Research Grant

Offer Description

A call for applications is open for a Research Grant within the scope of Project “UID/00690/2025”, funded by the “Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) / Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education”, under the following conditions:

1. Scientific Area

Chemistry

2. Admission Requirements

• Be enrolled in a doctoral program in Chemistry or related fields;
• Hold a master's degree in Chemistry or related scientific fields;
• Possess academic training and experience appropriate to the objectives of the work to be developed, namely in the construction, development and application of multi-sensor systems for chemical analysis of food matrices;
• Have experience in the construction and implementation of multi-sensor chemical systems, preferably based on polymeric membranes;
• Experience in connecting and integrating chemical sensors with data acquisition systems, including acquisition and recording of analytical signals;
• Experience in preparing and processing samples from different food matrices for chemical analysis;
• Experience in experimentation, characterization, optimization, and validation of chemical sensors, including evaluation of analytical performance, repeatability, reproducibility, and signal stability;
• Knowledge and experience in applying statistical methods and multivariate data analysis using R software;
• Proficiency in Portuguese (written and oral communication).

3. Work Plan

The main tasks of this plan are:

1. Develop and build a multi-sensor system based on chemical sensors with polymeric membranes, including the preparation of the sensor membranes, assembly, and configuration of the multi-sensor system;
2. Implement and optimize the connection of sensors to a data acquisition system, ensuring the acquisition, monitoring, and recording of analytical signals;
3. Establish and optimize sample preparation procedures for different food matrices, taking into account their physicochemical characteristics and suitability for analysis by electronic language;
4. Conduct experimental tests and proceed with the characterization and validation of the multisensory system, evaluating analytical performance parameters;
5. Develop and apply R code for multivariate statistical treatment and analysis of data, including exploratory analysis, classification, and regression methods, with a view to discriminating, characterizing, and predicting properties of food matrices;
6. Support the interpretation, dissemination, and exploration of the results obtained, including the preparation of technical reports, scientific communications, and publications.

4. Objectives

To develop, optimize, and validate a multisensor system based on chemical sensors with polymeric membranes, intended for the analysis of different food matrices.

The aim is to evaluate the capacity of the multisensor system to obtain electrochemical response profiles, discrimination and classification of food samples, as well as to predict physicochemical and quality parameters, through the application of multivariate statistical analysis methodologies and the development of computational tools in R.

This work aims to contribute to the development of fast, low-cost analytical methodologies with reduced reagent consumption, with potential application in quality control and characterization of food products.

5. Applicable legislation and regulations

Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow, approved by Law No. 40/2004, of August 18, in its current wording; FCT, I.P. Research Grant Regulations in force (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/RBi_Republicado_2025.pdf); Regulation No. 522/2020, published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, No. 113, of June 12 – Research Grant Regulations of the Polytechnic University of Bragança.

6. Workplace and scientific supervision

The work will be carried out in the Microbiology Laboratory and Chemical Analysis Laboratory of ESA-IPB, under the scientific supervision of Maria Letícia Estevinho (Mountain Research Centre).

7. Grant duration

The grant will have an initial duration of 3 months, with a planned start date of 04/11/2026 (with the possibility of renewal for a maximum of 6 months, including the initial period).

8. Monthly Maintenance Allowance Amount

The grant amount corresponds to 1,359.64€, according to the table of grant values awarded by FCT, I.P. in the country.

Grant recipients will benefit from personal accident insurance and, if they are not covered by any social protection scheme, they may ensure the exercise of the right to social security by joining the voluntary social security scheme, under the terms provided for in the Code of Contribution Regimes of the Social Security System. The grant amount will be paid monthly by bank transfer.

9. Selection Methods and their respective valuation

The selection methods to be used will be the following:

1. Curriculum evaluation and adequacy of academic training and scientific experience to the project objectives (30%);
2. Experience in the construction and development of multisensory systems (25%);
3. Experience in integrating sensors with data acquisition systems, experimentation and validation of chemical sensors (20%);
4. Experience in sample preparation and analysis of different food matrices (10%);
5. Experience in statistical treatment and multivariate data analysis using the R software (15%).

The jury may not award the grant if the candidates' ranking is lower than 9.5 (on a scale of 0 to 20).

10. Composition of the Selection Jury

Professor Dr. Letícia Estevinho (President of the Jury), Professor Dr. Teresa Dias (member), Professor Sandra Rodrigues (member)

11. Method of publication/notification of results

The communications and final results of the evaluation will be published through the UPB application submission portal or, if necessary, by email notification.

12. Application period

The competition is open from October 21, 2026 to November 3, 2026.

13. Method of submitting applications

Applications can be formalized through the UPB application submission portal (http://concursos.ipb.br), including the following documents:

1. Curriculum Vitae;
2. Certificate of qualifications;
3. Letter of motivation

Documents proving the holding of academic degrees or diplomas, or enrollment in an academic degree or diploma, may be waived during the application phase, being replaced by a declaration of honor from the candidate, with verification of this condition being mandatory during the contracting phase of the grant.

