Job Information
- Organisation/Company: ISPA, CRL
- Department: William James Center
- Research Field: Psychological sciences » Psychology
- Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
- Positions: Bachelor Positions
- Application Deadline: 8 Sep 2026 - 23:00 (Europe/Lisbon)
- Country: Portugal
- Type of Contract: Not Applicable
- Job Status: Not Applicable
- Offer Starting Date: 26 Aug 2026
- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme
Offer Description
Notice of Opening of the Call for Applications for the Award of 1 Research Grant (BI)
Summary of the Call
A call for applications is open (reference DISRUPT/019/BI/2026) for the award of 1 (one) Research Grant (1 BI) for students (as specified in Section 5 of the call), within the project “The Interference of Mobile Phone Use with Parenting Quality and Children’s Emotions” (project reference: 2024.15654.PEX), through the William James Center for Research, funded with financial support from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).
1. Scientific Area(s)
Psychology
2. Funding
Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), I.P./MCTES, through national funds.
3. Candidate Profile
Mandatory requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, preferably with a specialization in Clinical Psychology, or in related fields that the Selection Committee considers relevant to the performance of the duties and implementation of the research plan, with a final grade of 15/20 or higher;
- Candidates must be enrolled in, or meet the requirements for enrolment in, a study cycle leading to a Master’s degree, under the applicable legal framework and current institutional regulations.
Preferred factors:
Preference will be given to candidates who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- a) Demonstrated experience participating in scientific research projects in the field of Psychology, particularly in the context of observational studies on parenting and child development;
- b) Previous participation in scientific research projects, particularly in data collection and analysis, as well as in the preparation and writing of scientific articles in the field of Psychology;
- c) Experience in statistical analysis of quantitative data, including proficiency in dyadic analyses, moderation, or mediation analyses;
- d) Experience in observing and coding parental behaviours and children’s emotional expressions;
- e) Participation in scientific presentations (e.g., posters) at national and international conferences;
- f) Interest in pursuing a PhD in areas related to the research project;
- g) Proficiency in spoken and written English.
4. Mandatory Admission Requirements
The following documents must be submitted as part of the application:
- a) Bachelor’s degree certificate/diploma in Psychology, stating the final grade;
- b) Detailed curriculum vitae (CV);
- c) Motivation letter, describing the reasons for applying to the present project, as well as future career plans (maximum 2 pages).
Only candidates who have completed their Bachelor’s degree in Psychology by the application deadline will be admitted.
If candidates do not yet have their Master’s degree certificate/diploma, a declaration of honour from the candidate will be accepted, stating that they have completed the qualifications required for the purposes of the call by the application deadline and that the certificate/diploma will be dated no later than the application deadline. The award of the grant will be conditional upon the submission, at the contracting stage, of documentary evidence confirming the academic qualifications held.
If the academic degree was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, applicants must submit proof of recognition of the academic degree by a Portuguese higher education institution, as well as documentation showing the conversion of the final grade to the Portuguese grading scale, in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of 16 August, which establishes the legal framework for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions, and Article 4(2)(e) of Decree-Law No. 60/2018 of 3 August.
If the candidate has already applied for recognition of an academic degree awarded by a foreign higher education institution but is still awaiting its issuance, they may submit a declaration of honour stating that recognition of the academic degree has been requested and that it will be dated no later than the application deadline.
Recognition of foreign academic degrees and diplomas, as well as conversion of the final grade to the Portuguese grading scale, may be requested from any Portuguese public higher education institution or from the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) (only in the case of automatic recognition).
For further information, please consult the DGES portal: www.dges.gov.pt
5. Requirements for the Execution of the Research Grant Agreement
The selected candidate must be enrolled in a Master’s degree programme at the time the research grant agreement is signed.
In the case of degrees issued by foreign higher education institutions, if the candidate submits a declaration of honour stating that they will obtain recognition of their academic degree by the end of the application period, they must, by the date of signing the research grant agreement, provide proof of recognition of the degree in Portugal, dated prior to the end of the application period, as indicated in Section 4 of this Call.
To execute the research grant agreement, the following will also be required: a personal data form, Ciência ID, a copy of an identification document, and a declaration of exclusive dedication confirming that the grant holder will perform the duties on an exclusive basis.
The submission of false declarations constitutes grounds for cancellation of the application, without prejudice to the adoption of other applicable sanctions.
6. Work Plan
The tasks associated with this position include broad support across all phases of the research project, including data collection in various settings, data management and analysis, as well as support for other activities aligned with the project's overall scientific objectives.
In particular, the selected candidate will be responsible for:
- Conducting participant recruitment throughout the project, including initial contact, verification of eligibility criteria, and follow-up with participants throughout the study;
- Supporting administrative and project management tasks, including data organization, digitization and filing of documentation, scheduling sessions, logistical support, study dissemination, and other relevant administrative activities;
- Administering questionnaires, assessment instruments, and semi-structured interviews, as well as programming tasks within the ongoing studies;
- Conducting initial assessments and observation sessions in the laboratory, in accordance with established protocols;
- Processing, coding, and analysing data collected as part of the project;
- Preparing and organizing the materials, equipment, and consumables required to carry out the studies;
- Managing the data obtained and collected, including organizing, monitoring, and tracking participant information, while ensuring compliance with ethical and confidentiality standards;
- Supporting the training, supervision, and coordination of research assistants, contributing to the consistent implementation of project procedures.
