진학프로석·박사 채용 접수 플랫폼

The University of Coimbra opens a call for the assignment of a postdoctoral research grant, with 1 (one) position(s), under the project COMPETE2030-FEDER-00910800, title “SYSSCA – Harnessing Systems Biology to Better Understand Spinocerebellar Ataxias and to Identify New Treatments: A Paradigm for Rare Diseases”.

The call is governed by this Notice of Opening, the University of Coimbra Research Grant Regulations (RBI-UC), subsidiarily by the Research Grant Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology (RBI-FCT), by the Research Fellow Statute (EBI), by the Norms for Grant Assignment and Management within R&D Projects, by the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA), all in their current wording, and by other applicable national and community legislation.

Procedure Reference: IT137-25-300

I - Legal admission requirements

I.I - Grant Recipients:

Holders of a doctoral degree in the scientific area of Bioinformatics, Systems Biology, Computational

Biology, Molecular Biomedicine, Molecular Biology and related areas, obtained within the three years prior to the start date of the grant, where the research work leading to the degree was carried out at a host institution different from the one where the work of the current grant will be conducted.

I.II – Ineligible candidates:

The following candidates will not be admitted to the call:

• Candidates who, with the award of the current grant, including possible renewals, exceed a cumulative period of three years in this type of grant, whether consecutive or intermittent.
• Candidates who obtained their doctoral degree more than three years before the application submission date.
• Candidates who have conducted the majority of the research work leading to their doctoral degree at the host institution of the current grant.

I.III - Eligible for grant assignment if meeting the requirements:

a) Portuguese nationals or nationals of other EU Member States

b) Nationals of third countries

c) Stateless persons

d) 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.

II - Grant location: CIBB-CNC

III- Scientific supervision/coordination of the grant:

IV - Work Plan / Goals to be achieved: The project "SYSSCA – Harnessing Systems Biology to Better Understand Spinocerebellar Ataxias and to Identify New Treatments: A Paradigm for Rare Diseases" is a highly innovative research initiative that combines computational systems biology and artificial intelligence with experimental validation to uncover disease mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities for Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs)—a group of rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorders that currently lack effective treatments. SYSSCA’s aim is to identify and validate novel biomarkers and drug candidates, advancing both the scientific understanding and clinical management of SCAs.

This project presents a compelling opportunity for an ambitious postdoctoral research fellow to join interdisciplinary team. While the core work is computational, fellows with a strong interest can engage in experimental research as well.

The successful candidate will contribute to the following tasks:

(i) Integration and curation of available omics and clinical data related to SCAs

(ii) Bioinformatic and systems-level analysis of the curated data to uncover shared and distinct disease mechanisms

(iii) AI-driven identification and prioritisation of candidate drugs for experimental validation

(iv) Development of AtaxiaConnect, a publicly accessible web platform for exploring disease-relevant data

(v) Contribution to dissemination and outreach activities, including engagement with the patient community.

Hosted in a vibrant academic environment at the Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (https://cibb.uc.pt/en) , the project also offers opportunities to develop complementary skills in science communication and commercial exploitation, supported by institutional training.

The postdoctoral position represents an exceptional opportunity to contribute to impactful, cutting-edge translational research in rare diseases and to build a highly competitive international research profile.

V - Initial grant duration: 12 months

V.I - Renewal Possibility: Possibily renewable, after 12 and 24 months, up to the expected limit of 33 months or until the end of the project (28/05/2028) if it is not subject to a time extension.

VI - Funding and financial conditions of the grant

VI.I - Monthly grant amount (paid by bank transfer at the end of each month): 1.851,00€

VI.II - Other financial components of the grant: n/a

VI.III - In addition to the above amounts, voluntary 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.

VI.IV - Funding: The grant(s) assigned under this call will be funded by Orçamento de Estado (OE), throught Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT), with the Reference UIDB/00313/2025

VI.V -Information and publicity about the funding: All R&D activities directly or indirectly funded by the grant, namely all communications, publications and scientific creations, as well as theses, carried out with the support provided by the grant, must mention the financial support by COMPETE (FEDER) and Orçamento de Estado (OE), throught Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT), with the Reference COMPETE2030-FEDER-00910800

VII - Selection Methods: Evaluation of the academic record (AR) and Interview (I)

VII.I - AR - In the evaluation of the academic record, the candidates' academic performance will be assessed according to the following weights and criteria:

- Criterion 1 - Absolute merit of curriculum vitae

- Criterion 2 – Specific knowledge related to the work plan

VII.II - I – In the evaluation of the interview, candidates' performance will be assessed according to the following weights and criteria:

- Criterion 1 – Motivation and interest

- Criterion 2 – Knowledge and profile appropriate to the functions to be developed

In “Criterion 1 – Absolute merit of the curriculum vitae” the following will be considered:

Essential Qualifications and Skills:

- Knowledge in R and/or Python programming for high-throughput omics data analysis and visualisation;

- Demonstrated track-record in analysing omics datasets;

- Familiarity with biological databases and pathway resources;

- Proven ability to work both independently and as part of an research team;

- Proficiency in English (oral and written);

- Publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Desirable (Advantageous) Skills:

- Knowledge in machine-learning or AI methods, especially network/graph approaches;

- Knowledge in network biology (e.g., analysis of interaction networks);

- Knowledge in web development or scientific software creation;

- Knowledge in bioinformatic study of diseases.

