A position is open for a Research Fellowship under the project “Structural monitoring using cholesteric liquid crystal phases” - ColorSafe, reference no. 2022.04191.PTDC, for the development of R&D activities to be carried out by PhD students or graduates and masters enrolled in non-academic degree
courses, financed “Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P.”, under the following conditions:

Scientific field: Materials Engineering and related areas;

Admission requirements: Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering and related areas and be enrolled in a PhD or master enrolled in a non-academic degree course. Not to exceed, with the conclusion of the scholarship contract in question, including possible renewals, an
accumulated period of two years, when the scholarship has been awarded to a student enrolled in a master's degree program. Priority will be given to candidates with research experience in the specific scientific area of the work plan. The documents attesting to this academic situation must be submitted before the contracting stage of the scholarship and may be replaced by a declaration of honor during the application process. Candidates who have obtained the degree abroad must have the degree recognized in Portugal, pursuant to Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of August 16.

Workplan: As part of this project, the candidate will contribute to the performing of the following
tasks:
• Production of cholesteric crystalline liquid phases, from nematic crystalline liquid phases, by addition of chiral molecules.
• Production of polymeric films, through casting methods, with the incorporation of dispersed droplets of cholesteric crystalline liquid phases.
• Production of elastomeric films from cholesteric crystalline liquid phases.
• Determination of isotropic/anisotropic transition temperatures.
• Determination of the wavelength of the light reflected by the produced films.
• Mechanical characterization of polymeric films and elastomers in order to establish a deformation/color correspondence.
• Preparation of reports and scientific articles based on the works described above.

Workplace: The work will be developed in the Polymers and Mesomorphic Materials Laboratory of the Department of Materials Science, Materials Research Center (CENIMAT/I3N) of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, under the scientific supervision of Dr.
João Canejo and Professor Maria Helena Godinho.

Duration of the fellowship(s): The fellowship will last for 3 months, starting in October 2024, depending on the duration of the project.

Monthly maintenance allowance amount: The amount of the scholarship corresponds to €1259,64, according to the stock chart of the exchanges awarded directly by FCT, I.P. https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM_atu…-
2024.pdf, payment being made monthly by bank transfer.

Selection methods: The curricular evaluation is guided by the valorization of the following elements:
a) Academic background (40%);
b) Research experience in the area of Materials Engineering (Level of knowledge in the area of liquid crystals, preparation of chiral cholesteric phases, characterization of crystalline liquid elastomers, with emphasis on the area of the work plan) (50%);
c) English proficiency (10%).
- Ifthe jury considersit necessary, an interview willtake place only with the selected candidates, with the previous items being worth [70%] and the interview [30%]

Notification of results: The final results of the evaluation will be notified, up to 90 days after the deadline for submission of applications, by email, of the results proposed by the jury, having access to the minutes. After notification, applicants will have 10 working days to decide on the decision, at a prior hearing of interested parties, in accordance with the Code of Administrative Procedure. The final decision shall be taken after the previous hearing period, again notified to all applicants by e-mail.

MORE INFO ( + )