Research Initiation Grant (BII) - Strategic Design/Innovation UNIDCOM

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

Offer Description

Grant: Research Initiation Grant (Bolsa de Iniciação à Investigação - BII) for a Bachelor's degree holder enrolled in a Master's programme.

Reference: SDI.LAB26

Scientific area: Communication.

Scientific sub-area: Marketing, Strategic Design, Innovation and Scientific Communication.

Summary: A call is hereby opened for the award of one Research Initiation Grant (BII) under project UID/00711/2025 - Research Unit in Design and Communication (UNIDCOM/IADE), hosted by UNIDCOM/IADE - Universidade Europeia and funded through Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. DOI: 10.54499/UID/00711/2025.

The grant holder will work within the Strategic Design/Innovation Lab (SDI Lab), a UNIDCOM/IADE laboratory that develops research, scientific communication and knowledge-transfer activities in strategic design, marketing and innovation, in articulation with the Master's in Marketing and Innovation (M-MI).

SDIlab seeks to strengthen scientific production, dissemination and public visibility in its fields of activity. The grant will support an integrated program of research and research communication, including a Scientific Branding project, the evidence-informed communication of research activities, the organisation of scientific events and the systematic assessment of the laboratory's digital presence and public engagement.

The contracting and funding entity will be Europeia ID and the host institution will be UNIDCOM/IADE, Universidade Europeia.

Where to apply

E-mail: alexandre.monteiro@universidadeeuropeia.pt

Requirements

Research Field: Communication sciences » Other

Education Level: Bachelor Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate:

1. academic or practical experience in Marketing, Communication, Strategic Design, Innovation, Scientific Communication or related fields;
2. experience in social media management, communication-content production, scientific-event organisation or digital communication;
3. experience in scientific communication, digital marketing, branding, website management or the monitoring of communication and engagement indicators;
4. a portfolio demonstrating the quality and relevance of the applicant's communication, marketing, branding or digital-media practice.

Specific Requirements

Eligibility requirements:

1. Applicants must satisfy all of the following requirements:
2. hold a Bachelor's degree;
3. be currently enrolled, with valid registration, in a Masters in Marketing or in another Master's programme demonstrably related to the work plan;
4. have a good command of spoken and written English;
5. demonstrate basic knowledge of research methods and practical skills in at least one of the following areas: digital communication, social media management, content production, event organisation, digital marketing, branding or website management;
6. not have previously benefited from a research grant directly or indirectly funded by FCT.

Languages: ENGLISH

Level: Good

Research Field: Communication sciences » Other

Years of Research Experience: None

Additional Information

Benefits

Monthly maintenance allowance: The monthly maintenance allowance is €701.12, corresponding to the amount established for this type of grant in the FCT table in force, and will be paid monthly by bank transfer. The grant also includes personal accident insurance and, where applicable and at the grant holder's option, reimbursement of contributions to the Voluntary Social Security (SSV) scheme at the first contribution bracket, under the applicable rules.

Exclusive dedication: The fellowship will be carried out under the exclusive-dedication regime established by the Portuguese Research Fellowship Holder Statute and the FCT, I.P. Research Grants Regulation, without prejudice to the exceptions permitted by the applicable legislation.

Eligibility criteria

Eligibility requirements:

1. Applicants must satisfy all of the following requirements:
2. hold a Bachelor's degree;
3. be currently enrolled, with valid registration, in a Masters in Marketing or in another Master's programme demonstrably related to the work plan;
4. have a good command of spoken and written English;
5. demonstrate basic knowledge of research methods and practical skills in at least one of the following areas: digital communication, social media management, content production, event organisation, digital marketing, branding or website management;
6. not have previously benefited from a research grant directly or indirectly funded by FCT.

Selection process

Selection methods: Applications will be assessed on a scale from 0 (zero) to 20 (twenty) points, rounded to two decimal places. The selection procedure comprises two stages. In the first stage, the documentary assessment score (DAS) will be calculated as DAS = [(AQ × 35) + (E × 20) + (PF × 15)] / 70. Only the three highest-ranked eligible candidates who obtain a DAS of at least 10.00 points will be invited to interview. The final score (FS) will be calculated using the formula FS = (AQ × 35%) + (E × 20%) + (PF × 15%) + (INT × 30%). Each criterion score will correspond to the arithmetic mean of the scores assigned by the voting members of the Selection Jury.