VII.III- The evaluation of the criteria and the final classification will be based on a scale from 0 to 100, with scores rounded to the nearest hundredth, applying the following formulas:

- AR: criterion 1 * (50%) + criterion 2 * (50%) = X

- I: criterion 1 * (50%) + criterion 2 * (50%) = X

- Final Classification (FC): AR * (60%) + I * (40%) = X

VII.IV - All candidates who meet the admission requirements are subject to the academic record evaluation, carried out according to the criteria and weights defined in VII.I.

VII.V -Candidates who score below 50 in any selection method will be excluded, and subsequent methods, if any, will not apply to them. Candidates who are duly notified but fail to attend the interview (if applicable) or withdraw at any stage will also be excluded.

VII.VI - All candidates who score above 70 in the AR will proceed to the next method, i.e., the interview.

VII.VII -Tie-breaking criteria: In the event of a tie in the rankings, candidates will be ordered in descending order as follows:

a) Based on the score obtained in the first method applied;

b) Based on the score of their academic qualifications.

VII.VIII -All provisional and final jury decisions must be justified, recorded in minutes, and published on https://apply.uc.pt/.

VII.IX -Jury Composition:

President: Matthias Erwin Futschik

Effective Members: Sara Isabel Monteiro Lopes e Elsa Fernanda de Sousa Henriques

Alternate Members: Magda Matos Santana e Luís Fernando Morgado Pereira de Almeida

VII.X - Selection reserve list: the reserve list consists of candidates approved in all selection methods who do not secure one of the available vacancies under this procedure. The reserve list is valid for 3 (three) months.

VIII- Application Submission

Candidates must access and register on the electronic platform https://apply.uc.pt/ to submit their application, selecting the procedure to which they wish to apply.

Documents uploaded for the application must be in portable document format (PDF).

Applications are submitted by completing the sections available in the electronic platform "Apply UC" under "My Application."

VIII.I- Mandatory documents to attach when applying:

• Curriculum Vitae, duly updated, dated, and signed;
• Copy of academic degree certificates.

1. 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, as per Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of August 16. Failure to present degree recognition at the time of contract signing, as per the RBI-UC, will result in exclusion.
2. 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.

• Whenever possible, documentation proving prior grant benefits should also be attached to the application.

VIII.II- Other documents to attach when applying:

• Any other elements the candidate considers relevant.

• Motivation letter, including contact details for two referees, outlining how you meet the essential qualifications and/or how you align with the desired skills to be considered in “Criterion 1 – Absolute merit of the curriculum vitae”.

The SYSSCA project will be led by Matthias Futschik, Head of the Bioinformatics and Data Analytics Unit at the Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (https://cibb.uc.pt/en/bioinformatics-and-data-analytics), and executed in close collaboration with members of the Vectors, Gene and Cell Therapy group (https://cibb.uc.pt/en/research-group/vectors-gene-and-cell-therapy), an internationally leading hub of Spinocerebellar Ataxia research.

Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Matthias Futschik (matthias.futschik@uc.pt) for more information about the project and and to check the project web-site: http://www.sysbiolab.eu/syssca.html.

VIII.III - 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.

VIII.IV - Applications that are not properly completed or do not meet the admission criteria defined in the applicable legislation and this notice will not be accepted.

VIII.V - No documents required for the application may be submitted after the application deadline.

VIII.VI - Without prejudice to the penal provisions of the law, false statements made by candidates or grant holders regarding relevant matters for the grant award or renewal, or for the evaluation of its progress, will result in its cancellation.

IX – Application deadline: 23/07/2025 to 20/08/2025

X - Activity Regime: 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.

XI - Notification of Candidates: All notifications will be made through the electronic platform Apply UC, under the terms of subparagraph c) of paragraph 1 and subparagraph b) of paragraph 2 of Article 112 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC. The notifications will take effect after being made, as provided in Article 113 of the CPA.

XII - Under Articles 121 and 122 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC, candidates may, if they wish, submit comments regarding the jury's decisions within 10 business days, through the "Audiência dos Interessados" option in the platform's procedure section.

XIII - Candidates may also 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.

XIV - 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 of the grant contract. Unless a justifiable reason is provided, failure to provide this declaration within the stipulated time will be considered a renunciation of the grant. In case of renunciation or withdrawal by the selected candidate, the next candidate on the final classification list will be notified.

XV - The full competition process can be consulted by candidates, subject to prior scheduling, by sending an email to the Human Resources Management Service at: sgrh@uc.pt.

XVI - 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, recognizing the efforts of its employees and fostering motivation.

XVII- 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 supervisor(s). The report models, performance evaluation criteria, and the grant contract model are those approved under the University of Coimbra's Research Grant Regulations.