There is an open call for applications for a postdoctoral research scholarship in the scope of the project “SHIELD-HMP – Shielding Lives: Integrated Strategies for the Prevention and Mitigation of Health Risks Posed by Hazardous Medicinal Products”, reference COMPETE2030-FEDER-00803400, at the Institute of Public Health of the University of Porto, financed by FEDER, COMPETE 2030 program under the following conditions:

Application deadline: June 19th to July 31st, 2026

1. Scientific area: Health Sciences, Hygiene and Occupational Health

2. Applicable legislation and regulations

Statute of Scientific Research Grant Holder, approved by Law no. 40/2004, of 18 of August, as amended by Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of 28 of August; Regulation no. 950/2019, of 29 of November, published in Diário da República, no. 241, Series 2, of 16 of December (Regulation of Research Grants of FCT, I. P.); Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of 16 August (Legal regime for recognition of academic degrees and diplomas of higher education awarded by foreign higher education institutions); Administrative Procedure Code (CPA), approved by Decree-Law no. 4/2015, of 7 January.

3. Admission requirements:

To apply for the scholarship, applicants must comply with the following requirements, for which documentary evidence must be provided:

a) PhD in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chemical and Biological Engineering, or Environmental Engineering;

b) The doctoral degree must have been obtained within the three years prior to the date of submission of the scholarship application.

If the degree has been awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must be recognized by a Portuguese higher education institution, in accordance with the provisions of article 25 of Decree-Law no.  66/2018 of 16 August, which approves the legal regime for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions and Article 4 (2) (e) of Decree-Law no. 60/2018 of 3 August, and any formalities established therein be fulfilled up to the date of the contracting act. 

4. Preferred requirements:

a)Author or co-author of publications in peer-reviewed journals with an impact factor;

b) Experience in the development of methods for the analysis of micropollutants in biological and/ or environmental matrices;

c) Experience in the validation of methods for the analysis of micropollutants in biological and/ or environmental matrices; 

d) Experience in conducting sampling campaigns for the monitoring of micropollutants;

e) Experience in extraction techniques: solid-phase extraction (SPE), dispersive solid-phase extraction (e.g., QuEChERS), liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), and/ or dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME);

f) Experience in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and/ or gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS);

g) Experience in monitoring campaigns of micropollutants;

h) Experience in risk assessment; 

i) Fluency in English, demonstrated by a diploma, scientific publications, or oral presentations;

j) Communication, organizational and methodological skills, as well as team spirit, results orientation, responsibility, and commitment to service.

5. Work Plan:

The main tasks/activities to be carried out under the scholarship are those set out in the project: 

a) Hazard identification: definition of hospitals and target Hazardous Medicinal Products (HMPs), and identification of exposure scenarios;

b) Exposure Assessment: assess healthcare workers’ exposure to HMPs;

c) Assessment of Early Biological Effects and Cancer Risk from Occupational Exposure to HMPs;

d) Evaluate the effectiveness of cleaning protocols in the decontamination of surfaces potentially contaminated with HMPs.

6. Workplace and supervision

The work plan will be developed at the Institute of Public Health of the University of Porto, under the supervision of Mónica Santos, PHD.

7. Duration of the scholarship

The scholarship will have a duration of 12 months, on an exclusive basis, possibly renewable, but not exceeding the project completion date (29/09/2028).

8. Amount of the monthly maintenance allowance

The allowance amount is 1.901,00€, per the table of values of the scholarships awarded directly by FCT, I.P. in Portugal.

9. Evaluation methods

The selection will be made based on curriculum evaluation (CE) and, if deemed necessary by the jury, a selection interview (I) with the top 3 candidates whose score in the curriculum evaluation is equal to or greater than ten points. The final score will be calculated using the following formula: 0,6 x CE + 0,4 x I, on a scale of 0 to 20 points. If there is no interview, the final classification will be equal to the same as the CE score.

Failure of candidates to attend the possible interview phase of the selection process is equivalent to withdrawing from the competition, leading to the exclusion from the procedure.

If none of the candidates demonstrates having the profile indicated for carrying out the work plan, the Selection Panel reserves the right not to allocate the vacancy in the competition.

The criteria for curricular evaluation (CE) are (0 to 20 points):

a) Candidate’s field of training: PhD in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chemical and Biological Engineering, or Environmental Engineering (4 points), related areas (2 points), others (0 points);

b) Experience in the field, evidenced by scientific publications or oral/poster communications (0 to 13 points): 

     i. Experience in developing methods for the analysis of micropollutants in biological and/ or environmental matrices (0 to 2 points); 

    ii. Experience in the validation of methods for the analysis of micropollutants in biological and/ or environmental matrices (0 to 2 points);

    iii. Experience in conducting sampling campaigns for the monitoring of micropollutants (0 to 1 point); 

    iv. Experience in extraction techniques: solid-phase extraction (SPE), dispersive solid-phase extraction (e.g., QuEChERS), liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), and/ or dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) – (0 to 2 points);

    v. Experience in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and/ or gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) (0 to 4 points); 

   vi. Experience in monitoring campaigns of micropollutants (0 to 1 point); 

  vii. Experience in risk assessment (0 to 1 point).

c) Author or co-author of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals with an impact factor (0 to 3 points).

The evaluation factors of the selection interview (I), if it takes place, will be (0 to 20 points):

a) Technical - scientific knowledge and experience in the field (0 to 6 points).

b) Communication and presentation skills (0 to 5 points).

c) Problem-solving and decision-making ability (0 to 4 points).

d) Motivation and alignment with the role’s objectives (0 to 5 points).

10. Selection panel

President – Mónica Sofia Freitas dos Santos

1st Effective member – Sara Isabel Marques Mota Soares

2nd Effective member – Teresa Isabel Araújo Gouveia

1st Alternate member – Catarina Samorinha

2nd Alternate member – Mariana Amorim

11. Form of presentation of applications and deadline for applications:

11.1 The Call for Applications is open until 31st July 2026.

11.2 The applications should be formalized, obligatorily, through email to the address candidaturas@ispup.up.pt, with the refª "BI – Post-Doc | SHIELD-HMP" in the subject, accompanied by the following documents, of mandatory presentation:

a. Letter of Motivation;

b. Curriculum Vitae;

c. Documents proving that the applicant meets the conditions required for the type of scholarship to which he is applying, namely certificate(s) of qualification(s), with the final classification obtained and the respective academic degree recognition by a Portuguese higher education institution (if applicable).

The degree recognition must be duly proven until the act of hiring. If the recognition of the degree is under review, should be send proof of the request;

d. Other documents deemed relevant by the candidate.

11.3 Failure to submit the documents identified above in the application will result in the administrative exclusion of the candidates.

12. Disclosure of the results:

a. The results of the evaluation will be made public through the sending of minutes via the email provided at the time of application.

b. Candidates have a period of 10 working days, counting from the day after the notification, to comment, if they wish, in a prior hearing.

13. In case of withdrawal of the candidate ranked first, the highest body of the Institute reserves the right to call the next candidate and so on until the vacancy is filled.

14. ISPUP is free to fill the position or not and may suspend or terminate the process at any time, informing all candidates.

15. Policy of non-discrimination and equal access 

ISPUP actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access, whereby no candidate may be privileged, benefited, prejudiced or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the basis of ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, origin or social condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs or affiliation with a professional union.

16. Data protection and privacy policy

ISPUP is committed to comply with the personal data protection legislation in order to protect the data and privacy of employees, students and partners. As the controller, ISPUP commits to process all data collected during the application process according to the procedures defined in the data protection legislation and in accordance with the Privacy Policy.