Offer Description
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR A RESEARCH GRANT (BI) WITHIN THE SCOPE OF A FUNDED R&D PROJECT. An international call for applications is open for 10 consecutive days for a Research Grant (BI) within the scope of proMetheus – Research Unit in Materials, Energy and Environment for Sustainability, recognized by the FCT, funded by the project “Maintenance4SEA4.0 - Development of methodologies and technologies for predictive maintenance in offshore energy production systems” (NORTE2030-FEDER-01818800). This project is funded by the Coordination and Development Commission of the Northern Region (CCDR-N).
The conditions for awarding the scholarship are as follows:
Scientific Area: Mechanical Engineering or Materials Engineering
Admission requirements: Candidates for the scholarship must be enrolled in a master's degree program in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering or related fields. They must have knowledge of composite materials, additive manufacturing processes (polymers and metallic materials) and structural monitoring techniques. They must also have knowledge of English, particularly at the reading and writing level.
The following may apply for this competition: Portuguese citizens or citizens of other Member States of the European Union; Citizens of countries outside the European Union; Stateless persons; Citizens benefiting from the status of political refugee.
Preferred conditions: R&D experience in the area in which the competition is open will be valued, as well as basic knowledge of Machine Learning applied to anomaly detection.
Work plan: The activities to be developed are included in activity 2 of the project, "Development, modeling and optimization of mechanical systems and materials", namely in the tasks "Protection systems" and "Corrosion monitoring" and "Integrated monitoring of moving parts of wind turbines". The activities to be developed include:
- Review of the state of the art in hybrid composite-metallic structural solutions for underwater robotic grippers and monitoring techniques based on acoustic emission and vibrations;
- Definition of geometries and materials for robotic arms and grippers optimized in terms of strength-to-weight ratio and use of additive manufacturing techniques for their manufacture;
- Integration of sensors for monitoring moving parts;
- Analysis of results and preparation of data for integration into machine learning models.
Other tasks: Performance of other tasks within the scope of the project activities, namely the management of acquisitions and external services, support and drafting of technical reports and support in the dissemination and transfer of project results, in particular through their presentation and publication at scientific events and meetings or in promoting the developed project.
Applicable legislation and regulations: Current Research Grant Holder Statute (https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/estatutobolseiro) and the Research Grant Regulations of the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo approved by Order No. 7347/2020, of July 22.
Workplace: The work will be carried out at the School of Technology and Management of the Polytechnic University of Viana do Castelo under the scientific guidance of Professors Pedro Resende and Ricardo Pinto.
Term of the grant: The grant will last for 6 months, with a planned start in November 2026, with the possibility of renewal up to a maximum of 24 months, as provided for in Article 4, No. 4 b) of the IPVC Research Grant Regulations and subject to project funding authorization.
Amount of the monthly maintenance allowance: The amount of the grant corresponds to €1,090.98 per month, according to the table of allowances relating to research grants at IPVC, updated by Order of the President of IPVC of [contact details available in the full listing], and will be paid via bank transfer.
Special requirement for grant allocation: A national tax identification number (NIF) must be provided by the end of the month in which the contract is signed, otherwise the payment will not be possible.
Evaluation of applications: Applications will be evaluated taking into account the selection criteria set out below on a scale of 0 to 100 points. In the event of withdrawal by the selected candidate, the second candidate on the ranked list of candidates will be automatically selected, and so on sequentially, until all candidates submitted with a score of 50 points or higher have been exhausted. Failure to meet the admission requirements, a score lower than 50 points, or failure to submit the complete documentation required for the application may result in the candidate's exclusion.
Selection criteria: Selection will be carried out through curriculum evaluation and, if applicable, an interview. The curriculum evaluation will take into account the following criteria: academic qualifications (30 points), experience and knowledge in the technologies targeted by the project (50 points), and research experience in the activities foreseen (20 points). If the sum of the different selection criteria is less than 50 points for all candidates, this notice may be annulled. In the event of a tie among the top-ranked candidates, an interview will be conducted with the following weighting: Curriculum evaluation (50%) and interview (50%). This interview will be weighted as follows: motivation for the project objectives (40 points), technical-scientific and oral communication skills (30 points), and proficiency in English (30 points). The final ranking will result from the weighted average of each component evaluated.