1. Academic Qualifications (AQ) - 35%: assessment of the final Bachelor's degree classification and the classifications obtained in curricular units related to the activities to be developed, completed during the Bachelor's programme or the taught component of the Master's programme. Scores will be assigned as follows: 18-20, outstanding academic record and highly relevant curricular background; 16-17, very good academic record and clearly relevant background; 14-15, good academic record and relevant background; 10-13, adequate academic record or partially relevant background; 0-9, insufficient or inadequately documented academic record. Where a foreign degree certificate does not provide a classification on the Portuguese 0-20 scale, the Jury will not perform an arithmetic conversion and will assess the documented academic record qualitatively.
2. Experience (E) - 20%: assessment of the duration, relevance, level of responsibility and documented results of research, academic or professional experience in digital communication, social media management, content production, scientific-event organisation, digital marketing, branding, website management or related activities. Scores will be assigned as follows: 18-20, extensive and highly relevant experience with substantial responsibility and documented results; 16-17, substantial and clearly relevant experience; 14-15, relevant experience of moderate scope; 10-13, limited but relevant experience; 0-9, absent, insufficiently documented or irrelevant experience.
3. Preferred Factors (PF) - 15%: assessment exclusively of the quality, strategic coherence, technical accomplishment and relevance of the submitted portfolio, particularly examples of scientific communication, digital content, marketing, branding or website work. Scores will be assigned as follows: 18-20, outstanding, strategically coherent and highly relevant portfolio; 16-17, very good and clearly relevant portfolio; 14-15, good and relevant portfolio; 10-13, adequate portfolio with limited relevance or development; 0-9, absent, insufficient or irrelevant portfolio. Evidence scored under Experience will not be scored again under Preferred Factors merely because it relates to the same activity.
4. Interview (INT) - 30%: assessment of motivation to conduct research and research-communication activities within SDIlab, understanding of the Scientific Branding project and the proposed work plan, communication skills and overall suitability for the laboratory's research environment. Scores will be assigned as follows: 18-20, exceptional motivation, understanding, communication and suitability; 16-17, very strong performance; 14-15, good performance; 10-13, adequate performance; 0-9, insufficient performance.

Interview procedure: The three highest-ranked eligible candidates in the documentary assessment will be invited by email. If two or more candidates are tied for third place, all candidates tied at that position will be invited. Where fewer than three candidates achieve the minimum DAS of 10.00 points, only those who meet that threshold will be interviewed. Candidates who are not invited to interview will be excluded from the second stage and will not be included in the final ranking. Failure to attend the interview at the notified date and time, without a duly substantiated reason accepted by the Selection Jury, will be deemed a withdrawal and will result in exclusion. In duly justified cases of force majeure, the Jury may authorise one rescheduling, provided that this remains compatible with the timetable of the procedure.

Minimum final score and tie-breaking: Candidates must obtain a final score of at least 10.00 points to be eligible for the award of the fellowship. Final-score ties will be resolved successively by the highest score in AQ, then E, then PF and, finally, INT.

Composition of the Selection Jury:

Chair: Professor Hélder Barbosa Ferreira - UNIDCOM/IADE - Universidade Europeia.

1st full member: Professor Célia Reis - UNIDCOM/IADE - Universidade Europeia.

2nd full member: Professor Rui Ramos - UNIDCOM/IADE - Universidade Europeia.

Alternate member: Professor Sara Gancho - UNIDCOM/IADE - Universidade Europeia.

Application period and submission procedure: Applications must be submitted by email to alexandre.monteiro@universidadeeuropeia.pt, with the subject line "Application - Research Initiation Grant (BII) - SDI.LAB26", and must include the following documents:

1. Curriculum Vitae and portfolio;
2. Bachelor's degree certificate and the corresponding academic transcript;
3. proof of current and valid enrolment in the Master's in Marketing and Innovation (M-MI) or in another programme leading to a Master's degree demonstrably related to the work plan;
4. a motivation letter; optional letters of recommendation or other documents considered relevant may be submitted as supplementary evidence;
5. a declaration on honour stating that the applicant has not previously benefited from a research grant directly or indirectly funded by FCT.

