A Technician with Master Science Degree position (Reference
REQUIMTE 2026-70) is available at REQUIMTE, at the project BeTASTy – “New Molecular and Cell-based Approaches to assess Food Astringency and Bitterness” Grant Agreement 2 ERC-2021-STG, supported by European funds by European Research Council.
Type of contract: work contract for a non-fixed term Starting date: January 1, 2027 Scientific area: Biochemistry Monthly salary: Level 14 of the Single Salary Table (TRU) 1.393,88 Euros Applicable Legislation: Portuguese Labour Code, approved by Law 7/2009 of February 12, in its actual form.
Job description: The selected candidate will carry out experimental work within the scope of the following tasks: • Development of innovative cell culture models for the in vitro simulation of the oral environment.
• Study of the interactions between taste-active compounds (e.g., polyphenols), particularly those contributing to the sensation of astringency, and the components of the oral cavity.
• Characterization of these interactions by using complementary techniques, including liquid chromatographic (HPLC,
UHPLC) and electrophoresis
SDS-PAGE.
• Extraction and analysis of polyphenols and other astringent compounds retained on the oral epithelium, using tongue scrapings collected from human assessors.
Admission requirements: • Master’s degree Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering or similar, with a final classification equal to or greater than 18 points.
• Proficient in
HPLC analysis and colorimetric assays for the quantification of polyphenols and other analytes in complex matrices.
• Knowledge of cell and molecular biology, molecular experiments, and electrophoresis techniques (SDS-PAGE) is required.
Experience in data processing and statistical analysis of multi-factor data sets will be considered an advantage.
• Experience on designing training protocols and conducting sensory panels, especially for astringency evaluation.
If the master's degree was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of August 16, and any formalities established therein must be completed by the date of signature of the contract.
Work place The work will be carried out in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, under the scientific guidance of Susana Soares (Assistant Professor), Joana Guedes (PhD) and Elsa Brandão (PhD).
Selection criteria 1. Final average for Master's or Integrated Master's (20%);
2. Relevant experience in the scientific area of research and experience in the techniques required for the execution of the work (e.g., chromatographic techniques, methods for extraction and characterization of bioactive compounds, molecular biology techniques, human cell culture, sensory analysis and statistical tools for data science) (50%);
3. Consistency of the curriculum vitae, specifically regarding scientific indicators in the specific areas of the call, including articles published in international peer-reviewed journals, oral presentations, and participation in research projects (30%).
The jury will not award the current position to candidates with a final classification lower than 16 points.
Jury composition Susana Soares (Jury President) Joana Guedes (1st Vogal) Elsa Brandão (2nd Vogal) Andreia Fernandes (substitute Vogal) Results announcement Candidates will be directly informed by email about the result of their application.
The ranking of the candidates will be published at a visible and public area of
REQUIMTE facilities.
Application The applications are formalized at the electronic address , containing in the subject the reference to which the candidate is applying (Reference
REQUIMTE 2026-70) with following documents in a digital form, in PDF format: i) Curriculum vitae;
ii) Motivational Letter;
iii) Qualifications Certificate;
iv) other relevant documentation.
i) Curriculum vitae;
The application period is from 09/11/2026 and 20/11/2026.