Academic degrees obtained in foreign countries need recognition by a Portuguese Institution in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of August 16, and Ordinance No. 33/2019, of January 25. Presentation of the recognition is mandatory for signing the contract.

14. Deadlines and procedures for complaints and appeals

If the decision to be made is unfavorable to the granting of the requested grant, candidates have a period of 10 working days, after the date of publication of the evaluation results, to express their opinion, if they wish, in a prior hearing, under the terms provided for in the Administrative Procedure Code.

An appeal against the final decision may be made to the Rector of UPB within 15 working days after the respective notification.

Where to apply

Website: https://concursos.unipb.pt/ui/#/public/concursos/detalhe/1110

Requirements

Research Field: Chemistry » Analytical chemistry

Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

The candidate must:

• Be enrolled in a PhD programme in Chemistry or a related field;
• Hold a Master's degree in Chemistry or a related scientific field;
• Have an educational background and research experience aligned with the objectives of the proposed work, particularly in the development and application of multisensor systems for the chemical analysis of food matrices;
• Have experience in the construction and implementation of chemical multisensor systems, preferably based on polymeric sensing membranes;
• Have experience in connecting and integrating chemical sensors with data acquisition systems, including analytical signal acquisition and recording;
• Have experience in sample preparation and treatment procedures for the chemical analysis of different food matrices;
• Have experience in the experimental characterization, optimization, and validation of chemical sensors, including the assessment of analytical performance;
• Have knowledge and experience in statistical methods and multivariate data analysis using R software;
• Be proficient in Portuguese, both written and spoken.

Specific Requirements

The candidate must hold a Master's degree in Chemistry or a related field, with appropriate academic training and experience in the development and application of chemical sensor systems for food analysis.

Languages: PORTUGUESE

Level: Excellent

Additional Information

Benefits

The grant amount corresponds to 1,359.64€, according to the table of grant values awarded by FCT, I.P. in the country.

Grant recipients will benefit from personal accident insurance and, if they are not covered by any social protection scheme, they may ensure the exercise of the right to social security by joining the voluntary social security scheme, under the terms provided for in the Code of Contribution Regimes of the Social Security System. The grant amount will be paid monthly by bank transfer.

Eligibility criteria

• Be enrolled in a doctoral program in Chemistry or related fields;
• Hold a master's degree in Chemistry or related scientific fields;
• Possess academic training and experience appropriate to the objectives of the work to be developed, namely in the construction, development and application of multi-sensor systems for chemical analysis of food matrices;
• Have experience in the construction and implementation of multi-sensor chemical systems, preferably based on polymeric membranes;
• Experience in connecting and integrating chemical sensors with data acquisition systems, including acquisition and recording of analytical signals;
• Experience in preparing and processing samples from different food matrices for chemical analysis;
• Experience in experimentation, characterization, optimization, and validation of chemical sensors, including evaluation of analytical performance, repeatability, reproducibility, and signal stability;
• Knowledge and experience in applying statistical methods and multivariate data analysis using R software;
• Proficiency in Portuguese (written and oral communication).

Selection process

The following selection criteria will be applied:

1. Curriculum vitae evaluation and suitability of the candidate's academic background and scientific experience for the project objectives (30%);
2. Experience in the construction and development of multisensor systems, particularly chemical sensors based on polymeric membranes (25%);
3. Experience in integrating sensors with data acquisition systems (dataloggers), experimental testing, and validation of chemical sensors (20%);
4. Experience in sample preparation and analysis of different food matrices (10%);
5. Experience in statistical processing and multivariate data analysis using R software (15%).

The jury may not award the grant if the candidates' classification is below 9.5 (on a scale of 0 to 20).

Additional comments

Documents proving the ownership of academic degrees or diplomas, or enrollment in an academic degree or diploma, may be dispensed with during the application stage, being replaced by a declaration of honor by the candidate, and verification of this condition is mandatory during the grant contracting stage. Academic degrees obtained in foreign countries require recognition by a Portuguese Institution in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of August 16th and Ordinance No. 33/2019, of January 25th. The presentation of recognition is mandatory for the signing of the contract.

Website for additional job details: https://concursos.unipb.pt/ui/#/public/concursos/detalhe/1110

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 1
• Company/Institute: Universidade Politécnica de Bragança - ESA
• Country: Portugal
• State/Province: Bragança
• City: Bragança
• Postal Code: 5300-253
• Street: Campus de Santa Apolónia

Contact

• State/Province: Bragança
• City: Bragança
• Website: http://portal3.ipb.pt/index.php/pt/ipb
• Street: Campus de Sta Apolónio
• Postal Code: 5300-253
• E-Mail: leticia@ipb.pt