Call for Applications for One (1) Research Grant (BI)

The University of the Azores opens a call for the award of 1 (one) Research Grant, hereinafter referred to as BI, in the scientific areas of Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, or related scientific fields, under the project FCT-2025 GBA UID 00329/2025 (base and programmatic), funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), under the FCT Research Grant Regulation (RBI) and the Research Fellow Statute (EBI).

1. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

• The call is open for 10 working days, starting on the day following the publication of this notice.
• Applications and supporting documents required by this Call Notice must be submitted exclusively via email to: rosalina.ma.gabriel@uac.pt.
• Each applicant may submit only one application; submitting multiple applications will result in the cancellation of all submissions.
• False statements or plagiarism committed by applicants will result in application cancellation, without prejudice to other disciplinary or legal measures.

2. TYPE AND DURATION OF THE GRANT

• The grant is intended to fund research activities carried out by the fellow at the Azores Biodiversity Group (GBA-CE3C), located at the University of the Azores, Angra do Heroísmo Campus, Terceira Island, Portugal.
• The grant will be an "in-country grant" (bolsa no país), carried out entirely at the University of the Azores.
• The duration of the grant is 12 months, renewable within the limits established by the RBI-FCT.

3. RECIPIENTS

The grant is intended for candidates holding a Bachelor's degree (licenciatura) and enrolled in a Master’s degree, Integrated Master’s degree, PhD, or a non-degree course (such as advanced training or postgraduate courses), in accordance with Article 6 of the FCT Research Grant Regulation.

4. ELIGIBILITY

4.1. Applicant Eligibility Requirements

The following candidates may apply:

• National citizens or citizens of other European Union Member States;
• Third-country citizens;
• Stateless persons;
• Political refugee status beneficiaries.

Requirements to apply for the grant:

• Bachelor's degree (licenciatura) in Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, or related fields;
• Enrolled in a Master’s degree, Integrated Master’s degree, PhD, or non-degree course;
• Excellent oral and written proficiency in Portuguese;
• Computer skills from a user perspective (word processing, spreadsheets, document management);
• Basic concepts of biodiversity data organization and standardization, including species occurrence records and metadata;
• Familiarity with geographic information associated with biodiversity records, including basic coordinate interpretation and map localization;
• Familiarity with scientific management platforms (e.g., repositories, submission systems, databases);
• Familiarity with Artificial Intelligence tools;
• Immediate availability to start the activities.

4.2. Application Eligibility Requirements

The following documents must be attached to the application, under penalty of non-admission:

• a) Copy of the degree certificate(s) proving the required academic qualifications;
• b) Copy of certificates (or supporting documentation) for training courses attended related to the function's requirements and skills, if applicable;
• c) Detailed Curriculum Vitae, including academic background, current/past roles and activities (with dates and duration), and professional training (with training entities, dates, and duration);
• d) Cover Letter (Carta de Motivação);
• e) Recommendation Letter(s) written by a professor or a professional collaborator;
• f) Copy of identification document;
• g) Proof of active enrollment in a Master’s degree, Integrated Master’s degree, PhD, or non-degree course;
• h) Other documents considered relevant for the merit assessment.

Important details regarding eligibility requirements:

• Foreign Academic Degrees: To guarantee equal treatment for candidates with foreign degrees, foreign academic degrees must be officially recognized, and their final classifications must be converted to the Portuguese grading scale pursuant to Decree-Law No. 66/2018. Recognition can be requested at any Portuguese public higher education institution or at the DGES (Direção-Geral do Ensino Superior, for automatic recognition). Visit http://www.dges.gov.pt for details.
• Degree Completion: Candidates must have completed their degree by the deadline of the application period. If the official certificate is not yet available, a declaration of honor confirming completion by the application deadline will be accepted. Grant awarding remains conditional on presenting proof of academic qualification during the contracting phase.

5. WORK PLAN

The work plan aims to support the compilation, management, validation, updating, and dissemination of scientific information on Azores biodiversity, contributing to digital biological data infrastructures and scientific knowledge valorization in the Azores.

Activities include:

• a) Compilation, organization, taxonomic validation, and georeferencing of species distribution data in the Azores from scientific literature, biological collections, research projects, and monitoring activities;
• b) Development, updating, and maintenance of biodiversity databases, ensuring format harmonization, quality control, and adoption of international biological data-sharing standards;
• c) Preparation and publication of datasets on open-access platforms, notably the Azores Biodiversity Portal and the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility);
• d) Support for updating and maintaining the Azores Biodiversity Portal, including content entry, review, and organization related to species, habitats, and biodiversity distribution;
• e) Collaboration in producing indicators, taxonomic lists, cartography, and supporting materials for research, conservation, and scientific outreach;
• f) Collaboration in scientific outreach and institutional communication activities related to biodiversity, open science, and environmental literacy;
• g) Participation in team meetings, training sessions, and capacity-building activities related to biodiversity data management, open science, and digital research infrastructure;
• h) Contribution to technical reports, scientific communications, and publications associated with the project's data and activities.

