ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE OPENING OF A CALL FOR THE HIRING OF A POST DOCTORATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (1 position)
One Post-Doctorate Research Grant is opened at MORE – Mountains of Research Collaborative Laboratory – Association, in Mountain Environmental and Ecosystem Management, hereinafter referred to as the grant, under the terms of the Research Scholarship Regulation of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Research Scholarship Holder Statute.
The grant will be supported through the project “SOILING: Innovative nature-based solutions to restore ecosystems services of areas degraded by Picões large wildfire, Portugal”, with the support by Egrant-EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms 2014-2020, “Environment, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy” Program, through allocation of international funds, in the following conditions.
Fellowship Reference: “MORE/SOILING/1”
Scientific area: Agriculture and Environmental
Candidate’s admissibility requirements: Candidates should hold a doctorate degree in Agronomic Area, with preference in Soil Science, and meet simultaneously the following requirements:
– the academic degree had been obtained in the three years preceding the application submission date to this grant (*);
– the entire period in this type of fellowship, with the conclusion of the contract relative to this application, and including possible renewals, cannot exceed 31 March 2024;
– experience in in the formulation, application and monitoring of Nature based Solutions (SbN), namely composting and Biochar-based fertilizer application in poor or degraded soils. Field monitoring tasks in experimental plots will include the evaluation of erosion rates, carbon and nutrient loss.
Candidates who do not meet, simultaneously, all the requirements above will be excluded. In this fellowship, academic degrees and/or diplomas that do not fit the required profile will not be valued.
Work Plan:
Throughout all developing stages of formulation, application and monitoring of Nature based Solutions (SbN) in degraded soils, the selected candidate will:
1. Lead the formulation of a Biochar-based fertilizer made by agro-industrial waste (such as olive pomace), proposing the most adequate management oriented to reuse and recovery of energy and raw materials (pyrolysis oven).
2. Follow up on field trials where the effectiveness of the NbS will be tested (compost and biochar) in degraded soils. Considering the expected dynamics of the effect of treatments and their spatial distribution, collection of soil samples will be quarterly, and it will include organic matter and nutrients analyses, following FAO protocols.
3. Prepare a technical report describing the different laboratory and field stages for obtaining and applying Biochar, such as yield, nutrient recovery, field effectiveness and risk factors to be minimized. A possible proposal for industrial protection will be included.
Applicable legislation and regulation: Research Fellow Status; Regulation of Research Grants of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. – in effect.
Host Research Unit and Scientific Supervision: The activities will be performed in MORE – Mountains of Research Collaborative Laboratory – Association, under the scientific supervision of PhD Zulimar Hernández (Soil Science area).
Duration of the Fellowship: The fellowship will be for a period of 18 months and the planned starting date is September of 2022.
Monthly Maintenance Allowance Amount: The fellowship amount is 1.686€, according to the amounts defined in the Research Scholarship Regulation of the Foundation for Science and Technology, Regulation No. 950/2019, for fellowships in Portugal. Reimbursement of Voluntary Social Insurance, corresponding to the 1st Level of the contributory tax base (for fellowships with 6 months or more) and Personal Accident Insurance.
Evaluation and selection process: The evaluation of the applications is based on the Candidate’s Merit, taking into consideration the CV and the following documents that the candidate must present: Motivation Letter and two Recommendation Letters. For the evaluation of the Candidate’s Merit, the following criteria will be applied, ranked from 1 to 5:
· Criterion A – Curriculum Vitae, weighted 75%
Subcriterion A1 – Papers published in interested area (soil, biochar) in peer review journals, weighted 60%
Subcriterion A2 – Conference presentations in interested area (soil, biochar), weighted 10%
Subcriterion A3 – Participation in research projects in interested area (soil, biochar), weighted 20%
Subcriterion A4 – Other elements relevant to the evaluation of the Curriculum Vitae, such as scientific recognition awards, scientific dissemination activities with impact on the community, student supervision, weighted 10%
· Criterion B – Motivation Letter and Recommendation Letters, weighted 25%
If the jury chooses to carry out the selection interview, it will be carried out to the 03 (three) candidates with the best classification in the curriculum evaluation. If the selection interview is carried out, the final evaluation will be obtained considering the following weightings: 75% for the curriculum evaluation, 25% for the selection interview, tests of knowledge, recommendation letters, other.
