Research Grant (BI) - CarbonTech Project

Reference Number: P577911

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No

Offer Description

A call for applications is open for a Research Grant (BI) within the scope of the project “CarbonTech - Autonomous and intelligent Pyrolysis Furnace for the Industrial Recovery of Agroforestry By-products into Biochar and Activated Carbon”, funded by the “European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Northern Regional Program (NORTE2030)”, under the following conditions:

1. Scientific Area:

Chemical Engineering, Environmental Technology, Management of Organizations or related fields.

2. Admission Requirements:

• The candidate must be enrolled in a non-degree-granting master's program integrated into the pedagogical project of a higher education institution, or be enrolled in a doctoral program in the area of ​​Chemical Engineering, Environmental Technology, Management of Organizations or related fields.
• Hold a master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Technology, Management of organizations, or related fields;
• Suitability of the candidate's training and experience to the objectives of the work to be developed, related to the design, operation, and evaluation of thermochemical processes, in particular pyrolysis, and the sustainable production of activated carbon;
• Knowledge and experience in sustainable biomass conversion processes and valorization of agroforestry waste;
• Knowledge of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental sustainability practices, applied to the evaluation of the impacts and efficiency of conversion technologies, as well as experience in developing business plans;
• Knowledge of participatory and stakeholder engagement methodologies, including the application of the Delphi methodology, questionnaire design and analysis, evaluation of consumer perceptions and attitudes, and analysis of decision-making processes and acceptance of sustainable solutions.
• Proficiency in Portuguese and English (written and oral communication).

3. Work Plan:

The candidate will develop research and development activities related to the design, implementation, and evaluation of a portable pre-industrial scale pyrolysis unit, focusing on the production of biochar and activated carbon.

The main tasks include:

• Conducting a literature review and technical-scientific reference on pyrolysis processes and sustainable production of biochar and activated carbon, including their environmental applications and potential for valorization of agroforestry waste;
• Contributing to the design and definition of the technical and operational requirements of a portable pre-industrial scale pyrolysis unit, focusing on energy efficiency and sustainability;
• Applying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies to analyze the environmental and economic impacts throughout the complete system cycle, from raw materials to the use and disposal of products;
• Support the evaluation of the performance and quality of the products obtained (biochar and activated carbon), considering key parameters for environmental and commercialization applications;
• Prepare technical reports, scientific articles and other materials for dissemination and knowledge transfer, communicating the project results in academic and technical contexts.

4. Objectives:

To develop and apply Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies and participatory methodologies, namely the Delphi methodology, to evaluate the environmental performance and sustainability of the developed products, as well as their perception, acceptance and appreciation by consumers and stakeholders. It is also intended to identify barriers, opportunities and determining factors for the adoption of the products, contributing to their optimization and to the development of sustainable solutions aligned with the needs and expectations of end users.

5. Applicable legislation and regulations:

Statute of the Scientific Research Grant Holder, approved by Law No. 40/2004, of August 18, in its current wording; FCT, I.P. Research Grant Regulations, in force (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/RBi_Republicado_2025.pdf);

Regulation No. 522/2020, published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, No. 113, of June 12 – Research Grant Regulations of the Polytechnic University of Bragança.

6. Workplace and scientific supervision:

The work will be carried out at the Polytechnic University of Bragança, under the scientific supervision of Professor Helder Teixeira Gomes.

7. Grant Duration:

The grant will have an initial duration of 12 months, with a planned start date of 01/01/2027 (with the possibility of renewal up to a maximum of 22 months, including the initial period).

8. Monthly Maintenance Allowance Amount:

The grant amount corresponds to 1,359.64€, according to the table of grant values ​​awarded by FCT, I.P. in the country.

Grant recipients will benefit from personal accident insurance and, if they are not covered by any social protection scheme, they may ensure the exercise of the right to social security by joining the voluntary social security scheme, under the terms provided for in the Code of Contribution Regimes of the Social Security System. The grant amount will be paid monthly by bank transfer.

9. Selection Methods and their respective valuation:

The selection methods to be used will be the following:

1. Curriculum evaluation and its suitability for the work in question (60%);
2. Experience in research activities in areas related to the work in question (40%);

If deemed necessary, there will be an interview with a weighting of 50%, with the remaining 50% going towards the evaluation related to the previous points. The jury may not grant the grant if the candidates' ranking is lower than desired.

10. Composition of the Selection Jury:

The jury responsible for the selection will be composed of:

President: Dr. Ana Paula Ferreira da Silva (Polytechnic University of Bragança)

Full member: Prof. Dr. Helder Teixeira Gomes (Polytechnic University of Bragança)

Full member: Dr. Flávia G. Silva Pires (Polytechnic University of Bragança)

Alternate member: Prof. Dr. José Fernando Lopes Barbosa (Polytechnic University of Bragança)

11. Method of publication/notification of results:

The communications and final results of the evaluation will be published through the UPB application submission portal or, if necessary, by email notification.

12. Application period:

The competition is open from 25/09/2026 to 12/10/2026.

13. Method of submitting applications:

Applications can be formalized through the UPB application submission portal (http://concursos.ipb.br), including the following documents:

1. Curriculum Vitae;
2. Qualifications certificate;
3. Letter of motivation;

Documents proving academic degrees or diplomas, or enrollment in an academic degree or diploma program, may be waived during the application phase, being replaced by a declaration of honor from the candidate. Verification of this condition is mandatory during the grant contracting phase.

