Research Grant (BI)

Offer Description

There is an open call for applications for a Research Grant (BI), for the conduct of R&D activities by a graduate with a Master degree enrolled in a Course non-leading to an academic degree, under reference SF/2026/21 in the scope of the JC-BIRD-1776269 project, at the institution Faculdade de Ciências Médicas|NOVA Medical School (FCM|NMS) from Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (UNL), supported by income from the above mentioned project, financed: Janssen-Cilag Farmaceutica, Lda. under the following conditions:

Field of study

Biology/Biochemistry

Admission requirements (eligibility criteria)

1. Master degree completed by the application submission date in Biology or related fields;
2. Enrollment in a Course non-leading to an academic degree, in the area of Biology, Biochemistry or related fields.

Work plan

The selected fellow will join the project as a researcher and perform the following tasks under the scientific guidance and supervision of the project’s Principal Investigators:

1. Identification of genes and proteins, using transcriptomic and proteomic approaches, to support the diagnosis of various rheumatic conditions and the pathways involved;
2. Identification of muscle-related biomarkers.

Place of work

The work will be carried out at the facilities of the Faculdade de Ciências Médicas | NOVA Medical School (FCM|NMS), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (UNL), in the research group "Rheumatic Diseases" under the scientific supervision of Doctor Fernando Pimentel-Santos, as well as other locations necessary for the preparation and implementation of the project activities.

Duration and start date

The fellowship will have an initial duration of 6 months, with an estimated start date of December 15, 2026. The fellowship contract may be renewed for an equal or different period until the project ends, provided the eligibility requirements for its granting are met at the time of renewal.

Monthly maintenance allowance

The fellowship stipend is 1.359,64€ (one thousand three hundred fifty-nine euros and sixty-four cents) per month, in accordance with the fellowship values listed in Annex I of the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Research Fellowship Regulation. This amount includes personal accident insurance and, if applicable, voluntary social security corresponding to the first contribution tier, provided the fellowship duration is longer than 6 months. Payment will be made via bank transfer.

Legislation and applicable regulations:

The fellowship is legally governed by the Research Fellow Statute (Law no. 40/2004, of August 18), available at https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/lei/2004-58216179, and the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Research Fellowship Regulation (Dispatch no. 9484/2023, of August 14), available at https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/despacho/9484-2023-221611620.

Selection Methods

1. The selection methods include the evaluation of the "scientific and curricular background," weighted at 85%, and the "professional selection interview," weighted at 15%.
2. The application of the selection methods will be phased, as described below.
3. The evaluation of the "scientific and curricular background" will focus on the relevance, quality, timeliness, specific knowledge, and proven prior experience, based on the application documents and in accordance with the following criteria:
4. Motivation letter demonstrating interest in and suitability for the biomedical research project – 20%;
5. Experience in molecular and cellular biology techniques, such as flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, qPCR and spectrophotometric assays – 20%;
6. Experience in bioinformatics, including the use of computational technologies, particularly pathway analysis – 20%;
7. Experience in data analysis and general biostatistics – 20%;
8. Experience in laboratory-based techniques involving genetic and omics methodologies – 20%.
9. The evaluation of the "scientific and curricular background" will be expressed on a numerical scale from 0 to 20.
10. The evaluation process includes a "professional selection interview", in which all information submitted in the application will be reviewed, aiming to obtain any necessary clarifications and explanations. This phase is part of the final evaluation.
11. In the «professional selection interview», which lasts up to 20 minutes, the following parameters and evaluation criteria will be applied:
12. Communication and verbal expression in both Portuguese and English – 20%;
13. Critical thinking and analytical ability applied to the project's subject areas – 20%;
14. Technical and scientific knowledge relevant to the project, including proficiency in relevant methodologies – 20%;
15. Motivation and interest in conducting research in the specific field for which the candidate is applying – 20%;
16. Ability to adapt and respond to unforeseen situations or technical questions – 20%.
17. The evaluation of the «professional selection interview» is expressed on a numerical scale from 0 to 20 points.
18. The evaluation method involving the "professional selection interview" may be waived by the unanimous and duly justified decision of the Jury, in which case the evaluation of the "scientific and curricular background" will account for 100%.
19. The Jury will deliberate through a nominal vote based on the evaluation criteria. Abstentions are not permitted.
20. Each candidate's final score will be the average of the scores assigned by each Jury member. To be selected, the candidate must achieve a final score of 15 or higher. In case of a tie, the Jury Chair will decide.
21. The Jury reserves the right not to award the scholarship if it considers that no candidate meets the required profile.

Selection Jury

• President of the Jury – Fernando M. Pimentel-Santos, FCM|NMS;
• 1st Effective Jury Member – Sofia Pereira, FCM|NMS;
• 2nd Effective Jury Member – César Mendes, FCM|NMS;
• 1st Alternate Jury Member – Joana Batuca, FCM|NMS;
• 2nd Alternate Jury Member – Alexandre Sepriano, FCM|NMS.