Composition of the Selection Jury: Professor Luís Augusto Sousa Marques da Rocha (President), Professor Pedro Miguel Rebelo Resende (Full Member), and Professor Ricardo Fernando Rodrigues Pinto (Full Member).
Method of publication/notification of results: The draft decision is published on the IPVC Portal (www.ipvc.pt). Candidates who are not awarded the scholarship have 10 working days after the publication to comment, if they wish, in a prior hearing of interested parties, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Code. An appeal or complaint may be lodged with the president of IPVC against the final decision within 10 working days from the date of notification of the final decision.
Application deadline and method of submission
The application period runs until the 15th consecutive day from the date of publication. Applications must be formalized by sending an application letter stating the title and reference of the project, describing the candidate's motivation and professional objectives, accompanied by the following documents:
- Letter of motivation;
- Curriculum vitae;
- Copy of qualification certificates and/or document detailing the grades obtained in the subjects of the respective course in which the candidate is enrolled;
- Updated document proving professional status, indicating the nature of the employment relationship, functions, and average annual workload (if applicable), which may be replaced by a declaration under oath if the candidate does not perform any professional activity or provide services;
- Letters of recommendation (optional and a maximum of two).
Applications must be sent by email to [contact details available in the full listing] (the following reference must be included in the subject line: BI_18_2026_Maintenance4SEA).
Requirements
Research Field: Other
Education Level: Bachelor Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications: Scientific Area: Mechanical Engineering or Materials Engineering. Admission Requirements: Candidates for the scholarship must be enrolled in a master's degree program in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or related fields. They must possess knowledge of composite materials, additive manufacturing processes (polymers and metallic materials), and structural monitoring techniques. They must also have knowledge of English, particularly at the reading and writing level.
Specific Requirements: Preferred qualifications: R&D experience in the relevant field of the competition will be valued, as well as basic knowledge of Machine Learning applied to anomaly detection.
Additional Information
Benefits: Duration of the grant: The grant will last for 6 months, starting in November 2026, with the possibility of renewal up to a maximum of 24 months, as provided for in Article 4, paragraph 4 b) of the IPVC Research Grant Regulations and subject to project funding authorization. Amount of the monthly maintenance allowance: The grant amount corresponds to €1,090.98 per month, according to the table of allowances for research grants at IPVC, updated by Order of the President of IPVC of [contact details available in the full listing], and will be paid by bank transfer. Special requirement for grant allocation: It is necessary to present a national tax identification number (NIF) by the end of the month in which the contract is signed, otherwise payment will not be possible.
Eligibility criteria: Evaluation of applications: Applications will be evaluated taking into account the selection criteria set out below on a scale of 0 to 100 points. In the event of withdrawal by the selected candidate, the second candidate on the ranked list of candidates will be automatically selected, and so on sequentially, until all candidates with a score of 50 points or higher have been exhausted. Failure to meet the admission requirements, a score lower than 50 points, or failure to submit all required documentation for the application may result in the candidate's exclusion.
Selection process: Selection criteria: Selection will be carried out through curriculum evaluation and, if applicable, an interview. The curriculum evaluation will take into account the following criteria: academic qualifications (30 points), experience and knowledge in the technologies targeted by the project (50 points), and research experience in the planned activities (20 points). If the sum of the different selection criteria is less than 50 points for all candidates, this notice may be annulled. In the event of a tie among the top-ranked candidates, an interview will be conducted with the following weighting: Curriculum evaluation (50%) and interview (50%). This, in turn, will be weighted as follows: motivation for the project objectives (40 points), technical-scientific and oral communication skills (30 points), and proficiency in English (30 points). The final classification will result from the weighted average of each component evaluated.
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: Universidade Politécnica de Viana do Castelo
Country: Portugal
State/Province: Viana do Castelo
City: Viana do Castelo
Postal Code: 4900-472
Street: Rua Escola Industrial e Comercial Nun'Álvares, 34
