Junior Researcher | History and Archaeology (Archaeobotany)
Reference: BIOPOLIS 2024-13
Job description:
Junior Researcher
Reference: BIOPOLIS 2024-13
Main research field: History and Archaeology
Sub research field: Archaeobotany
1. Associação BIOPOLIS opens an international call for PhD holder researchers, under a work contract for a nonfixed term for an expect duration of 6 months. This announcement is intended to 1 (one) Junior research position (Reference BIOPOLIS 2024-13) to pursue scientific research activities in the project "Exploitation and consumption of biological resources in western Iberia during Roman times – B-ROMAN” with reference PTDC/HARARQ/ 4909/2020, supported by national funds by FCT/MCTES, in the area of History and Archaeology. The project will approach the impact of Roman conquest in the exploitation of biological resources in the former province of Lusitania. Through the B-ROMAN project, new archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological data will be obtained in a vast number of archaeological sites, filling notorious investigation gaps. Isotopic analysis will also be conducted on selected elements from the archaeological plant and animal assemblages. In the end it will be possible to 1) understand how biological resources were exploited and integrated in the economic and territorial models implemented in Roman Lusitania and how it varied in space and time; 2) characterize the cities’ supply; 3) understand the role of the consumption and exploitation of such resources in the process of acculturation of the human communities and in landscape evolution.
The candidate will conduct charcoal analysis, including the dendrological characterization of charcoal and wood. The study will comprise waterlogged botanical remains thus the candidate must also apply the appropriate procedures to their analysis. The candidate should also be able to contribute to both scientific and financial project reporting and participate and help organize project meetings, workshops and conferences both in Portugal and abroad.
2. Applicable Legislation
Decree-Law no. 57/2016 of August 29th, amended by Law 57/2017 and Regulatory Decree No. 11- A / 2017 which approved the doctorate hiring regime destined to stimulate scientific and technological employment for all knowledge areas (RJEC); Portuguese Labour Code, approved by Law 7/2009 of February 12, in its actual form.
3. Pursuant to article 13 of RJEC, the tender selection panel is formed by: João Tereso (Researcher at CIBIO-InBIO; President of the panel), Cleia Detry (Professor at FLUL, Researcher at UNIARQ), and Carlos Fabião (Professor at FLUL, Researcher at UNIARQ).
4. The workplace shall be at Associação BIOPOLIS/CIBIO – Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Rua Padre Armando Quintas nº7 | 4485-661 Vairão, PORTUGAL or FCUP, Campo Alegre Porto . Visits to other collaborating labs may take place.
5. Monthly remuneration to be paid is that set by subheading a) nr.1 article 15 of RJEC and article nr 2 of the Regulatory Decree nr. 11-A/2017, corresponding to level 33 of the Tabela Remuneratória Única, approved by Order no. 1553-C/2008 of December 31st, i.e. 2.294,95 Euros.
6. The application can be submitted by any national, foreign and stateless candidate(s) holding a doctorate degree in Biology, Archaeology or related areas and a scientific and professional curriculum whose profile is suited for the activity described below (item 7). In case the doctorate degree was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law no. 66/2018 of 16 October, and all formalities established therein must be complied with at the signature of work contract.
7. The tender admission general requirements are those defined in the previous point 6, and additional specific requirements are:
the candidate should have experience in the study of carbonized and waterlogged archaeological wood. Besides taxonomic identification, such experience must include the characterization of dendrological features related with taphonomy and the life-history of the specimens, as well as the description of woodworked material. Preference will be given for candidates with experience in wood identification of western Iberian taxa. Alternatively, candidates will be considered with experience in the charcoal analysis in sites from other Iberian regions or from the Mediterranean in general. Candidates must show capacity to articulate archaeobotanical and archaeological data with historical interpretations at different geographic levels. All this experience must be validated by the (co)authorship of scientific papers in specialized journals.
The candidate should be able to work well within a team and have excellent English and communication skills. Furthermore, it is expected that the candidate possesses strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
8. Pursuant to article 5 of RJEC, the selection is to be made based on the evaluation of the scientific and curricular career of the candidate.