Formalization and submission of applications

Applications, which may be submitted in Portuguese or English, must be sent by email to candidaturas.investigacao@nms.unl.pt, with the following reference in the subject line SF/2026/21. The following documents must be included in PDF format, under penalty of exclusion:

1. A motivation letter of up to 500 words;
2. A detailed and updated Curriculum Vitae that meets the application requirements;
3. Academic degree certificates; in the case of degrees awarded by foreign higher education institutions, the candidate must comply with the provisions set out in point 3 of the section "Additional Provisions on Mandatory Documentation";
4. Proof of enrollment in a «Course non-leading to an academic degree» are those provided for in paragraph (e) of no. 3 of Article 4 of Decree-Law no. 74/2006, of 24 March, as amended; or, in its absence, the Declaration of Honour, duly completed and signed.
5. Application form, duly completed and signed – https://www.nms.unl.pt/pt-pt/faculdade/junte-se-a-nms/recrutamento?category=4348;
6. Other relevant documents for assessing the requested profile.

Additional provisions on mandatory documentation:

1. Completion of the required academic degree – If the candidate has already completed the academic degree required in the Notice of Opening but does not yet have the respective certificates or official proof, they may submit, at the time of application, a declaration of honour stating their commitment to present the completion certificate by the date of the fellowship contract, should they be selected.
2. Enrollment in an academic program – If the candidate does not yet have proof of enrollment in the academic program defined in point 2 of the "Admission Requirements," they must submit, at the time of application, a declaration of honour, duly completed and signed. The template is included in the Application Form. The proof of enrollment must be submitted by the date of the fellowship contract.
3. Recognition of foreign degrees – In the case of academic degrees awarded by foreign higher education institutions, the submission of the respective specific recognition is mandatory, in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of August 16 and Ordinance No. 33/2019 of January 25. If the recognition is not available at the time of application, a Declaration of Honor may be submitted, committing to submit it before the grant contract. More information available at: https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento?plid=374
4. Condition for grant contract – The signature of the grant contract is subject to the prior submission of the documents listed in items 1, 2, and 3. Failure to submit any of these documents by the date of grant award may result in non-contracting, pursuant to Article 18(6) of the Research Grant Regulations of Universidade NOVA de Lisboa.

Application period

The competition is open from 08/10/2026 to 21/10/2026, until 11:59 p.m. (Lisbon time) and is published at https://www.nms.unl.pt/en-us/NMS/Join-NMS/Recruiting.

Result announcement/notification

Under Article 15 of the Research Scholarship Regulations of Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, evaluation results will be communicated by email to all candidates within 60 business days after the application submission deadline.

Candidates whose applications are unsuccessful may respond within 10 business days to the notification during the preliminary hearing, under the provisions of the Portuguese Administrative Procedure Code. Otherwise, the result will constitute the final decision.

Appeals or complaints regarding the final results may be submitted within 10 business days after their communication and must be addressed to the Dean of FCM|NMS.

Additional information

1. In the event of withdrawal or resignation by the selected candidate or failure to submit the required recognition of qualifications or proof of enrollment, the next highest-ranked candidate may be contacted to sign the scholarship contract, provided all requirements in this Notice are met.
2. Scholarships may be renewed for additional periods, up to the following maximum durations:
3. One year for scholarships awarded to bachelor’s or master’s degree holders enrolled in non-degree programs;
4. Two years for master’s degree students;
5. Four years for doctoral students.
6. If the academic degree or diploma is awarded during the scholarship contract period, the scholarship may continue under the terms specifically defined in the contract.
7. Research scholarships granted to bachelor’s or master’s degree holders enrolled in non-degree programs may only be awarded to candidates who do not exceed a total accumulated period of two years in this scholarship category, whether consecutive or intermittent.

Non-discrimination and equal access policy

The Faculdade de Ciências Médicas|NOVA Medical School, a unit of Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access. No candidate will be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged, deprived of any rights, or exempted from any duties based on ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic status, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic or racial origin, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union membership.

Lisbon, October 7, 2026 - The Director, Professor Doctor Pedro Manuel Sarmento Rodrigues Póvoa

Where to apply

E-mail: candidaturas.investigacao@nms.unl.pt

Requirements

• Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology
• Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
• Research Field: Chemistry » Biochemistry
• Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Internal Application form(s) needed

Formulário de candidatura - Bolseiros v5.pdf (203.11 KB - PDF) Download

Additional Information

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 1
• Company/Institute: Nova Medical School
• Country: Portugal

Contact

• City: Lisboa
• Website: https://www.nms.unl.pt/pt-pt/nms
• Street: Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, n.º 130
• E-Mail: recrutamento.investigacao@nms.unl.pt