Job Information
Organisation/Company: Universidade de Coimbra
Department: Divisão de Projetos e Atividades (Bolsas)
Research Field: Other
Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
Positions: Master Positions
Application Deadline: 11 Sep 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon)
Country: Portugal
Type of Contract: Temporary
Job Status: Full-time
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Not funded by a EU programme
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No
Offer Description
The University of Coimbra opens a call for the assignment of a research grant, with 1 position(s), under the project UID/04004/2025, title CFE – Centre for Functional Ecology.
The call is governed by this Notice of Opening, the University of Coimbra Research Grant Regulations (RBI-UC), subsidiarily by the Research Grant Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology (RBI-FCT), by the Research Fellow Statute (EBI), by the Norms for Grant Assignment and Management within R&D Projects, by the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA), all in their current wording, and by other applicable national and community legislation.
Procedure Reference: IT137-26-369
I - Legal admission requirements
I.I - Grant Recipients:
Master’s degree holders, in the scientific area of ecology, agroecology, social-ecological or environmental sciences, or related fields, enrolled in a doctoral degree.
I.II - Ineligible candidates:
Candidates who have already benefited from two research grant contracts with UC in the condition of being enrolled in a doctoral degree, regardless of whether each contract has reached the maximum legally permitted duration.
I.III - Eligible for grant assignment if meeting the requirements:
- Portuguese nationals or nationals of other EU Member States
- Nationals of third countries
- Stateless persons
- Beneficiaries of political refugee status
When the work plan takes place, in whole or in part, in foreign institutions, only candidates who can prove permanent and habitual residence in Portugal at the start of the grant are eligible.
II - Grant location
Department of Life Sciences at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at the University of Coimbra
III - Scientific supervision/coordination of the grant
Alexandros Tataridas, Miguel Alexandre Ribeiro Moreira and Helena Maria de Oliveira Freitas
IV - Work Plan / Goals to be achieved
This work plan aims to ensure full compliance with the requirements for the selected candidate to earn a Ph.D., as part of the UNESCO-approved initiative “International Decade of Science for Sustainable Development,” to be carried out at the Center for Functional Ecology at the University of Coimbra. The plan is structured as follows:
- Doctoral programme curricular component:
- Undertake advanced training in qualitative, quantitative, participatory and geospatial research methods.
- Participate in seminars, scientific meetings and training activities organised by the doctoral programme and the host research unit.
- Research plan to be developed for the remainder of the PhD programme:
- Task 1: Research design, territorial baseline and initial data collection
- Task 2: Participatory data collection, mapping and integrated analysis
- Task 3: Comparative synthesis, co-creation and research dissemination
Scientific goals and expected outputs:
- Conduct a comprehensive literature review on agroecological transitions, participatory governance, cultural ecosystem services, biocultural diversity and territorial sustainability.
- Potential participation in national and international scientific conferences and events.
V - Initial grant duration
12 months
V.I - Renewal Possibility: Possibly renewable
VI - Funding and financial conditions of the grant
VI.I - Monthly grant amount (paid by bank transfer at the end of each month): 1.359,64€
VI.II - Other financial components of the grant: N.A.
VI.III - In addition to the above amounts, voluntary social security (SSV) is included when the grant has a duration of six months or more, corresponding to the first level, if the candidate opts for it, as well as mandatory personal accident insurance.
VI.IV - Funding: The grant(s) assigned under this call will be funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P., through national funds allocated in the FCT budget and, where applicable, co-financed by EU funds | UID/04004/2025.
VI.V - Information and publicity about the funding: In all R&D activities directly or indirectly funded by the grant—specifically, in all communications, publications, and scientific works, as well as theses, produced with the support provided by the grant—the financial support from the FCT must be explicitly acknowledged. To this end, the FCT’s logos must be included in documents related to these activities, in accordance with the graphic guidelines of each operational program.
The dissemination of research results funded under the RBI must comply with the FCT’s current open-access policies regarding data, publications, and other research outputs.
For all fellowships, monitoring and oversight activities may be conducted by national and EU bodies in accordance with applicable legislation in this area. Fellowship recipients are required to cooperate and provide the requested information, which includes participating in surveys and evaluation studies in this area, even after the fellowship has ended.
VII - Selection Methods
Evaluation of the academic record (AR)
VII.I - AR - In the evaluation of the academic record, the candidates' academic performance will be assessed according to the following weights and criteria:
- Criterion 1 – Absolute merit of Curriculum Vitae (50%)
- Criterion 2 – Specific knowledge related to the work plan (30%)
- Criterion 3 – Adequacy of the candidate’s profile to the work plan to be developed (20%)
VII.II - The evaluation of the criteria and the final classification will be based on a scale from 0 to 100, with scores rounded to the nearest hundredth, applying the following formulas:
AR: criterion 1 * (50%) + criterion 2 * (30%) + criterion 3 * (20%) = X
Final Classification (FC): AR * (100%) = X
VII.III - All candidates who meet the admission requirements are subject to the academic record evaluation, carried out according to the criteria and weights defined in VII.I.
VII.IV - Candidates who score below 50 in any selection method will be excluded, and subsequent methods, if any, will not apply to them. Candidates who are duly notified but fail to attend the interview (if applicable) or withdraw at any stage will also be excluded.
