INESC TEC is accepting applications to award 1 Scientific Research Grant – OmicBots – CRIIS (AE2024-0056)

Organisation/Company

INESC TEC

Research Field

Engineering » Precision engineering

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Portugal

Application Deadline

22 Feb 2024 – 23:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

36

Offer Starting Date

11 Mar 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Reference Number

AE2024-0056

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Portuguese version: https://repositorio.inesctec.pt/editais/pt/AE2024-0056.pdf

CALL FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS (AE2024-0056)

INESC TEC is now accepting grant applications to award 1 Post Doctoral Research Grant (BIPD) within the scope of the OmicBots funded by National Funds through FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., project reference PTDC/ASP-HOR/1338/2021.

1. GRANT DESCRIPTION

Type of grant: Post Doctoral Research Grant (BIPD)

General scientific area: ENGINEERING

Scientific subarea: Precision engineering

Grant duration: 10 months, starting on 2024-03-11 , with the possibility of being renewed until the end of the project.

Scientific advisor: Mário Cunha

Workplace: INESC TEC, Porto, Portugal

Maintenance stipend: 1741,00, according to the table of monthly maintenance stipend for FCT grants (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM_202… ), paid via bank transfer. Grant holders may be awarded potential supplements, according to a quarterly evaluation process (Articles 19, 21 and 22 of the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC and Annex II), up to a maximum limit of 50 of the monthly maintenance stipend.

INESC TEC supports costs with registration, enrolment or tuition fees, during the grant duration, under the terms established in the internal document: “Payment of Tuition fees to grant holders” (https://www.inesctec.pt/pagamento-propinas-bolseirosEN )

The grant holder will benefit from health insurance, supported by INESC TEC.

2. OBJECTIVES:

The project aims at integrating data from optical sensors and multi-omics in systems biology (SB), where the metabolic pathways of the grapevine can be explored to understand the impact of genetic, environmental, and cultural practices on vine physiology/metabolism for the development of advanced precision agriculture models.;
The candidate’s activities will be developed in close collaboration with the research project: OmicBots – High-Throughput Integrative Biology Omics Robots Platform for Next Generation Plant Physiology based Precision Viticulture (https://www.fc.up.pt/omicbots/ ).

3. BRIEF PRESENTATION OF THE WORK PROGRAMME AND TRAINING:

– Review state of the art, develop benchmarks, and create a proof of concept for advanced precision agriculture models based on integrating spectral data, multi-omics, and systems biology.;
– Characterize physiological, metabolic, and transcriptional diagnostics of greenhouse/field grapevines in response to abiotic stress to validate field spectral data.;
– Develop a systems biology approach to characterize the metabolic pathways of the grapevine and infer its phenotype/physiological state.;
– Develop a platform (digital-twin) capable of incorporating field spectral data and artificial intelligence to support advanced precision viticulture.;
– Participate in laboratory and field activities (flexible schedule) within the project scope.;
– Test and validate the designed solutions in a real-world context and publish the results.;
– The researcher is also expected to participate in the following activities: co/supervise PhD and MSc students develop and write scientific articles (Q1 percentile) actively contribute their developments to competitive project contests in the research line.;

4. REQUIRED PROFILE:

Admission requirements:
PhD in Agrarian Sciences, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics/Systems Biology, Biotechnological Engineering, and related fields.
The PhD degree must have been obtained within the three years prior to the date of submission of the application and the research work leading to the award must have been carried out at a host entity other than INESC TEC.

Preference factors:
Proven experience in plant systems biology and bioinformatics.;
The jury may not award the scholarship if the quality of the candidates is inferior to that intended.;

Minimum requirements:
-Precision and digital agriculture
-SB: genome scale models, graph analysis, flux balance analysis
-Computers: R(Bioconductor) (and/or Matlab Comp. Biology e/or Python) and Bioinformatics for database searches
-Experience with multi-omics integration

5. EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS AND SELECTION PROCESS:

Selection criteria and corresponding valuation: the first phase comprises the Academic Evaluation (AC), based on the criteria referred to in Article 12 of the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC, while the second phase comprehends the Individual Interview (EI).
All factors are evaluated on a scale of 0 to 100, taking into account the applicants’ merit, suitability and conformity with the preference factors.
The weight of the AC factors are as follows: Academic Qualifications (FA, 40), Scientific Publications (PC, 30), Experience (EX, 20) and Motivation Letter (CM, 10).
Candidates who score less than 50 points in the AC average will be considered excluded on absolute merit. The top five candidates approved on absolute merit will be qualified for the individual interview. The Final Grade (CF) is obtained by the weighted average of AC (90) and EI (10).

DISABILITY INCENTIVE

Candidates who present a degree of disability equal to or greater than 90% will benefit from an incentive (20) in the score of the CV Assessment.
Candidates who present a degree of disability equal to or greater than 60% and less than 90% will also benefit from an incentive (10) in the score of the CV Assessment.
Said score may, in these cases, exceed 100 points.
Candidates must demonstrate the degree of disability during the application, namely through the submission of the Multi-Purpose Medical Certificate of Disability, issued in accordance with Decree-Law no. 202/96, of October 23 – currently in effect.

The Selection Jury is composed of the following members:
President of the Jury: Mário Cunha
Full member: Filipe Neves Santos
Full member: Rui Costa Martins
Substitute member:

Release of results and prior hearing: the results of the selection process, as well as the terms and procedures for prior hearing, will be released to the applicants by email, under the terms referred to in Article 13 of the Regulations for Studentships and Fellowships of INESC TEC.

