Research Fellowship

Reference Number: MPr-2023-7-18319 (ALGARVE-FEDER-01454800)

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

Offer Description

Research Fellowship – 1 Vacancy

Within the project– AQUADIVERSIFY

Project Refº: MPr-2023-7-18319 (ALGARVE-FEDER-01454800)

Ref. ª: CCMAR/BINCGAM/13/2026

The Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) opens one (01) Research Fellowship (BI) for applicants with a Master Degree (Bolsa de Investigação não conducente à obtenção de grau académico para mestre) of any nationality, including stateless candidates, and holders of political refugee statute, in the scientific field of Aquaculture, Biology, Ecology and other related fields within the research project number MPr-2023-7-18319 (ALGARVE-FEDER-01454800) - named as Aquadiversify: “Diversificação e Produção Sustentável em Aquacultura Multitrófica Integrada” funded by Agência de Inovação, under the following conditions:

1. Host and Contracting Institution: CCMAR

This fellowship is intended for master’s degree holders who are enrolled in a non-academic degree course, integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution, and developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units at the starting date of the fellowship.

2. Work Plan, Tasks to perform, and objectives:

This project aims to isolate, characterise, and produce seaweeds from stock to full-scale production. The objective is to develop the biological and methodological means for sustainable, future-proof seaweed production.

Tasks the fellowship holder will perform:

Seaweed strain isolation, cultivation, characterization, strain selection, protocol development, bioremediation quantification, seaweed production optimalisation across different production systems and scales, production system development, and IMTA.

3. Scientific Supervisors:

Doctor Aschwin Engelen, Group Leader, Coordinator of the project, and Auxiliary Researcher of CCMAR.

4. Work place:

The workplace is CCMAR (Gambelas Campus of the Algarve University, Faro, Portugal), Fish Framing of Vale da Lama (Lagos), and other places necessary for the execution of the work plan.

5. Requirements for the application:

Applicants must meet all the conditions stated below:

1. Master’s degree in Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, Aquaculture, or equivalent;
2. Fluent in English in writing and speaking;
3. Experimental experience in testing seaweed conditions and developing protocols;
4. Experience in macroalgal biobanking, culture maintenance/methodology;
5. Experience with seaweed farming/production;
6. Experience in light microscopy and seaweed health assessments;
7. Skills in Excel and Word.

Non-compliance justifies exclusion from the procedure.

6. Evaluation criteria:

Through the analysis of the application documents, the evaluation criteria for the applications and their relative weight for ranking are as follows:

1. Proven experience in the field of macroalgae culture biobanking maintenance/methodology and techniques – 40%
2. Proven experience with seaweed farming, hatcheries, production - 40%
3. Proven experience in the use of Excel, WORD, and light microscopy – 20%

The selection committee reserves the right to contact and interview candidates if additional information or clarification of any curricular aspect is necessary. In case it takes place, the interview aims to evaluate in more detail the curricular items used to grade the candidate according to the list above.

In the event that no applicant meets the required profile, the selection committee reserves the right to close the call without any recruitment. In the event that the selected person does not take up the position because of failure to comply with documentary requirements or any other reason, or later during the contract if they resign, the jury reserves the right, upon convenience and opportunity, to assign the post to the next applicant in accordance with the ranking positions based on the selectable reservation list that can be used up to 12 months of the date of the present announcement.

7. Fellowship conditions: The fellowship will have a duration of 12 months. Expected to start in October 2026. The fellowship must be carried out full-time (exclusive regime), according to the FCT Fellowship Rules (RBI) and the CCMAR fellowship rules (see here), which are based on the Portuguese law 40/2004, of 18 August (Scientific Research Fellowship holder statutes), amended by the Decree-Law 123/2019 of 28 August. A maintenance allowance of 1359.64€ will be paid monthly by bank transfer and will be updated as stipulated by the Foundation for Science and Technology (see here).

8. Application period: from 02nd of September 2026 to 17th of September of 2026 at 23:59 (Lisbon time, Portugal).

9. Application process and mandatory documents:

Complete applications must be submitted online at https://ccmar.ualg.pt/en/career-opportunities and must include:

1. A motivation letter (in English);
2. A detailed Curriculum Vitae (in English);
3. A copy of the Master Certificate;
4. The email contact of up to 3 referees.