Scientific Supervision:

Prof. Dr. Rosalina Maria de Almeida Gabriel, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores.

6. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Evaluation considers candidate merit and motivation for the work plan. Eligible applications will be scored on a scale from 0 to 100 points across two criteria:

Criterion A – Candidate Merit (80 points total)

• Sub-criterion A1: Suitable Degree / Academic Background (CEA) – 10 points
• Sub-criterion A2: Publication Index (IP) – 15 points
• Sub-criterion A3: Analytical Experience (EA) – 15 points
• Sub-criterion A4: Linguistic Proficiency (L) – 10 points
• Sub-criterion A5: Event Organization (OE) – 10 points
• Sub-criterion A6: Scientific Communications (C) – 10 points
• Sub-criterion A7: Scientific Research (IC) – 10 points

Criterion B – Motivation & Fit (20 points total)

Motivation for the work plan, recognition of the research area's relevance, and alignment with the candidate’s profile – 20 points.

Tie-breaking rules:

Candidates will be ranked based on scores awarded in criteria in the following order of precedence: A2, A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, B.

Important notice for foreign degree holders:

• Candidates with foreign degrees will be evaluated using the same criteria as holders of Portuguese degrees, provided they present proof of degree recognition and score conversion at the application stage.
• Foreign degree holders who fail to submit proof of score conversion will receive 0 points in Sub-criterion A1.
• In any case, grant contracts with foreign degree holders will only be signed upon presentation of proof of degree recognition and score conversion.
• Candidates with a final score below 50 points are not eligible for the grant.

7. EVALUATION PANEL

Effective Members:

• Dr. Rosalina Maria de Almeida Gabriel (Panel Chair), Associate Professor, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Azores;
• Dr. Ana Margarida Moura de Oliveira Arroz, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of the Azores;
• Dr. Catarina Alexandra Drumonde Melo, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Azores.

Alternate Member:

• Dr. Patrícia Ventura Garcia, Associate Professor, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of the Azores.

The evaluation panel will assess applications in accordance with the specified criteria, ensuring confidentiality, impartiality, and absence of conflicts of interest. Panel members cannot act as supervisors for applicants. An individual evaluation report, as well as panel meeting minutes, will be produced and signed by all panel members.

8. PUBLICATION OF RESULTS

Evaluation results will be communicated via email to the address provided by the applicant and published on the UAc recruitment portal: https://uac.pt/pt-pt/recrutamento.

9. HEARINGS, COMPLAINTS, AND APPEALS

Following notification of provisional results, candidates have 10 working days to submit comments under a prior hearing of interested parties (audiência prévia). The final decision will be issued after analyzing these submissions. Final decisions may be appealed within 15 working days (complaint) or 30 working days (appeal).

10. GRANT AWARD REQUIREMENTS

Research grant contracts will be signed directly with the University of the Azores. Upon award, the following documents must be submitted:

• a) Copy of civil, fiscal, and (where applicable) social security identification documents;
• b) Copy of academic degree certificates;
• c) Proof of foreign academic degree recognition and grade conversion (if applicable);
• d) Proof of active enrollment in a Master’s, Integrated Master’s, PhD, or non-degree course;
• e) Updated document declaring compliance with exclusive dedication status.

Grant awarding is also dependent on meeting call requirements, evaluation results, non-breach of prior UAc fellow duties, and project budget availability. Failure to submit required documents within 10 working days of conditional grant notification results in grant forfeiture.

11. FINANCING

Grant payments begin after the signed contract is returned by the candidate (within a maximum of 15 working days of receipt). The grant is funded by the Fundo Regional da Ciência e Tecnologia (Regional Fund for Science and Technology).

12. GRANT COMPONENTS

• Monthly Stipend: Fellows receive a monthly stipend in accordance with Annex I of the RBI.
• Personal Accident Insurance: Covers research-related activities under Article 21 of the RBI.
• Social Security: Fellows not covered by another social protection scheme may join the Voluntary Social Insurance (Seguro Social Voluntário), with contributions covered by UAc under Article 10 of the EBI.
• Payment Method: Monthly bank transfer.

13. NON-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL ACCESS POLICY

The University of the Azores promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access. No candidate may be favored, benefited, prejudiced, or deprived of any right on grounds of ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, origin/social condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin, race, territory of origin, language, religion, political/ideological convictions, or trade union membership.

14. APPLICABLE LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS

This Call is governed by this Notice, the FCT Research Grant Regulation (Regulation No. 950/2019, republished in Diário da República on January 7, 2026, Notice No. 412/2026/2), the Research Fellow Statute (Law No. 40/2004 of August 18, in its current wording), and applicable national and EU legislation.

Ponta Delgada, August 21, 2026

THE RECTOR

Susana Mira Leal