#NOVAID-B493: COMPETITION FOR GRANTING 1 Research Scholarship

#NOVAID-B493: COMPETITION FOR GRANTING 1 Research Scholarship

NOVA.id.FCT- Associação para a Inovação de Desenvolvimento da FCT, Portugal

Job Type: FullTime Deadline: 22 May 2026
8 May 2026
Job Information
Organisation/Company
NOVA.id.FCT- Associação para a Inovação de Desenvolvimento da FCT
Department
Department of Chemistry, from NOVA School of Science and Technology
Research Field
Chemistry » Biochemistry
Researcher Profile
First Stage Researcher (R1)
Positions
Master Positions
Application Deadline
22 May 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon)
Country
Portugal
Type of Contract
Other
Type of Contract Extra Information
Research Scholarship
Job Status
Full-time
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?
Not funded by a EU programme
Reference Number
2024.15885.PEX
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?
No

Offer Description

A tender is now open for the award of one Master holder Research Grant under the R&D project PtpAgainsTB – “The Phosphatase PtpA as a Suitable target to Fight Tuberculosis – A Structure-based Drug Design Approach”, (ref.2024.15885.PEX), funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P./MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC), under the following conditions:

Work Plan: The fellow will be involved in the characterization of the protein PtpA (Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase A), a therapeutic drug target against tuberculosis, using potential inhibitors from different families of metallic and non-metallic compounds. The work plan includes:

PtpA production – Expression (E. coli BL21) and purification (affinity and size-exclusion chromatography) of the native protein according to established protocols.

Biochemical and biophysical characterization of PtpA-inhibitor interactions – Determination of inhibitory activity (IC50) and kinetic parameters (Vmax/Km) using the hydrolysis of the substrate pNPP (p-nitrophenyl phosphate). Biophysical determination of the affinity and binding mode of potential inhibitors.

Structural characterization of PtpA-inhibitor interactions – Determination of crystallization conditions for the native protein and PtpA-inhibitor complexes (soaking/co-crystallization). Data collection and structure resolution, refinement, and analysis.

Workplace: The work will be developed at the Chemistry Department (DQ) at UCIBIO from NOVA School of Science and Technology under the scientific guidance of Doctor Marino F.A. Santos and professor Cristiano Mota being the contracting entity the NOVA.id.FCT – Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento, FCT.

Fellowship duration: The fellowship will last for 6 months, scheduled to begin in June 2026, possibly renewable for the same duration within the duration of the project.

Application deadline and form of application submission: The competition is open from 11th to 22nd May 2026.

• Documentation to be provided in the application: Applications must be formalized, mandatorily, by sending the following documents: 

  i) Motivation letter; 

  ii) Detailed Curriculum Vitae; 

  iii) Documents attesting the academic degrees obtained and the respective final grades*NOTE1 (at the application stage, these may be replaced by a declaration of honor, as stated in point no. 2); 

  iv) Declaration of honor confirming the commitment to enroll in a doctoral degree or in a non-degree course integrated into the educational project of a higher education institution of a higher education institution, in case the candidate is selected for the scholarship and accepts its award, as well as any other supporting documents considered relevant for assessing experience.

  Note 1: For academic degrees awarded by foreign higher education institutions, it is mandatory to present proof of recognition of the academic degree and the conversion of the final classification to the Portuguese grading scale (process regulated by Decree-Law no. 341/2007 of October 12), or alternatively, to obtain equivalence/recognition of the academic degrees (process regulated by DecreeLaw no. 283/83 of June 21). 

  Note 2: In the case of candidates enrolled in a non-degree course, the scholarship may have a maximum duration of one year. 

• From of submission of applications: Applications must be sent, exclusively by e-mail, mandatorily with the indication, in the subject of the e-mail, of the reference #NOVAID-B493 - 2024.15885.PEX - BI_Master”, to for email click on apply within the deadline for their submission. Applications submitted by other means will not be accepted.
• Documentation to be provided in terms of contractualization: Proof of academic degrees or their recognition/equivalence when awarded by foreign higher education institutions; proof of enrollment in a PhD program or in a non-degree course integrated into the educational project of a higher education institution.

