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Coordinator Researcher (m/f) Biopolis 2024-37- Teaming Biopolis Job description: Position: Coordinator Researcher Reference: BIOPOLIS 2024-37 Main research field: Biological Sciences Sub research field: Human Evolutionary Geneticist 1. A position for a coordinator researcher is open for an expect duration of one-year at BIOPOLIS, a Centre of Excellence in Environmental Biology, Ecosystem Research and AgroBiodiversity located in Portugal, which results from a H2020 Teaming project involving CIBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Porto Business School, and the University of Montpellier. BIOPOLIS is a private, non-profit scientific association, funded by the European Commission, national structural funds, and private partners. The position holder will be responsible for leading research in human evolutionary genetics, with a strong focus in setting up collaborations with southern African countries, including the development of bridges with linguistic and cultural anthropology. BIOPOLIS is a highly ambitious and novel Centre of Excellence located in the north of Portugal with a genuine commitment to excellence in environmental biology, ecosystem and agrobiodiversity research with an innovative and dynamic community addressing the major challenges confronting the environment and society. BIOPOLIS was possible because of a successful H2020 Coordination and Supporting Action (Reference 857251) funded by the European Commission under the call H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2018-2019: Teaming Phase 2 (https://www.biopolis.pt/en/), which involves the Porto Business School, the University of Montpellier and CIBIO (Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources). As leading global institutions with strong values, a unique sense of community and strategic intent, they aim to spread, through BIOPOLIS, excellence towards innovation and contribute to socioeconomic development at the regional and national levels. It counts on significant support and investment from the European Commission, national structural funds and private partners amounting to an overall budget of around €130 million for the next 10 years. The main objective of BIOPOLIS will be to upgrade the existing CIBIO; a private and independent research institution hosting 41 multidisciplinary research groups, around 204 PhD level researchers and over 100 MSc and PhD students from across the world, conducting world-class research in biodiversity and evolution, and elevate it to a Centre of Excellence by integrating new and innovative strands of research in the fields of environmental biology, ecosystem research and agrobiodiversity. The Centre has state-of-the-art ecology and molecular laboratories, and it conducts research projects at a global scale. The working language of the institute is English, and it offers a vibrant, multicultural and enthusiastic working atmosphere. BIOPOLIS is seeking to appoint a Human Evolutionary Geneticist, reporting directly to the Board of Directors (BoD) and its Executive Committee. The responsibilities of the position holder include: a) Leading high-profile research on the history and recent evolution of the population genetics of human settlement, dispersal and admixture in southern Africa; b) Developing a multidisciplinary approach by including complementary approaches offered by linguistics, cultural anthropology and related topics into the general framework of human population genetics; c) Understanding and disentangling the complex dynamics of human peopling and settlement across the riverine region of the Okavango Basin; d) Supporting the establishment of a TwinLab in Botswana with local colleagues, especially in the Okavango Research Institute (ORI), as well as developing a scientific agenda and partnership for the subsequent five years (2024-29); e) Supporting the development of pre-existent TwinLabs in both Angola and Namibia, with a particular emphasis on the development and capacity building in the fields of genetics, genomics, linguistics and anthropology in general. 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: Prof. Nuno Ferrand (Director of Associação BIOPOLIS, President of the Jury); Dr. Pedro Beja (Associate Director of Associação BIOPOLIS, vogal) and Prof. Paulo Gama Mota (Researcher at Associação BIOPOLIS, vogal). 4. The workplace shall be at Associação BIOPOLIS/CIBIO – Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, in Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas nº7, Vairão, Portugal and abroad, particularly in several southern African countries, in service or representation of contract entity. 5. The gross monthly salary is € 5.009,55 corresponding to index 285 of the Scientific Research Career (Anex I decree-law nº 124/99, de 20 de April). 6. The successful candidate, any national, foreign and stateless candidate(s) holding: a) PhD on Human Genetics, Molecular Anthropology or related areas; b) Extensive professional experience (20+ years) in human evolutionary genetics, including genetics and genomics of global human populations, preferably with a consistent multidisciplinary approach encompassing linguistics, cultural anthropology and related areas; c) Extensive professional experience (10+ years) in leading field work in Africa, with a focus in southern African countries; d) Proven track record of collaborating with different institutions in southern African countries; e) Proven solid track record of high-profile scientific publications, including in top multidisciplinary journals. 7 .The tender admission general requirements are those defined in the previous point 6, and additional specific requirements. These include: • Recognition by peers at both national and international levels; • Experience in leading national and international research projects and programs in Africa; • Availability to travel and offer long stays in southern African countries, specifically in Botswana; • Capacity to prepare scientific proposals in order to secure funds from multiple funding agencies supporting research programs in Africa; • Exhibit exceptional written and verbal communication and presentation skills; and, • Possess fluency in both English and Portuguese. 8. Pursuant to article 5 of RJEC, the selection is to be made based on the evaluation of the candidate's scientific and curricular career. 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 5 years, considered most relevant by the candidate; b) of research activities, fundamental or applied science, developed in the last 5 years, considered of higher impact by the candidate; c) of knowledge extension and dissemination activities developed in the last 5 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 5-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, long-term serious illness, and other legal situations of unavailability to work. 11. Application formalization: 11.1 Applications must be submitted at the electronic address https://www.cibio.up.pt/en/jobs/ from 23/07/2024 until 05/08/2024 . The applications are formalized with the following documents in a digital form, in PDF format: i) Personal statement (Up to two A4 pages), detailing the candidate’s vision for BIOPOLIS and the role of Human Evolutionary Genetics in achieving its ambitious objectives in the short, medium, and long term. The statement should also describe how her/his past achievements and experience provides excellent qualifications to the position. ii) Curriculum vitae (Up to six A4 pages), providing evidence that the applicant’s comply with the call requirements, and describing achievements related to the call. iii) PhD certificate 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. A summary of the BIOPOLIS project is available upon request to the mail address [email protected]. 11.2. Expect starting date: 1 st September 2024. 12. The evaluation process and subsequent recruitment will be made according to the principles of the Code of Conduct for Recruitment of Researchers established by the European Commission. These principles ensure observance of values such as transparency of the recruitment process and equal treatment of all applicants, in particular about the development of an attractive, open and sustainable European labour market for researchers, and are complementary to those outlined in the European Charter for Researchers. Evaluation criteria include the review and assessment of documentary elements provided by the candidates (i.e., Personal Statement and CV). Based on these elements, candidates will be ranked, and a short list of suitable candidates will be produced, according to the following criteria: I. overall professional experience demonstrated in the CV – 50% II. participation in research projects in international contexts - 25% III. Capacity of institutional dialogue with multiple entities located in southern African countries – 25% 13. 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. The final score of each jury member is obtained by the following assessment: 90% scientific and curricular career evaluation and 10% interview. 14. Candidate final classification system shall be given based on a scale 0 to 100. 15. The panel shall deliberate by means of roll-call vote justified under adopted and disclosed selection criteria, with no abstentions allowed. 16. 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 and shall be provided to candidates whenever required. 17. After selection criteria application, the panel shall prepare a sorted list of approved candidates and respective classification. 18. Panel ’ s final decision shall be validated by the leader of the institution, who is also in charge of deciding about the hiring. 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. Final Decision: 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 occupatio