For academic degrees awarded by foreign higher education institutions, recognition of the degree is required in accordance with Decree-Law No 66/2018 of 16 August. Where expressly permitted by the funding entity, applicants may submit the applicable declaration on honour at the application stage; in all cases, proof of recognition must be presented before the grant is formalised.

Missing documents: Applications that do not include all mandatory documents by the application deadline will be excluded. Documents required at the application stage may not be submitted or supplemented after the deadline, except where this notice expressly permits a declaration on honour.

The call will remain open for 10 working days, counted from the working day immediately following publication of this notice on the EURAXESS Portal.

Publication and notification of results: The provisional evaluation results will be sent to all applicants by email, using the email address provided in the application, in the form of a ranking list ordered by final score. The corresponding minutes of the selection procedure will be attached to the notification and made available for consultation. The final decision, following completion of the prior-hearing procedure where applicable, will also be communicated to all applicants by email, in accordance with the FCT, I.P. Research Grants Regulation.

Following notification of the provisional results, applicants may, if they wish, submit comments within 10 working days under the prior-hearing procedure for interested parties, pursuant to Article 121 and subsequent articles of the Portuguese Administrative Procedure Code. The final decision will be issued within a maximum of 60 working days following conclusion of the prior-hearing or public-consultation period.

An administrative 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, in both cases following notification.

The fellowship will not be awarded if no candidate satisfies all eligibility requirements and obtains a final score of at least 10.00 points.

Additional comments

Work plan: The grant holder will collaborate in research and research-communication activities aligned with the objectives of SDI-Lab and the formative aims of a Research Initiation Grant.

The activities will include:

1. supporting research within the Scientific Branding project, including literature and case-study review, data collection and organisation, analysis, documentation and the preparation of research outputs;
2. contributing to the planning and implementation of SDI-Lab's internal and external scientific-communication and dissemination strategy, informed by the laboratory's research objectives and target audiences;
3. producing and managing research-communication content for social media, newsletters and the SDI-Lab website, including the updating of information on scientific events, projects and activities;
4. assisting in the organisation and dissemination of SDI-Lab and M-MI scientific events, participating in calls and other research events, and providing related administrative and logistical support;
5. monitoring and analysing indicators relating to SDI-Lab's digital presence, dissemination and public engagement, and contributing to the evaluation and reporting of communication activities.

Applicable legislation and regulations: The grant is governed by the Portuguese Research Fellowship Holder Statute and by the FCT, I.P. Research Grants Regulation, in its consolidated version, including the amendments approved by the Board of Directors of FCT, I.P. on 10 December 2025 and in force from 25 December 2025, except for Article 13-A, whose effects are retroactive to March 2025. The consolidated regulation is available at:

FCT Research Grants Regulation - consolidated version

Place of work: The work will be carried out at SDI-Lab, UNIDCOM/IADE - Universidade Europeia, in Lisbon, Portugal, under the scientific supervision of Professor Célia Reis and Professor Hélder Barbosa Ferreira. Activities will take place at Oriente Green Campus, Moscavide, and, where relevant, at other locations connected with the laboratory's research and scientific-event activities.

Grant duration: The grant will have an initial duration of 9 months, with an expected start date in November 2026. It may be renewed for up to an additional 3 months, to a maximum aggregate duration of one year, including any previous periods held under a Research Initiation Grant, subject to the availability of funding, continued valid enrolment, compliance with the exclusive-dedication regime and a favourable assessment by the scientific supervisors and host institution.

Non-discrimination and equal access policy: UNIDCOM and IADE - Universidade Europeia promote non-discrimination and equal access. No applicant may be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged or deprived of any right, or exempted from any duty, on grounds of ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological convictions, or trade union membership.

This call complies with the applicable Portuguese legislation and institutional regulations governing research grants.

Website for additional job details: https://univeuropeiapt-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/alexandre_monteiro_univ…

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available: 1

Company/Institute: Europeia ID

Country: Portugal

City: Moscavide

Postal Code: 1885-081

Street: Oriente Green Campus, 1885-081 Moscavide, Portugal.

Contact

State/Province: Portugal

City: Lisboa

Website: https://www.unidcom-iade.pt/

Street: Oriente Green Campus, 1885-081 Moscavide, Portugal.

Postal Code: 1885-081

E-Mail: alexandre.monteiro@universidadeeuropeia.pt