Academic degrees obtained in foreign countries need recognition by a Portuguese Institution in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of August 16, and Ordinance No. 33/2019, of January 25. Presentation of the recognition is mandatory for signing the contract.

14. Deadlines and procedures for complaints and appeals:

If the decision to be made is unfavorable to the granting of the requested grant, candidates have a period of 10 working days, after the date of publication of the evaluation results, to express their opinion, if they wish, in a prior hearing, under the terms provided for in the Administrative Procedure Code.

An appeal against the final decision may be made to the Rector of UPB within 15 working days after the respective notification.

Where to apply

Website: https://concursos.unipb.pt/ui/#/public/concursos/detalhe/1098

Requirements

Research Field: Technology » Environmental technology

Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

• Knowledge and experience in sustainable biomass conversion processes and valorization of agroforestry residues.
• Knowledge of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental sustainability practices, applied to the assessment of impacts and efficiency of conversion technologies.
• Knowledge of participatory and stakeholder engagement methodologies, including the application of the Delphi method, questionnaire design and analysis, assessment of consumer perceptions and attitudes, and analysis of decision-making processes and acceptance of sustainable solutions.

Specific Requirements

1. The candidate must meet the requirement of holding a master’s degree and being enrolled in a non-degree-awarding programme integrated into the educational project of a higher education institution, or being enrolled in a doctoral programme in the field of Chemical Engineering, Environmental Technology, Organizational Management, or related fields.
2. Hold a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Technology, Organizational Management, or related fields;
3. Suitability of the candidate’s academic background and experience to the objectives of the work to be carried out, related to the design, operation, and evaluation of thermochemical processes, particularly pyrolysis, and the sustainable production of activated carbon; Knowledge and experience in sustainable biomass conversion processes and the valorization of agroforestry residues;
4. Knowledge of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental sustainability practices, applied to the assessment of the impacts and efficiency of conversion technologies, as well as experience in business plan development;
5. Knowledge of participatory methodologies and stakeholder engagement, including the application of the Delphi methodology, questionnaire design and analysis, assessment of consumer perceptions and attitudes, and analysis of decision-making processes and the acceptance of sustainable solutions;
6. Proficiency in Portuguese and English (written and oral communication).

Languages: PORTUGUESE — Level: Excellent

Languages: ENGLISH — Level: Good

Additional Information

Benefits

The grant amount corresponds to 1,359.64€, according to the table of grant values ​​awarded by FCT, I.P. in the country.

Grant recipients will benefit from personal accident insurance and, if they are not covered by any social protection scheme, they may ensure the exercise of the right to social security by joining the voluntary social security scheme, under the terms provided for in the Code of Contribution Regimes of the Social Security System. The grant amount will be paid monthly by bank transfer.

Eligibility criteria

2. Admission Requirements:

• The candidate must be enrolled in a non-degree-granting master's program integrated into the pedagogical project of a higher education institution, or be enrolled in a doctoral program in the area of Chemical Engineering, Environmental Technology, Management of Organizations or related fields.
• Hold a master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Technology, Management of organizations, or related fields;
• Suitability of the candidate's training and experience to the objectives of the work to be developed, related to the design, operation, and evaluation of thermochemical processes, in particular pyrolysis, and the sustainable production of activated carbon;
• Knowledge and experience in sustainable biomass conversion processes and valorization of agroforestry waste;
• Knowledge of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental sustainability practices, applied to the evaluation of the impacts and efficiency of conversion technologies, as well as experience in developing business plans;
• Knowledge of participatory and stakeholder engagement methodologies, including the application of the Delphi methodology, questionnaire design and analysis, evaluation of consumer perceptions and attitudes, and analysis of decision-making processes and acceptance of sustainable solutions.
• Proficiency in Portuguese and English (written and oral communication).

Selection process

a) Curriculum evaluation and its relevance to the proposed work (60%);

b) Research experience in areas related to the proposed work (40%).

If deemed necessary, an interview may be conducted, weighted at 50%, with the remaining 50% attributed to the criteria above.

The jury reserves the right not to award the grant if the candidates’ evaluation scores are below the desired threshold.

Additional comments

Documents proving the ownership of academic degrees or diplomas, or enrollment in an academic degree or diploma, may be dispensed with during the application stage, being replaced by a declaration of honor by the candidate, and verification of this condition is mandatory during the grant contracting stage. Academic degrees obtained in foreign countries require recognition by a Portuguese Institution in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of August 16th and Ordinance No. 33/2019, of January 25th. The presentation of recognition is mandatory for the signing of the contract.

Website for additional job details: https://concursos.unipb.pt/ui/#/public/concursos/detalhe/1098

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 1
• Company/Institute: Universidade Politécnica de Bragança
• Country: Portugal
• State/Province: Bragança
• City: Bragança
• Postal Code: 5300-253
• Street: Campus de Santa Apolónia

Contact

• State/Province: Bragança
• City: Bragança
• Website: http://portal3.ipb.pt/index.php/pt/ipb
• Street: Campus de Sta Apolónio
• Postal Code: 5300-253
• E-Mail: anapaula.silva@ipb.pt