6. FORMALISATION OF APPLICATIONS:

Application Documents:
1. Motivation letter;
2. Curriculum Vitae (must include the list of previous fellowships, their type, beginning and end dates, funding entities and host institutions);
3. Certificate or diploma degree dully recognised in Portugal;
– Documents proving the awarding of academic degrees and diplomas, or the according recognition – in cases of academic degrees or diplomas granted by a foreign higher education institution – can be dismissed in the application process, and replaced by the applicant’s declaration of honour, with the verification of said condition taking place during the grant’s hiring stage. The submission of the certificate is mandatory when signing the contract.
– Academic degrees or diplomas awarded by a foreign higher education institution require an authentication by a Portuguese higher education institution, and the corresponding registration on the DGES platform, in conformity with Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of August 16, and Ordinance no. 33/2019, of January 25. More information available on the website https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento?plid=374

4. Documental evidence to support the country of residence, residence permit or other legally equivalent document, in cases where the applicant is a foreigner or non-resident in Portugal – valid until the beginning of the grant.
5. Other supporting documents relevant to the final assessment.

Failure to deliver the required documents within the 90-day period after the date of the notice of the conditional awarding of the grant implies its cancellation.

Application period: From 2024-02-09 to 2024-02-22

Submission of applications: the application will be formalised by submitting the form available in the Work With Us section of INESC TEC website.

7. BINDING LEGISLATION AND REGULATION

The hiring process shall comply with the current legislation regarding the Research Grant Holder Statute, approved by Law no. 40/2004 of August 18, in its current wording, as well as by the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC and for https://files.dre.pt/2s/2019/12/241000000/0009100105.pdfFCT Grants Regulation in force.

For more information, please check the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC and relevant annexes at www.inesctec.pt/bolsas

Requirements

Research Field

Engineering

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Specific Requirements

Academic qualifications: PhD in Agrarian Sciences, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics/Systems Biology, Biotechnological Engineering, and related fields.
Minimum profile: -Precision and digital agriculture, -SB: genome scale models, graph analysis, flux balance analysis, -Computers: R(Bioconductor) (and/or Matlab Comp. Biology e/or Python) and Bioinformatics for database searches, -Experience with multi-omics integration.
Preference factors: Proven experience in plant systems biology and bioinformatics.;
The jury may not award the scholarship if the quality of the candidates is inferior to that intended.;
.

Research Field

Engineering » Precision engineering

Years of Research Experience

None

Additional Information
Benefits

Maintenance stipend: 1741,00 euros, according to the table of monthly
maintenance stipend for FCT grants (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM_202… ), paid via bank transfer. Grant holders may be awarded potential supplements, according to a quarterly evaluation process (Articles 19, 21 and 22 of the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC and Annex II), up to a maximum limit of 50% of the monthly maintenance stipend.

Costs attributable to INESC TEC may include registration, enrolment or tuition fee stipend, either directly or through reimbursement, during the grant duration.

The grant holder will benefit from health insurance, supported by INESC TEC.

Selection process

5. EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS AND SELECTION PROCESS:

Selection criteria and corresponding valuation: the first phase comprises the Academic Evaluation (AC), based on the criteria referred to in Article 12 of the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC, while the second phase comprehends the Individual Interview (EI).
All factors are evaluated on a scale of 0 to 100, taking into account the applicants’ merit, suitability and conformity with the preference factors.
The weight of the AC factors are as follows: Academic Qualifications (FA, 40), Scientific Publications (PC, 30), Experience (EX, 20) and Motivation Letter (CM, 10).
Candidates who score less than 50 points in the AC average will be considered excluded on absolute merit. The top five candidates approved on absolute merit will be qualified for the individual interview. The Final Grade (CF) is obtained by the weighted average of AC (90) and EI (10).

DISABILITY INCENTIVE

Candidates who present a degree of disability equal to or greater than 90% will benefit from an incentive (20) in the score of the CV Assessment.
Candidates who present a degree of disability equal to or greater than 60% and less than 90% will also benefit from an incentive (10) in the score of the CV Assessment.
Said score may, in these cases, exceed 100 points.
Candidates must demonstrate the degree of disability during the application, namely through the submission of the Multi-Purpose Medical Certificate of Disability, issued in accordance with Decree-Law no. 202/96, of October 23 – currently in effect.

The Selection Jury is composed of the following members:
President of the Jury: Mário Cunha
Full member: Filipe Neves Santos
Full member: Rui Costa Martins
Substitute member:

Release of results and prior hearing: the results of the selection process, as well as the terms and procedures for prior hearing, will be released to the applicants by email, under the terms referred to in Article 13 of the Regulations for Studentships and Fellowships of INESC TEC.

Website for additional job details

https://www.inesctec.pt/en/opportunity/AE2024-0056

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

INESC TEC

Country

Portugal

City

Porto

Postal Code

4200-465

Street

Campus da Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias

Where to apply

Website

https://www.inesctec.pt/en/opportunity/AE2024-0056

Contact

City

Porto

Website

http://www.inesctec.pt

Street

Campus da FEUP – Rua Dr. Roberto Frias

Postal Code

4200-465 Porto

STATUS: EXPIRED