1 Research Grant Announcement (M/F)

Call open for applications for a research grant within the framework of project NATUREBIOPROMO - Hybrid NATURE-Based Solutions as BIOdiversity PROMOters and Their Implications for Emerging Contaminants Mitigation, with the reference BiodivNBS/0007/2023 and DOI: https://doi.org/10.54499/BiodivNBS/0007/2023, financed by Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P , through national funds, under the European Co-financed Partnership for Biodiversity, under the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, Bioengineering or related areas

Admission requirements: Candidates who cumulatively meet the following two requirements may apply for this grant:

Requirement 1:

- Be a student enrolled in a doctoral program in the area of Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, Bioengineering or related areas, a requirement to be duly proven at the time of signing the contract.

or

- Holder of an academic degree enrolled in a non-academic degree course integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution, developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units, a requirement to be duly proven at the time of signing the contract.

Note: In the case of masters who are enrolled in non-academic degree courses, the scholarship can only be awarded to those who do not exceed, with this scholarship contract, including possible renewals, an accumulated period of two years in that typology of the scholarship, followed or interpolated.

and

Requirement 2:

- Hold a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, Bioengineering or related areas.

If the degree has been awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the provisions of the Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of August 16th, and any formalities established there must be fulfilled until the time of signing the contract. 

Activity Outline: Valorisation of constructed wetlands sub-products (plant biomass) for the production of biogas by anaerobic digestion.

Legislation and regulations: Law Nº. 40/2004, of 18th August, in its current wording (Statutes of Scientific Research Fellow) and Regulation of Research Grants of Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, in force and Regulation of Research Grants of University of Porto, in force.

Workplace: The work will be developed at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), under the scientific supervision of Dr Vítor Jorge Pais Vilar and Dr Catarina da Rocha Cruzeiro.

Grant duration: Initial duration of 3 months, with the predicted starting date in April 2026, on an exclusive basis, eventually renewable , but never exceeding the project duration.

If the contracting procedures do not allow the scholarship to have a minimum duration of 3 consecutive months, in accordance with 3 of article 6 of the Research Grant Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P, the grant will not be awarded.

The eventual renewal of the scholarship will be carried out as determined in article 6 of the Research Grants Regulation of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P.

Stipend: The grant stipend amounts to 1.309,64 and 1.400,00€ depending on the profile and previous experience of the applicant in the project area. If the amount to be paid exceeds 1.309,64€, the remaining amount will be covered by FEUP funds, not coming from the project financing. Payment will be made by bank transfer.

Selection procedure: 

The curriculum of the candidates (60%) will be evaluated based on the merit of the candidate and the following factors will be weighted:

a) Academic training: Master in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering or Bioengineering – 5 points, Master in related areas – 2 points, Master in other fields – 0 points;

b) Classification of academic training in the areas identified in the admission requirements for the call: higher than or equal to 17 values – 5 points, 16 values – 4 points, 15 values – 3 points, less than 14 values – 0 points;

c) Publications: in the project area – up to 5 points, in related areas – up to 2 points, in other fields – 0 points;

d) Research Experience: in the project area – up to 5 points; in related areas – up to 2 points; in other fields – 0 points.

The curriculum of each candidate will be evaluated on a 1-20 points scale. Candidates with less than 12 points in the curricular evaluation will not be invited for the interview. 

In the interview (40%), 1-5 points scale, topics related to the work plan, experience, and the candidate’s CV will be discussed with the invited candidates. 

If none of the candidates achieves a minimum final score of 15 points, the scholarship will not be awarded.

Selection Jury: 

President: Doctor Vítor Jorge Pais Vilar

Effective member: Doctor Ana Isabel Gomes

Effective member: Doctor Catarina da Rocha Cruzeiro

Supplementary member: Doctor Maria Francisca da Costa Moreira

Supplementary member: Doctor Tânia Filomena Castro Valente Silva

Advertisement of final decision: The results of the evaluation will be released to the candidates

by email to the email address indicated in the application process.

Deadline for applications and form of presentation of the applications: 

The call is open from 11-03-2026 to 24-03-2026 (until 23h59m, GMT time).

Applications must be formalized by email to vilar@fe.up.pt and to recursoshumanos@fe.up.pt, clearly stating the reference FEUP-NATUREBIOPROMO and including the following pdf documents: Motivation letter, Copy of certificates evidencing academic degree (referring the classification of each separated or integrated degree), detailed Curriculum Vitae; Declaration on honor that the candidate fulfills the requirement contained in article 6 of the Regulation for Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (model below, for student enrolled in a non-academic degree course integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution, developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units) and other documents considered relevant by the applicant. 

In order to assure that all documents can be read, the preferred saving format is the Portable Document Format (.pdf).

Declaration on honour

I, (identification of the scholarship holder), holder of the Citizen Card / Visa / Residence Permit no. valid until _____, declare under honour, to be in the conditions of no. 5 of article 6º of the Research Grants from FCT, IP - Regulation No. 950/2019, of 16 December.

Oporto, __/__/__

Signature

_________________

(scholarship holder)