Scientific Initiation Research Fellowship (BII.188386)

19 Oct 2026

Offer Description

The University of Leiria and Oeste is now opening applications for (one (1) Scientific Initiation Research Fellowship (BII.188386) within the project “VTS-RGBD - Formal Verification of Neural Networks for Traffic Sign Recognition in Safety-Critical Vision Systems Using RGB-D Images”, reference internal project VTS-RGBD/ULO/2026, supported by the University of Leiria and Oeste, in the following terms:

. SCIENTIFIC AREA: Artificial Intelligence.

. RECIPIENTS: Undergraduate students enrolled in Computer Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, or related fields. [registration is not mandatory during the application phase].

. DURATION: 10 months, eventually renewable until the end of the project or the maximum duration for this research fellowship type. The fellowship is due to start in November 2026.

. WORK PLAN:

Task 1 - State of the art: literature review on the formal verification of neural networks.

Task 2 - Use cases: definition of scenarios and safety properties to be verified.

Task 3 - Model Development: training and testing models for the detection and/or classification of traffic signs using RGB-D data.

Task 4 - Formal Verification: application of formal methods for robustness and stability analysis.

Task 5 - Validation and Dissemination: experimental validation, technical documentation, and preparation of publications.

. WORKPLACE AND SCIENTIFIC SUPERVISION: The work will be developed at the School of Technology and Management (ESTG), from the University of Leiria and Oeste (UL.O), under the supervision of PhD Professor(s) Luis Manuel Conde Bento, Diogo Pedro Ferreira Nascimento Baptista and Alexandra Cristina Ferros dos Santos Nascimento Baptista.

. GRANT FINANTIAL COMPONENTS: Monthly maintenance stipend of € 701,12, according to the FCT Regulation for Studentships and Fellowships (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-2026.pdf) plus, if applicable, the monthly Voluntary Social Insurance, according to the conditions defined in the Research Fellowship Holder statute, as well as the Personal Accident Insurance, during the research fellowship period.

. PAYMENT: The maintenance stipend will be monthly processed, through bank transfer, to the account identified by the research fellow.

. ACTIVITY SCHEME: Exclusivity, according to the applicable legislation.

. EVALUATION PANEL: Luis Manuel Conde Bento (president), Diogo Pedro Ferreira Nascimento Baptista and Alexandra Cristina Ferros dos Santos Nascimento Baptista (effective members), Carlos Fernando Couceiro de Sousa Neves and Hugo Filipe Costelha de Castro (substitute members).

. APPLICATION DEADLINE: 20th of October 2026 – 02nd of November 2026.

. SELECTION METHOD AND EVALUATION CRITERIA: Evaluation will be based on the curricular analysis and eventual interview, (the interview may be dispensed with at the decision of the Jury), and will focus on the candidate merit according to the following:

• Adequacy of the study area of academic qualification (AE);
• Experience/general knowledge (E)
• Specific knowledge in the field (CE)
• Interview (Ent)

Applying the following formula to calculate the final grade: NF (MC) = [AE*0.20 + E* 0.20 + CE*0.30 + Ent*0.30].

If the jury decides to dismiss candidates from the interview, the following formula is used to calculate the final grade:

NF (MC) = [AE*0.20 + E* 0.20 + CE*0.60].

Candidates with a score below 9,5 at the end of the evaluation will be excluded from the selection process.

Observation: If the candidate(s) with foreign qualifications(s) do not present, during the application phase, the recognition of the degree or foreign diploma and the classification conversion to the Portuguese scale, the jury defines the conversion only for the application purposes based on the rules of the legal regime applicable to the recognition of foreign degrees and diplomas or, when not possible, applies the minimal classification of 10 points.

Note that foreign academic degrees need to be registered by a Portuguese institution, in accordance with Decree-law no. 66/2018, dated August 16th, and Ordinance no. 33/2019, dated January 25th. The presentation of the certificate is mandatory for signing the contract. More information can be obtained at: https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento?plid=374

. ELIGIBILITY OF CANDIDATES: Without prejudice to the applicable rules to each type of research fellowship, the following candidates are eligible:

a) National citizens or citizens of other member states of the European Union;

b) Third-party states citizens;

c) Stateless persons;

d) Beneficiaries of political refugee status.

. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS:

Applications must be submitted through the link:

1 Bolsa de Iniciação à Investigação (BII.188386) - Projeto VTS-RGBD - ESTG | ULO

By clicking on the ‘Submit application’ button, filling in and submitting the application form with the following documents:

• Document(s) proving the ownership of the academic degree(s) and/or required application diploma(s), preferably with the final average and curricular units’ classification. Candidates with foreign qualifications must prove their academic degree and foreign diploma in the terms of the Decree-law no. 66/2018, dated August 16th. These documents can be dismissed during the application phase, by submitting a declaration of honour available in the application form, which can only attest to facts that occurred prior to the application, with the verification of this condition occurring only in the contract signing phase;
• Document proving the enrolment and registration in the study cycle, as stated in the application announcement (optional during the application phase);
• Updated candidate Curriculum Vitae;
• Document(s) supporting other evaluation parameter(s) indicated in the announcement;
• Other certifications and/or other documents considered relevant by the candidate.

. RESULTS | DISCLOSURE AND COMPLAINTS: The jury will send to the candidates, by e-mail, the provisional results of the evaluation (presented in the form of the minutes resulting from the evaluation process) within 90 working days after the application deadline. After this disclosure, candidates have 10 working days to pronounce, if they wish, in the appropriate form available in the institutional webpage, under the terms of the administrative procedure code (CPA). The final decision will be taken within a maximum period of 60 working days after the conclusion of the previous hearing of interested parties, of which a complaint can be filed within 15 working days, after notification, to the highest executive body of the University of Leiria and Oeste. Within the scope of the research fellowship award procedure, if the final ordering list, duly approved, contains a number of approved candidates higher than the number of research fellowships to be filled, an internal recruitment reserve is always created, which can be used when there is need for occupation due to withdrawal of the scholarship holder, under the terms of the CPA, to be used during the eligibility of the project.

. APPLICABLE LEGISLATION AND REGULATION: Research Fellowship Holder statute, approved by Law no. 40/2004, dated August 18th, in its current wording; Regulation of Scientific Research Grants of the University of Leiria and Oeste (Regulation no. 152/2021, of 22 February, published under the designation of Regulation of Scientific Research Grants of the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria).

Leiria, 19th of October of 2026.

The Pro-Rector of the University of Leiria and Oeste (UL.O),

Diogo Manuel Teixeira Monteiro

Where to apply

Website: https://recrutamento.ipleiria.pt/processos-ativos/bolseiros/concurso?recruitment_process_id=258

Requirements

• Research Field: Engineering » Computer engineering
• Education Level: Undergraduate

Additional Information

• Website for additional job details: https://recrutamento.ipleiria.pt/processos-ativos/bolseiros/concurso?recruitment_process_id=258

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 1
• Company/Institute: University of Leiria and Oeste
• Country: Portugal
• State/Province: Leiria
• City: Leiria
• Postal Code: 2411-901 Leiria

Contact

• State/Province: Leiria
• City: Leiria
• Website: https://www.ulo.pt/
• Street: Leiria