9. Scientific and curricular career evaluation focuses on relevance, quality and up-to-datedness:
a) of scientific, technological, cultural or artistic production in the last five years, considered most relevant by the candidate;
b) of research activities, fundamental or applied science, developed in the last five years, considered of higher impact by the candidate;
c) of knowledge extension and dissemination activities developed in the last five years, namely under the scope of the promotion of culture and scientific practices, deemed most relevant by the candidate.
d) of activities of science management, technology and innovation programs, or of experience in observing and monitoring the scientific and technological system or higher education, in Portugal or abroad.
10. The five-year period mentioned above can be extended by the panel, if requested by the candidate, whenever the suspension of scientific activities is reasoned by socially protected grounds like paternity leave, lon g-term serious illness, and other legal situations of unavailability to work.
11. Evaluation criteria are the following:
The evaluation of the CV of the candidates, in particular the scientific merit and research experience will take into consideration the elements presented for the last five years of activity falling within the scope of the specific areas of the tender (see Point 1) and will be performed according to the following criteria:
11.1 Integrated assessment of the curriculum trajectory of the candidate, based on an overview of their scientific merits, namely:
I. overall scientific coherence of the CV – 10%
II. diversity and quality of scientific indicators, including relevant published peer-reviewed articles in the specific areas listed in point 1 - 30%
III. participation in basic or applied research projects, preferably in the specific areas listed in point 1 - 10%
11.2 Relevant experience in:
I. Collection, compilation and analysis of anthracological data - 15%
II. Writing of scientific papers - 20%
III. Experience in wood anatomy of western Iberian taxa - 15%
12. In the case of admitted candidates whose evaluation does not differ more than 10% from that obtained by the best positioned candidate, the jury will interview these candidates. This will be aimed at obtaining clarifications and explanations about the curricular elements and additional information as well as to evaluate the attitude profile and motivation of the candidate.
The final score of each jury member is obtained by the following assessment: 90% scientific and curricular career evaluation and 10% interview.
13. Candidate final classification system shall be given based on a scale 0 to 100.
14. The panel shall deliberate by means of roll-call vote justified under adopted and disclosed selection criteria, with no abstentions allowed.
15. Minutes of panel meetings shall be executed and include a summary of all occurrences of said meeting, as well as of all votes casted by the members and respective reasoning.
16. After selection criteria application, the panel shall prepare a sorted list of approved candidates and respective classification.
17. Panel’s final decision shall be validated by the leader of the institution, who is also in charge of deciding about the hiring.
18. Application formalization:
18.1. The applications are formalized at the electronic address https://www.cibio.pt with following documents in a digital form, in PDF format:
i) Curriculum vitae
ii) Motivation/Cover letter
iii) Qualifications Certificate
iv) Other relevant documentation
18.2. The application period is from 02/02/2024 to 16/02/2024
Expected starting date: 1st May 2024
19. All candidates who formalize their applications in an improper way or fail to prove the requirements imposed by this tender are excluded from admission. In case of doubt, the panel is entitled to request any candidate to present further documentation supporting their statements.
20. False statements provided by the candidates shall be punished by law.
21. Both admitted and excluded candidate list and final classification list shall be notified by email.
22. After notification, all candidates have 10 working days to comment. Panel’s final decisions are pronounced within a period of 90 working days, from response period deadline.
23. This tender is exclusively destined to fill this specify position and can be terminated at any time until approval of final candidate list, expiring with the respective occupation of said position.
24. Non-discrimination and equal access policy: Associação BIOPOLIS actively promotes a non-discrimination and equal access policy, wherefore no candidate can be privileged, benefited, impaired or deprived of any rights whatsoever, or be exempt of any duties based on their ancestry, age, sex, sexual preference, marital status, family and economic conditions, instruction, origin or social conditions, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, origin territory, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and union membership.
25. The panel has approved this announcement in meeting held on 23/01/2024.
26. To comply with Law no. 4/2019, of 10 January, candidates must declare on the application form, under a statement of honour, their degree of disability, the type of disability and the means of communication/expression to be used in the selection process.