Graduate Studies Office Member

Champalimaud Foundation (Fundação D. Anna de Sommer Champalimaud e Dr. Carlos Montez Champalimaud), a private, non-profit research institution in Lisbon, Portugal, is looking for a proactive person to join our team at the Champalimaud Educational Program. Since its beginning, the Champalimaud Foundation (CF) has dedicated considerable efforts to developing and implementing outstanding educational programs, including world-class Ph.D. programs, advanced courses, and workshops in science and clinic. The selected candidate will join the Graduate Studies Office team and contribute significantly to this goal.

The selected candidate will report to the Director of Education at the Champalimaud Foundation. 

Main responsibilities include

- Ensure and enhance academic quality standards by aligning with the Director of Education and PhD course directors, engaging with students and faculty, and benchmarking against other institutions. 

- Revise and enhance policy documents and rules for Graduate Studies and enhance communication of Ph.D. program requirements to students and faculty. 

- Collaborate on and contribute to the development of the PhD core training curriculum. 

- Enhance the Graduate School's internal and external visibility and engagement through presentations and written communication with students, faculty, and external partners. 

Institutional academic liaison

- Maintaining a good communication channel with the Ph.D. programs and academic degrees granting institutions;
- Communicating and implementing academic requirements to the student & faculty;
- Keeping adequate records and compliance for external evaluation and accreditation purposes (A3ES).

Fellowship management and support

- Supporting applications internally (approval steps);
- Supporting yearly fellowship renewals.

Doctoral programmes management and compliance

- Coordinating and facilitating the graduate student recruitment process;
- Assisting with foreign degree recognition & grade conversion to the Portuguese system;
- Planning and conducting onboarding and orientation sessions for new graduate students; 
- Ensuring that students are advised about programme(s) requirements, scheduling of courses, rotations, attendance, and evaluation;
- Collecting information from students, faculty, and institutions by implementing annual student and faculty satisfaction surveys and performing statistical analysis for reporting purposes;
- Managing communications between faculty and graduate students;
- Keeping an updated record of thesis committee meetings' scheduling and reporting;  
- Processing orders, invoices, and payments for teaching lab resources as well as student-related resources and expenses

Application closing date

Open until position is filled.

Expected position starting date

January 1st, 2025

Requirements

Research field: Biological sciences.

Education level: A Doctorate (Ph.D.) or a Masters (M.Sc.) degree in Exact Sciences or Natural Sciences is a plus, although Bachelors/Licenciados with relevant experience will be also considered.

Skills/Qualifications

- Experience of working in a research environment is a plus;
- Previous experience in project management and event organisation.

Minimum qualifications

Candidates must be educated at the bachelor's level and have an excellent command of English and Portuguese.

Essential skills

- Good interpersonal skills with students and colleagues;
- Excellent communication and organisational skills;
- Ability to meet tight deadlines and maintain consistently excellent performance even during periods of increased demand; 
- Proactiveness and resourcefulness;
- Positive attitude and high level of self-motivation;

A high level of resilience is essential. We seek a good team player who can make the Graduate Studies Office professional, innovative, and rewarding for all involved.

Desirable skills that will also be considered

- Previous experience in academic program management;
- Previous experience with graduate fellowship application processes.

Benefits

- Competitive remuneration package commensurate with skills, qualifications, and experience;
- Total immersion into a research excellence ecosystem with highly motivated researchers supported by state-of-the-art technology and continuous development opportunities.

Maximum allowable duration of the contract including the respective renewals OR Initial duration

12 months with possibility of renewal

Eligibility criteria

National, Foreign, or Stateless candidate(s) with a Bachelor’s degree and a professional curriculum that reveals a profile appropriate to the development activity. 

Selection process

Candidates will be screened to determine eligibility based on the minimum qualifications listed in the call. Candidates meeting the minimum requirements will be scored according to the required application materials: curriculum vitae (60%) and letter of motivation (40%). The top-scoring applications will be interviewed, and the final decision will be based on the interview score.

If provided and shortlisted, candidates’ referees may be contacted and may count towards evaluation. 

Evaluation Committee members

Isabel Palmeirim
Penka Girginova
José Mário Leite
Megan Carey
Ana Luísa Correia

Application materials

- CV and letter of motivation indicating two references (one single PDF document);
- Proof of qualifications (certificates) may be required later to formalize the contract agreement. 

How to apply

Candidates must complete the standard application form and submit a single annexed PDF document containing the application materials stated in the call. 

The call reference will be asked, and not having may invalidate your submission. This call reference is: “GSC NOV 24".

Printed applications are also accepted, sent, or handed to the Fellows Support Office at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.

Notification of results

All candidates will receive a receipt of acknowledgment within 7-10 business days. The highest-scoring candidate will be notified by email or telephone. All other candidates will be notified solely by email of the outcome of the recruitment process.

After being notified, candidates will have ten working days to present a claim for redress by email (careers@research.fchampalimaud.org). If the Champalimaud Foundation receives no claim, the Evaluation Committee's decision will become definitive.

About Us

Research is at the heart of the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, a modern research and clinical facility situated on the waterfront in Lisbon, Portugal. The goal of Champalimaud Research (CR) is to perform world-leading fundamental and translational research. Current research work is focused on the fields of neuroscience, physiology and cancer.  Champalimaud Research comprises a team of over 400 scientists from around the world. English is the official language of the Centre. Lisbon’s sunny Atlantic Mediterranean climate, vibrant culture and high quality of life make this a great place to live and work.

Relevant Institutional Information

In line with our community guidelines and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy and Gender Equality Plan, no candidate may be privileged, favored, prejudiced, or deprived of any right or excluded from any duty based on age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, disability, chronic illness, language, nationality, territory of origin, family status (marital, pregnancy and maternity, having or not having dependents), socioeconomic situation, education, religion, political or ideological beliefs,  trade union membership, or on any other grounds which are irrelevant to decision-making.

Legal Notices

The present call is to fill the indicated position. It may be canceled at any time on or before the jury’s evaluation of all eligible candidates. The recruitment process shall be concluded on the day of the full execution of the contract between the Champalimaud Foundation and the selected candidate.