Junior Researcher (Postdoc) in Biological Sciences – TRYPinGUT Project (Brain-Gut Axis, Aquaculture, Inflammation) University of Porto in Portugal

The Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) at the University of Porto is seeking a junior researcher (postdoctoral level) to join the TRYPinGUT project, which investigates the role of tryptophan in the brain-gut axis and its potential as a dietary tool to tackle gut inflammation, with a focus on aquaculture species. The position is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through the COMPETE 2030 program. The successful candidate will join the Aquatic Animal Health research team and work under the supervision of Dr.

Rita Azeredo, with Dr. Marina Machado and Dr. Tânia Pereira as additional jury members.

The research will involve in silico studies of immune-related protein sequences, cloning and production of recombinant proteins, planning and conducting in vivo fish feeding trials, and processing tissues for transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. The candidate will also analyze raw data from RNA and protein sequencing, and contribute to the day-to-day activities of the TRYPinGUT project.

Applicants must have a PhD in animal science, aquaculture, biological sciences, or a related field, with demonstrated experience in RNAseq, proteomics, fish feeding trials, humoral analysis (spectrometry, ELISA), and statistical analysis (Excel, R, ANOVA, PCA, Discriminant Analysis). Fluency in Portuguese and English is required. The contract is full-time, with a gross monthly salary of €2,351.53 (level 33 PhD contract), plus food, holidays, and Christmas allowances.

The position is open to candidates of any nationality, provided foreign degrees are recognized according to Portuguese law. Applications must be submitted by email to [email protected], including all supporting documents and the reference 2025_089_IJ_TRYPinGUT, between 31 October and 13 November 2025.

The selection process is based on academic qualifications, scientific and curricular evaluation, and motivation/capacity for innovation, with possible interviews for top candidates. CIIMAR is committed to non-discrimination and equal access for all applicants.