Scientific Research Fellowship – Marine Resource Biotechnology

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

Offer Description

Polytechnic of Leiria is now opening applications for (one) scientific research fellowship, under the Financing Program for R&D Units, reference “UID/04044/2025-2029”, funded by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the following conditions:

• SCIENTIFIC AREA: Biotechnology
• RECIPIENTS: Holders of a Master's degree in Marine Resource Biotechnology who are enrolled in courses that do not confer an academic degree in association with a Research Unit (UI).
• DURATION: 06 months, eventually renewable, up to a maximum of 12 months. The fellowship is due to start in october 2026.
• WORK PLAN: The activities to be developed include:
  • Producing (notably using a bioreactor) and characterizing biopolymers;
  • Laboratory preparation of polymeric formulations with different biopolymers and plasticizers;
  • Chemical, mechanical, thermal, and morphological characterization of biopolymers;
  • Participation in the technical and scientific documentation of results, including the preparation of reports and support in writing articles for publication.
• WORKPLACE AND SCIENTIFIC SUPERVISION: The work will be developed at the Centre for Rapid and Sustained Product Development from the University of Leiria and Oeste (CDRSP-ULO), under the supervision of PhD Researcher Joana Filipa Abreu Pereira and PhD professors: Nuno Manuel Fernandes Alves and Paulo Jorge da Costa Parente Novo.
• GRANT FINANTIAL COMPONENTS: Monthly maintenance stipend of € 1.359,64, according to the FCT Regulation for Studentships and Fellowships (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-2026.pdf). To this amount is added the monthly amount referring to the Voluntary Social Security, if applicable, in accordance with the conditions defined in the Statute of Research Fellows. The scholarship holder will benefit from Personal Accident Insurance during the course of the scholarship.
• PAYMENT: The maintenance stipend will be monthly processed, through bank transfer, to the account identified by the research fellow.
• ACTIVITY SCHEME: Exclusivity, in accordance with applicable legislation.
• EVALUATION PANEL: The jury responsible for the applications evaluation will be constituted by PhD Professors: Joana Filipa Abreu Pereira Valente (president), Nuno Manuel Fernandes Alves and Paulo Jorge da Costa Parente Novo (effective members); Juliana Rosa Dias and Pedro José da Silva Carreira (substitute member).
• APPLICATION DEADLINE: september 10, 2026 to september 23, 2026

SELECTION METHOD AND EVALUATION CRITERIA: The evaluation will be made through curriculum analysis and interview, and will focus on the merit of the candidate, where they will be considered and weighted according to the following:

• A – Suitability of Academic Study Area (30%): Academic degree in Marine Resource Biotechnology – 20 points; Academic degree in related areas – 13 points.
• B – Academic qualification classification (20%): final grade of master's degree.
• C – General experience/knowledge (20%): Excellent experience/general knowledge – 20 points; Very good – 17 points; Good – 14 points; Sufficient – 10 points; Insufficient – 2 points; No mention of professional experience/general knowledge – 0 points.
• D – Specific knowledge (30%). Development of biopolymers including: A. Fermentation in a bioreactor and B. Using the microorganism Cupriavidus necator; 2) Characterization of materials (namely using Universal Mechanical Testing Machine, FTIR, SEM, EDX, Rheometer, TGA and STA). Excellent knowledge – 20 points; High level of knowledge – 15 points; Average knowledge – 10 points; Low level of knowledge – 5 points; No knowledge – 0 points.

With the final grade FG =(0.30×A) + (0.20×B) + (0.20×C) + (0.30×D).

If the jury decides by reasoned deliberation, the three first classified in the curriculum analysis will be invited for an interview (INT), with the final grade with interview FG = [FG * 0.8 + INT * 0.2]. Candidates who, at the end of the assessment, obtain a mark of less than 9.5 will be excluded.

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 scholarship, the following candidates are eligible:

1. National citizens or citizens of other member states of the European Union;
2. Third-party states citizens;
3. Stateless persons;
4. Beneficiaries of political refugee status.

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS: Applications must be submitted through https://recrutamento.ipleiria.pt/processos-ativos/bolseiros/concurso?recruitment_process_id=242, by clicking the "submit application" button, filling out and submitting the application form accompanied by 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 date, with the verification of this condition occurring only in the contract signing phase;
• Document proving the enrolment and registration in courses that do not confer an academic degree (optional presentation in the application stage, which in turn constitutes a mandatory element when contracting the research grant);
• 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, using the appropriate form available in the institutional webpage, and 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 the 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 awarding 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 nº 950/2019 [Regulamento de Bolsas de Investigação da FCT, I.P.] (https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/regulamento.phtml.pt).

Leiria, September 09, 2026.

Pro-Rector of University of Leiria and Oeste
Diogo Manuel Teixeira Monteiro

Requirements

• Research Field: Technology » Marine technology
• Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 1
• Company/Institute: Instituto Politécnico de Leiria
• Country: Portugal
• State/Province: Leiria
• City: Marinha Grande
• Postal Code: 2430-028
• Street: Rua de Portugal - Zona Industrial

Contact

• State/Province: Leiria
• City: Leiria
• Website: https://www.ipleiria.pt/
• Street: Rua de Portugal - Zona Industrial
• Postal Code: 2430-028
• E-Mail: cdrsp@ipleiria.pt
• Phone: 244569441