Additionally, the selected candidate will participate in various complementary activities, including weekly lab meetings, relevant literature reviews within the scope of the project, conducting and supporting the statistical analysis of quantitative data collected during the project, preparing scientific communications, participating in the dissemination of project results at scientific meetings, science communication events and social media, as well as preparing manuscripts for scientific journals.
7. Applicable Legislation and Regulations
Law No. 40/2004 of 18 August, as updated by Decree-Law No. 123/2019 of 28 August (Statute of the Scientific Research Grant Holder – EBI);
Regulation No. 950/2019 of 29 November, published in the Portuguese Official Gazette (Diário da República), No. 241, 2nd Series, of 16 December (Regulation of Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology currently in force – RBI);
Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of 16 August (Legal framework for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions);
Regulations for Scientific Research Grants of ISPA – University Institute; and other applicable regulations.
8. Workplace and Scientific Supervision
The research grant agreement will be entered into with ISPA, CRL (contracting entity).
The work will be carried out at the William James Center for Research (host institution), at ISPA – University Institute, and, where necessary, at other locations required for the implementation of the work plan, under the scientific supervision of Professor Eva Diniz, PhD.
9. Duration of the Grant
The grant will have an expected duration of 6 months, potentially renewable for periods of one year up to the maximum duration of the project, subject to the project's budget and limited by the maximum period established for this type of grant under Article 6, paragraphs 4 and 5, of the Research Grant Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology.
The grant is expected to start in October 2026.
10. Grant Amount and Other Benefits
The grant amount, for duties performed on an exclusive dedication basis, is €1,090.98, in accordance with the table of grant amounts awarded directly by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), I.P. in Portugal. The amount is subject to any applicable updates and will be paid monthly by bank transfer to the grant holder.
The grant holder will be covered by personal accident insurance and, if they are not covered by any social protection scheme, they may exercise their right to social security by joining the voluntary social security scheme (seguro social voluntário), pursuant to Decree-Law No. 40/89 of 1 February and Article 10 of the EBI.
11. Submission of Applications
The call for applications is open from 26th August 2026 to 8th September 2026, at 11:00 p.m. (Lisbon time). Only applications submitted and received within the stated deadline will be considered.
Applications must be submitted by email to candidaturas.investigadores@ispa.pt, with wjrc@ispa.pt in CC, and the subject line must include the call reference DISRUPT/019/BI/2026.
The application must include the following documents (as indicated in Section 4):
- a) Copy of the Bachelor’s degree certificate/diploma in Psychology or related fields, stating the final grade;
- b) Detailed curriculum vitae (CV);
- c) Motivation letter, describing the candidate’s motivation for applying to the present project, as well as future plans (maximum 2 pages).
All documents must be submitted in PDF format.
Candidates may be excluded from the selection process if they submit their application incorrectly or fail to demonstrate that they meet the requirements set out in this Call.
False declarations made by candidates will be subject to legal penalties.
12. Evaluation and Selection Criteria
The evaluation and selection process will be based on an assessment of the candidate’s merit in two stages, according to the following weighted evaluation criteria. The three candidates with the highest scores will proceed to Stage 2 (interview).
Stage 1
Curriculum Evaluation: Academic qualifications (40%), based on the final grade stated in the academic certificate (Master’s degree in Psychology);
Motivation Letter: Motivation and interest in the field, and familiarity with the variables studied in this project, based on the candidate’s CV and motivation letter (30%).
Stage 2
Only the three candidates with the highest scores in Stage 1 will be invited for an interview.
Interview: Demonstrated scientific knowledge and the suitability of the candidate’s research experience/interests for the position covered by this Call (30%).
Applications, and the corresponding evaluation criteria, will be assessed and candidates ranked on a scale from 0.00 to 20.00 points.
The final score will be calculated according to the following formula, with a weighting of 40% for Curriculum Evaluation, 30% for the Motivation Letter, and 30% for the Interview:
Final Score = (Curriculum Evaluation × 40%) + (Motivation Letter × 30%) + (Interview × 30%)
In the event of a tie, the Selection Committee will have the deciding vote.
If none of the candidates possesses the profile considered appropriate for carrying out the work plan, the Selection Committee reserves the right not to award the position.
Notes regarding the assessment of Criterion A
If more than one Bachelor’s degree certificate in Psychology or equivalent Psychological Sciences qualifications (with an equivalent number of ECTS credits) is submitted, the Selection Committee will determine which academic degree(s) is/are most relevant to the work plan to be carried out and should therefore be taken into account for the purposes of the Curriculum Evaluation criterion.