VII.V - Tie-breaking criteria: In the event of a tie in the rankings, candidates will be ordered in descending order as follows:
- Based on the score obtained in the first method applied;
- Based on the score of their academic qualifications.
VII.VI - All provisional and final jury decisions must be justified, recorded in minutes, and published on https://apply.uc.pt/.
VII.VII - Jury Composition:
President: Helena Maria de Oliveira Freitas
Effective Members: Alexandros Tataridas and Miguel Alexandre Ribeiro Moreira
Alternate Members: Rui Sérgio Viana Sodré de Oliveira and Mauro Guilherme Pereira Nereu
VII.VII - Selection reserve list: N.A.
VIII - Application Submission
Candidates must access and register on the electronic platform https://apply.uc.pt/ to submit their application, selecting the procedure to which they wish to apply.
Documents uploaded for the application must be in portable document format (PDF).
Applications are submitted by completing the sections available in the electronic platform "Apply UC" under "My Application."
VIII.I - Mandatory documents to attach when applying:
- Curriculum Vitae, duly updated, dated, and signed;
- Copy of academic degree certificates.
a) If the possession of a degree is a requirement for the grant, candidates holding a degree obtained abroad must, by the end of the application period, provide proof of recognition or evidence that it has been requested, as per Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of August 16. Failure to present degree recognition at the time of contract signing, as per the RBI-UC, will result in exclusion.
b) If duly justified, documents proving the possession of academic degrees and diplomas, or their recognition, may be waived at the application stage and replaced by a candidate's sworn statement. However, until the grant agreement stage, the respective proofs must be submitted under penalty of exclusion.
c) Proof of enrollment in a degree or non-degree course may be waived at the application stage and replaced by a sworn statement from the candidate. However, the required proof must be submitted by the grant agreement stage under penalty of exclusion.
Whenever possible, documentation proving prior grant benefits should also be attached to the application.
VIII.II - Other documents to attach when applying:
- Any other elements the candidate considers relevant.
- Motivation letter.
- List of technical and scientific outputs that the candidate considers relevant to this position.
VIII.III - All application documents must be submitted in Portuguese and/or English. When the originals are in another language, a translation into one of these languages must be provided.
VIII.IV - Applications that are not properly completed or do not meet the admission criteria defined in the applicable legislation and this notice will not be accepted.
VIII.V - No documents required for the application may be submitted after the application deadline.
VIII.VI - Without prejudice to the penal provisions of the law, false statements made by candidates or grant holders regarding relevant matters for the grant award or renewal, or for the evaluation of its progress, will result in its cancellation.
IX - Application deadline
31/08/2026 to 11/09/2026
X - Activity Regime
The grant does not create or constitute a legal-labor relationship. It is carried out under an exclusive dedication regime, and the grantee is awarded the Research Grantee Status, as stipulated in the EBI and the RBI-UC.
XI - Notification of Candidates
All notifications will be made through the electronic platform Apply UC, under the terms of subparagraph c) of paragraph 1 and subparagraph b) of paragraph 2 of Article 112 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC. The notifications will take effect after being made, as provided in Article 113 of the CPA.
XII - Prior Hearing
Under Articles 121 and 122 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC, candidates may, if they wish, submit comments regarding the jury's decisions within 10 business days, through the "Audiência dos Interessados" option in the platform's procedure section.
XIII - Complaint and Appeal
Candidates may also submit a complaint within 15 business days or an appeal to the UC's highest-ranking official within 30 business days, both following the respective notification, under Articles 191 and 192 of the CPA.
XIV - Acceptance of Grant
Selected candidates must declare in writing, within five business days of notification, their acceptance of the grant and confirm that they meet the requirements to accept the proposed start date of the grant contract. Unless a justifiable reason is provided, failure to provide this declaration within the stipulated time will be considered a renunciation of the grant. In case of renunciation or withdrawal by the selected candidate, the next candidate on the final classification list will be notified.
XV - Full Competition Process
The full competition process can be consulted by candidates, subject to prior scheduling, by sending an email to the Human Resources Management Service at: sgrh@uc.pt.
XVI - Equal Opportunities
In compliance with subparagraph h) of Article 9 of the Constitution, the University of Coimbra, as an employer, actively promotes a policy of equal opportunities between men and women in terms of employment access and career progression, ensuring that any form of discrimination is strictly avoided. It encourages underrepresented minorities in each area to apply.
Accordingly, no one may be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged, or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the grounds of ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family status, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, place of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union membership.
The University of Coimbra also promotes measures to facilitate the balance between professional, family, and personal life, recognizing the efforts of its employees and fostering motivation.
XVII - Reports
The grantee must submit annual activity reports for each renewal and at the end of the grant contract, as stipulated in Article 7 of the RBI-UC, subject to an opinion issued by the respective supervisor(s). The report models, performance evaluation criteria, and the grant contract model are those approved under the University of Coimbra's Research Grant Regulations.
Where to apply
Website: https://apply.uc.pt/
Requirements
Research Field: Other
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: University of Coimbra
Country: Portugal
Contact
City: Coimbra
Website: https://www.uc.pt/administracao/dpa
Street: Rua Larga
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