About this position
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier
- Application for a Bachelor holder Fellowship
- within the ICJ25031 - IOVPoC-2025-01
Applications are invited for a Bachelor Holder Fellowship in in the scope of the project entitled “SaltShield: Halo-extremophile bioinoculants to reclaim agricultural saline soils” with the reference ICJ25031 - IOVPoC-2025-01, funded by InnoValley Proof-of-Concept Fund 4th Edition 2025 (Oeiras Valley PoC Award).
Scientific Area: Agricultural Sciences.
Academic degree: Bachelor degree in Biotechnology, or similar area.
Other requisites to demonstrate:
- Proficiency in microbiology, including isolation and identification of microorganisms, and analysis of complex samples;
- Previous lab experience in soil microbiology and/or plant-microbe interactions;
- Experience with microbial cultures, including purification, glycerol preparing and collection managing;
- Proficiency in molecular biology, biochemistry and phenotyping skills, both with plant and microbes, will be highly valued;
- Managing greenhouse tests, as well as general plant science methodologies;
- Experience with plant and microbe stressing analyses;
- Some experience in preparing bioformulations/amendments for bioformulation to apply on agriculture, modifying/optimizing formulations and/or scaling-up procedures.
- Experience with field tests.
- Fluency in English;
- Being enrolled in a PhD, or in a non-academic degree course, in accordance with the Article 6th of “Regulamento de Bolsas de Investigação da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. from FCT”, law in force.
Work plan: For a second phase of this project, we aim to improve, optimize and scale up the layered-system formulation designed in previous phase. For this, we will evaluate the impact of different stimulating compounds to use as adjuvants in the formulation. Here, we will evaluate the boosting of growth, production of phytohormones, biofilm, nutrient-related features and beneficial enzymatic activities.
We will as well, assess the minimal effective concentration to optimize in the formulation, and the incorporation in the formulation matrix to enhance the performance of the inoculants. Later, we will evaluate the enhancement of the formulation due to the inclusion of the adjuvants. Once the formulation is defined with these amendments, we will evaluate structural and dispersion issues, including soil dispersion ratio, incorporation to root microbiota, interaction performance and the storage viability.
Subsequently, we will implement production systems to achieve bigger amount of inoculant and formulation, evaluating possible production challenges for the industrial scale phase. Here, we plan to develop a new productive system to enhance size of core particles, as well as refine the layer system to reduce the thickness of the stoppers. Moreover, we will evaluate the use of early and late dispersion method to enhance the presence of the inoculant in different phases of the plant development.
Finally, we will optimize the production time and methods accordingly, and prepare a test on production ratio and product viability.
In a last stage, we will evaluate the core system over seed and over capsule beds to offer different product approaches (seed-coated system and fertilizing-only product). For this, we will prepare assays to evaluate the best performance and alternative options to supply this product. With this, we will evaluate the final formulation in plants, contrasting with conventional liquid formulation.
Here, we will evaluate the minimal active amount required, effectiveness ratio and phenotyping of plant to ensure the successful design of this bioformulation.
Applicable Law and Regulations: Status of Scientific Research Fellow, approved by Law number 40/2004, of August 18th, changed and republished by Ordinance 202/2012 of August 27th and changed by Ordinance 233/2012 of October 29th and by Law 12/2013 of January 29th and by Ordinance 89/2013 of July 9th and by the Ordinance 123/2019 of August 28th, and by the Ordinance 65/2024 of October 1st.
Regulations for Research Fellowships from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in force ( https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/RBi_Republicado_2025.pdf ).
Working Place: The work will be carried out in iPlantMicro Lab at ITQB NOVA, under supervision of Dr. Juan Ignacio Vílchez.
Duration of the fellowship: The fellowship will have the duration of 4 months, with possible extension, expected to start in November 2026, on a full-time basis, according to Fellowship Regulations of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P.
Stipend amount: €1.090,98, according to the table of values of grants awarded directly by the FCT, I.P. in the Country ( https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-202… ) and payment will be made, monthly, through bank transfer.
Selection procedure: The evaluation procedures will be based on the analysis of the candidates´ CV and if needed an interview for the selected candidates may take place. In this case, the curriculum evaluation and the interview will have a weight of 80% and 20%, respectively.
Jury composition: Doctor Juan Ignacio Vílchez (president), Doctor Jörg Becker, and Doctor Omar Vergara. As substitute member, Doctor Tiago Lourenço.
Application documents: The application should be formalized in a cover letter indicating the corresponding fellowship reference together with the following documents: detailed Curriculum Vitae, motivation letter, titles and certificates as required. All documents should be preferably sent by email in a single pdf file. If the degree has been conferred by a non-Portuguese higher education institution, the selected candidate must obtain the certificate of the degree recognition, issued by the Portuguese Directorate General for Higher Education or by a Portuguese Public Higher Education Institution, until the signature of the contract.
Regarding this issue, please consult the website of the Portuguese Directorate General for Higher Education: https://www.dges.gov.pt/en .
Notification of candidates: All the candidates will be informed of the final result by e-mail.
Deadlines and procedures for complaints and appeals: If the result is not favorable, the candidates have a period of 10 working days, after the disclosure of the results, to comment, if desired, in a prior hearing of interested parties, in the terms provided for in the Code of Administrative Procedure.
Application period: From 21 September to 2 October 2026.
- Applications should be sent to:
- Doctor Juan Îgnácio Vilchez
- Email: nacho.vilchez@itqb.unl.pt
- Ref. 061/BI/2026
- ITQB NOVA
- OEIRAS
Requirements
Research Field
Agricultural sciences » Soil science
Education Level
Bachelor Degree or equivalent
How to apply
- Read the full advert on the source site — it carries the authoritative terms.
- Email the contact below with your CV and a short, specific message. See Emailing Professors.
- Prepare your SOP, CV, transcripts and referees before the deadline.
- Apply through the university's own portal. Never pay a fee to a third party.