For evaluation purposes, the Selection Committee will consider that the candidate has the minimum grade required for the award of an academic degree in Portugal (10 out of 20) when the Portuguese diploma/certificate submitted does not state the final Bachelor’s degree grade.
For evaluation purposes, the Selection Committee will consider that the candidate has the minimum grade required for the award of an academic degree in Portugal (10 out of 20) when the candidate submits a declaration of honour stating that they have completed the qualifications required for the purposes of the call by the application deadline, but do not submit a diploma/certificate, as indicated in Section 4 of this Call.
For evaluation purposes, the Selection Committee will consider that the candidate has the minimum grade required for the award of an academic degree in Portugal (10 out of 20) when the supporting documents for degrees issued by foreign higher education institutions submitted by the candidate have not been recognised in Portugal and/or the final grade has not been converted to the Portuguese grading scale, as indicated in Section 4 of this Call.
13. Composition of the Selection Committee
The Selection Committee will consist of:
- Chair: Professor Eva Diniz, PhD, Assistant Professor and Researcher at the William James Center for Research, ISPA – University Institute;
- Full Member: Professor Tânia Brandão, PhD, Assistant Professor and Researcher at the William James Center for Research, ISPA – University Institute;
- Full Member: Professor Carolina Santos, PhD, Researcher at the William James Center for Research, ISPA – University Institute;
- Alternate Member: Professor Manuela Veríssimo, PhD, Full Professor and Researcher at the William James Center for Research, ISPA – University Institute;
- Alternate Member: Professor Carla Fernandes, PhD, Assistant Professor and Researcher at the William James Center for Research, ISPA – University Institute.
14. Notification of Results
All candidates will be notified of the minutes concerning the application evaluation process by email, to the address provided for this purpose, with confirmation of delivery.
Notifications will be made by email in accordance with Article 112(1)(c) and Article 113(5) of the Portuguese Administrative Procedure Code (CPA).
15. Deadlines and Procedures for Prior Hearing, Complaints and Appeals
Following notification of the provisional results, candidates will have a period of 10 working days to submit comments as part of the prior hearing procedure, pursuant to Article 121 et seq. of the Portuguese Administrative Procedure Code.
The final decision will be issued after consideration of any submissions made during the prior hearing procedure.
Once the final decision has been communicated, the selected candidate will have 10 working days to accept the awarded grant in writing. Failure to do so, without a valid reason being invoked within the stated period, will be deemed to constitute waiver or withdrawal from the grant.
A complaint may be lodged against the final decision within 15 working days, or an appeal may be submitted to the highest executive body of the funding entity within 30 working days, both periods beginning from the date of notification of the respective decision.
If the selected candidate waives the grant or withdraws their intention to accept it, the Selection Committee may notify and award the grant to the candidate(s) in the subsequent position(s), where applicable, and in accordance with the final ranking list.
16. Research Grant Agreement and Final Report Templates
The template for the research grant agreement, as well as the template for the final report to be prepared by the grant holder and the supervisor, together with the corresponding evaluation criteria, may be consulted in the Regulations for Scientific Research Grants of ISPA – University Institute (Annexes 2, 3, 4 and 5).
17. Publication of the Call
This Call will be published:
- a) On the platform, in Portuguese and English;
- b) On the ISPA website, in Portuguese and English;
- c) On ISPA social media.
18. Non-Discrimination and Equal Access Policy
ISPA actively promotes a policy of gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, taking all appropriate measures to prevent any form of discrimination.
Accordingly, terms such as “candidate,” “researcher,” “PhD holder,” and other similar terms are not used in this document to refer to the gender of individuals.
Under Decree-Law No. 29/2001 of 3 February, a candidate with a disability will be given preference in the event of an equal score, taking precedence over any other legal preference.
Candidates must declare, in the application form and under oath, their degree of disability, type of disability, and the means of communication/expression to be used during the selection process, in accordance with the aforementioned legislation.
19. Personal Data Protection
When submitting an application, the candidate provides the necessary information and consent for the processing of personal data at the time of application and strictly for the purpose of collecting and incorporating such data into the database of the recruitment procedure, for the duration of the procedure, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The documents submitted as part of this recruitment procedure constitute administrative documents, and access to them will therefore be provided in accordance with Law No. 2
Where to apply
E-mail: candidaturas.investigadores@ispa.pt
Requirements
- Research Field: Psychological sciences » Psychology
- Education Level: Bachelor Degree or equivalent
- Languages: PORTUGUESE
- Level: Excellent
- Languages: ENGLISH
- Level: Excellent
Additional Information
Benefits
Link Edital Português: Aviso-de-Abertura_DISRUPT_019_FINAL.pdf
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available: 1
- Company/Institute: ISPA - Instituto Universitário
- Country: Portugal
- State/Province: Lisbon
- City: Lisbon
- Postal Code: 1149-041 Lisboa
- Street: Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 34
Contact
- State/Province: Lisbon
- City: Lisbon
- Website: http://www.ispa.pt/
- Street: Rua Jardim do Tabaco, nº 34
- Postal Code: 1149-041 Lisboa
- E-Mail: candidaturas.investigadores@ispa.pt
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