Composition of the Selection Jury:
President: Zulimar Hernández, Scientific Technical Coordinator for Mountain Environmental and Ecosystem Management Area
Effective Member: José Barbosa, Scientific Technical Coordinator for Intelligent Technologies Area
Effective Member: Nuno Carvalho, Operations Director
Publication/notification of results: All the candidates will be notified by e-mail with the selection meeting minutes enclosed.
Deadlines: This call for applications is open from 01/08/2022 to 15/08/2022.
Application: Applications should be sent via e-mail to recrutamento@morecolab.pt, by attaching the following documents:
a. Curriculum vitae;
b. Certificates of the academic degrees (mandatory recognition in Portugal of academic degrees and diplomas of higher education, awarded by foreign higher education institutions);
c. Motivation Letter;
d. Recommendation Letters (two);
d. other documents considered relevant.
The candidates MUST submit their applications by email to recrutamento@morecolab.pt, indicating the reference “MORE/SOILING/1” in the subject field of the email message. Applications sent in a different way will not be accepted.
Time limits for the appeal procedure: In case of negative decision, the candidates have 10 business days, after the date of announcement of the results of the candidate’s evaluation, to pronounce their disagreement in accordance with the Código do Procedimento Administrativo. Appeals against the final decision may be submitted to the Administration Board of MORE (geral@morecolab.pt) within 15 business days after the notification date.
Benefits
Monthly Maintenance Allowance Amount: The fellowship amount is 1.686€. Reimbursement of Voluntary Social Insurance, corresponding to the 1st Level of the contributory tax base (for fellowships with 6 months or more) and Personal Accident Insurance.
Duration of the Fellowship: The fellowship will be for a period of 18 months and the planned starting date is September of 2022.
Eligibility criteria
Candidate’s admissibility requirements: Candidates should hold a doctorate degree in Agronomic Area, with preference in Soil Science, and meet simultaneously the following requirements:
– the academic degree had been obtained in the three years preceding the application submission date to this grant (*);
– the entire period in this type of fellowship, with the conclusion of the contract relative to this application, and including possible renewals, cannot exceed 31 March 2024;
– experience in in the formulation, application and monitoring of Nature based Solutions (SbN), namely composting and Biochar-based fertilizer application in poor or degraded soils. Field monitoring tasks in experimental plots will include the evaluation of erosion rates, carbon and nutrient loss.
Candidates who do not meet, simultaneously, all the requirements above will be excluded. In this fellowship, academic degrees and/or diplomas that do not fit the required profile will not be valued.
Selection process
Evaluation and selection process: The evaluation of the applications is based on the Candidate’s Merit, taking into consideration the CV and the following documents that the candidate must present: Motivation Letter and two Recommendation Letters. For the evaluation of the Candidate’s Merit, the following criteria will be applied, ranked from 1 to 5:
· Criterion A – Curriculum Vitae, weighted 75%
Subcriterion A1 – Papers published in interested area (soil, biochar) in peer review journals, weighted 60%
Subcriterion A2 – Conference presentations in interested area (soil, biochar), weighted 10%
Subcriterion A3 – Participation in research projects in interested area (soil, biochar), weighted 20%
Subcriterion A4 – Other elements relevant to the evaluation of the Curriculum Vitae, such as scientific recognition awards, scientific dissemination activities with impact on the community, student supervision, weighted 10%
· Criterion B – Motivation Letter and Recommendation Letters, weighted 25%
If the jury chooses to carry out the selection interview, it will be carried out to the 03 (three) candidates with the best classification in the curriculum evaluation. If the selection interview is carried out, the final evaluation will be obtained considering the following weightings: 75% for the curriculum evaluation, 25% for the selection interview, tests of knowledge, recommendation letters, other.
Additional comments
Application: Applications should be sent via e-mail to recrutamento@morecolab.pt, by attaching the following documents:
a. Curriculum vitae;
b. Certificates of the academic degrees (mandatory recognition in Portugal of academic degrees and diplomas of higher education, awarded by foreign higher education institutions);
c. Motivation Letter;
d. Recommendation Letters (two);
d. other documents considered relevant.
The candidates MUST submit their applications by email to recrutamento@morecolab.pt, indicating the reference “MORE/SOILING/1” in the subject field of the email message. Applications sent in a different way will not be accepted.
Application Deadline: 15/08/2022 12:00 – Europe/London