publications and other research results. In publicity actions with an international impact, in addition to the FCT logo, the national insignia of the Portuguese Republic must be displayed.Selection MethodsEvaluation of the academic record (AR): total weight 100%. Criteria – absolute merit (30%), specific knowledge (40%), adequacy to work plan (30%).Interview (I): total weight 100%. Criteria – knowledge and profile (80%), motivation and interest (20%).Final Classification (FC): AR 60% + I 40%. Candidates scoring below 50 in any method are excluded. Excluded candidates also include those failing to attend the interview or withdrawing.Tie‐breaking: (a) Score of first method applied; (b) Score of academic qualifications.Jury composition: President – Ana Maria Chiorcea Paquim; Effective Members – Rui Manuel Silva Gomes Barbosa, Christopher Michael Ashton Brett; Alternate Members – Nuno Ricardo Esteves Ferreira, Mariana Emilia Ghica.Application Process Candidates must access and register on the electronic platform / to submit their application, selecting the procedure to which they wish to apply. Documents must be uploaded in PDF. Applications are submitted by completing the sections available in the electronic platform "Apply UC" under "My Application."Required DocumentsCurriculum Vitae, duly updated, dated, and signed.Copy of academic degree certificates. If the possession of a degree is a requirement for the grant, candidates holding a degree obtained abroad must, by the end of the application period, provide proof of recognition or evidence that it has been requested. Failure to present degree recognition at contract signing will lead to exclusion.If duly justified, documents proving the possession of academic degrees and diplomas, or their recognition, may be waived at the application stage and replaced by a candidate's sworn statement. However, until the grant agreement stage, the respective proofs must be submitted under penalty of exclusion.Proof of enrollment in a degree or non‐degree course may be waived at the application stage and replaced by a sworn statement from the candidate. However, the required proof must be submitted by the grant agreement stage under penalty of exclusion.Whenever possible, documentation proving prior grant benefits should also be attached to the application.Any other elements the candidate considers relevant (motivation letter).All application documents must be submitted in Portuguese and/or English. When the originals are in another language, a translation into one of these languages must be provided.Application Deadline & ProceduresApplication deadline: 10/03/2026 to 23/03/2026.The grant does not create or constitute a legal‐labor relationship. It is carried out under an exclusive dedication regime, and the grantee is awarded the Research Grantee Status, as stipulated in the EBI and the RBI‐UC.Notifications are made through the electronic platform Apply UC.Agrarians who wish to comment on the jury's decisions must do so within 10 business days by submitting a comment through the "Audiência dos Interessados" option in the platform's procedure section.Candidates may submit a complaint within 15 business days or an appeal to the UC's highest‐ranking official within 30 business days, both following the respective notification, under Articles 191 and 192 of the CPA.Selected candidates must declare in writing, within five business days of notification, their acceptance of the grant and confirm that they meet the requirements to accept the proposed start date. Failure to provide this declaration within the stipulated time will be considered a renunciation of the grant. In case of renunciation or withdrawal, the next candidate on the final classification list will be notified.The full competition process can be consulted by candidates, subject to prior scheduling, by sending an email to the Human Resources Management Service at: ******.Equal Opportunities & EEO Statement In compliance with subparagraph h) of Article 9 of the Constitution, the University of Coimbra, as an employer, actively promotes a policy of equal opportunities between men and women in terms of employment access and career progression, ensuring that any form of discrimination is strictly avoided. It encourages underrepresented minorities in each area to apply. Accordingly, no one may be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged, or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the grounds of ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family status, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, place of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union membership. The University of Coimbra also promotes measures to facilitate the balance between professional, family, and personal life, recognising the efforts of its employees and fostering motivation.Annual Reporting The grantee must submit annual activity reports for each renewal and at the end of the grant contract, as stipulated in Article 7 of the RBI‐UC, subject to an opinion issued by the respective supervisions. The report models, performance evaluation criteria, and the grant contract model are those approved under the University of Coimbra's Research Grant Regulations.#J-18808-Ljbffr