Non-compliance with this documents/information determines the immediate rejection of the application.

10. Results and Preliminary Hearing: The admission and evaluation results will be communicated by email within 90 working days after the application deadline. After notification, candidates have 10 working days to contest the preliminary decision.

11. Selection Committee: Doctor Aschwin Engelen, Group Leader at CCMAR, Coordinator of the project and Auxiliary Researcher at CCMAR (President); Doctor Sandra Lage, Group Leader at CCMAR, Invited Assistant Professor at the University of Algarve and Assistant Researcher at CCMAR (member); Doctor Neusa Martins, Group Leader and Auxiliary Researcher at CCMAR (member); Doctor João Neiva, Group Leader and Auxiliary Researcher at CCMAR (substitute member) and Doctor Teresa Correia, Group Leader, Principal Researcher and member of CCMAR (substitute member).

12. Notes:

Hiring Documents: After the candidate is selected and for the hiring purpose the following documentation/information will be requested:

• Proof of the enrolment (Certidão de inscrição/matricula) from the Academic Services in a non-academic degree course;
• Copy of the certificate of the Master’s degree;
• Declaration of commitment stating the exclusivity regime;
• Declaration of commitment on honor;
• Civil, fiscal and social security Identification (if applicable);
• Account Number – IBAN;
• Ciência ID: https://www.ciencia-id.pt/CienciaID/HomePage.aspx
• If applicable, a statement from the candidate declaring that, upon completion of the present fellowship contract, they will not have exceeded a cumulative period of two years under this type of fellowship, whether consecutive or not.

13. Fellowship Agreement model:

After the candidate selection and all information is received, it will be signed a fellowship agreement in accordance with the model here.

14. Fellowship holder Assessment:

At the end of each period of the fellowship contract, the activity developed by the fellowship holder will be evaluated by the supervisor, by applying the following criteria, in accordance with the model below.

1. Criterion 1. Biobank and lab culturing performance (40%);
2. Criterion 2. Seaweed farming performance (40%);
3. Criterion 3. Organisation and data treatment performance (20%);

15. Supervisor report modelhere

16. Fellowship holder report:

By the end of each fellowship period, the fellowship holder must present a report. You can find the fellowship holder’s final report model here

17. Notes:

1. The board of Directors reserves the right, due to a change in circumstances at the date of the present announcement, to cancel the present call without any recruitment.
2. Disabled candidates shall be preferred in a situation of equal ranking, and said preference supersedes any legal preferences. Candidates must declare, on their honour, their respective disability degree, type of disability, and communication / expression means to be used during selection period on their application form, under the regulations above.
3. CCMAR encourages applications from individuals with disabilities, including those with a disability degree of ≥ 60%.
4. CCMAR subscribes to the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (Charter and Code).
5. CCMAR’s non-discrimination and equal access opportunities policy – No candidate can be privileged, benefited, jeopardised or be deprived of any right or exempt of any claim in regards to descendent, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, economic situation, origin, social economy, genetic heritage, disability, chronic disease, nationality, ethnicity, territory of origin, language, religion, politics, ideology or union membership.

Faro, August the 25th 2026

Where to apply

Website: https://ccmar.ualg.pt/en/career-opportunities

Requirements

Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology

Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications: Please check the offer description.

Specific Requirements: Please check the offer description.

Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology

Additional Information

Benefits: Please check the offer description.

Eligibility criteria: Please check the offer description.

Selection process: Please check the offer description.

Additional comments: Please check the offer description.

Website for additional job details: https://ccmar.ualg.pt/en/job/ccmarbincgam132026-research-fellowship-wm-aquaculture-biology-ecology-1-vacancy

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available: 1

Company/Institute: CCMAR - Centro das Ciências do Mar

Country: Portugal

State/Province: Algarve

City: Faro

Postal Code: 8005 - 139

Street: Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas - Edifício 7

Contact

State/Province: Algarve

City: FARO

Website: http://ccmar.ualg.pt

Street: University of Algarve, Gambelas

Postal Code: 8005-139

E-Mail: ccmar@ualg.pt

Phone: 289800051