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 Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P. in force (https://former.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/docs/RegulamentoBolsasFCT2019DR.pdf )

Requirements
Research FieldChemistry » BiochemistryEducation LevelMaster Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications

Mandatory requirements: Candidates must:

• be enrolled in a doctorate or non-degree programme
• Master’s degree in Biochemistry, Biotechnology or related fields.
• Priority will be given to candidates from the field of Biophysics and Structural Biology and to those with research experience in the specific scientific area of the work plan.
• not exceeded with the conclusion of this fellowship contract, the maximum duration of one year, when the fellowship has been awarded to bachelors or masters who are enrolled in non-academic degree study programmes.
• be informed that the fellowship aims to consolidate their scientific training through the development of research work.
• present the documents proving this situation at the latest by the time the fellowship is contracted, before which time they may be replaced by a declaration of honour, which is attached.
• Master’s final grade equal to or higher than 16 (out of 20).
• Experience in heterologous protein expression systems and protein purification techniques.

Preferred factors: Preference will be given to candidates with 

• Experience in molecular biology techniques and enzymatic activity assays.
• Knowledge and experience in biophysical and structural characterization of proteins.
• Peer-reviewed scientific publication(s) in international journals indexed in Scopus.
• Experience and demonstrated ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

LanguagesENGLISHLevelGood
Additional Information
Benefits

Monthly maintenance allowance amount: The amount of the scholarships corresponds to € 1 359,64, according to the stock chart of the exchanges awarded directly by FCT, I.P. (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-202… ) and the payment is made monthly by bank transfer.

Eligibility criteria

Selection criteria: The evaluation of the applications will focus on the merit of the candidate, applying the following criteria, valued on a scale of 0 to 20 values:

FIRST PHASE: 

    A. Curriculum Evaluation (0 to 20 points) – 40% 

    B. Research Experience (0 to 20 points) – 60% 

    1ST PHASE SCORE = 40%×A + 60%×B 

Candidates who do not achieve a minimum score of 16 points, based on the jury’s evaluation according to the selection criteria, will not proceed to the 2nd phase:

SECOND PHASE: 

The selection methods and respective weightings in this phase will be as follows: 

    A. Curriculum Evaluation (0 to 20 points) – 30% 

    B. Research Experience (0 to 20 points) – 30% 

    C. Interview (0 to 20 points) – 40% 

    FINAL SCORE = 30%×A + 30%×B + 40%xC

Candidates who do not achieve a minimum score of 16 points, based on the jury’s evaluation according to the selection criteria, will not be hired.

Selection process

Composition of the Selection Jury: 

• President of the Jury – Doctor Marino F.A. Santos
• 1st Efetive Member – Doctor Ana Luisa Carvalho
• 2nd Efetive Member –Professor Cristiano de Sousa Mota
• 1st Alternate Member – Professor Maria Angelina de Sá Palma
• 2nd Alternate Member – Doctor Benedita Pinheiro

Form of advertising/notification of results: The evaluation results proposed by the jury will be notified, up to 90 days after the deadline for the submission of applications, by email, of the results proposed by the jury, with access to the minutes and the final ranking list. 

After notification, candidates will have 10 working days to comment on the draft decision (prior hearing of interested parties, under the terms of the Code of Administrative Procedure). The final decision will be taken after the expiry of the prior hearing period, again notified to all candidates by e-mail. Of this final decision the candidates can file a complaint within 15 working days (to the e-mail address used for the notification), or a hierarchical appeal, within 30 working days, addressed to NOVA.ID.FCT's Board through the address [Click to apply] .

Additional comments

Drafts: The drafts of: i) fellowship contract, ii) final report to be presented by the fellowship holder, iii) final report to be presented by the scientific advisor, and; iv) declaration on honor, can all be found on NOVA.id.FCT website.

Website for additional job details
https://www.novaidfct.pt/content/NOVAID.B493.EDI.0.pdf

Work Location(s)
Number of offers available1Company/InstituteNOVA.ID.FCTCountryPortugalState/ProvinceSetubalCityCaparicaPostal Code2829-516StreetNOVA.id.FCT, FCT-NOVA, campus CaparicaGeofield

Contact
State/Province
Setubal
City
Caparica
Website
http://www.novaidfct.pt/
Street
Campus de Caparica
Postal Code
2829-516 Caparica

Fully Funded Partially Funded PhD PhD Position Research Assistant