NOTICE N.º 048/2024 (1 BI-M)

OPEN CALL FOR RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATION WITHIN THE TERMS LAID DOWN OF THE REGULATIONS FOR RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALGARVE

TITLE: One Research Grant BI-M

It is now open a call for one Research Grant BI-M within the project THETIDA (Technologies and methods for improved resilience and sustainable preservation of underwater and coastal cultural heritage to cope with climate change, natural hazards and environmental pollution (ref.ª 101095253), funded by the Horizon Europe program, with the following conditions:

Research Field: (Geosciences)

Admission Requirements:

Candidates should have a master degree in Marine Conservation or equivalent; experience in using MOHID and SWAN modelling systems, experience in using QGIS and R Studio.

When the contract is formalised, the successful candidate must be enrolled in the PhD programme in Marine, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Work Plan:

The successful candidate will develop their doctoral thesis in the area of operational modelling of biogeochemical cycles on the Algarve coast and monitoring using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). The proposed objectives should be in line with the objectives set out in the THETIDA project, namely to create biogeochemical model based on the MOHID modelling system and couple it to the existent operational system for the Algarve coast (SOMA). The candidate must also calibrate and validate the created biogeochemical model using in-situ and remote sensing data. Within the scope of the project, this system will be applied to risk assessment of submerged cultural heritage. In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the development of the project through field activities and by supporting the writing of scientific communications and project reports.

Applicable legislation and regulations: Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow, approved by Law nº 40/2004, of August 18, in the current wording conferred by Decree-Law nº 123/2019, of August 28 and the Regulation of Research Grants of the University of Algarve (https://files.dre.pt/2s/2021/10/210000000/0013700149.pdf).

Working place: The work will be carried out at the Marine and Environmental Research Centre (CIMA), on the Penha campus of the University of the Algarve, under the scientific supervision of Professor Flávio Martins.

Duration of the grant: The grant will have a first contract of 12 months duration, beginning on november 2024. The scholarship contract can be renewed until the end of the project.

Value of monthly maintenance allowance: The monthly maintenance allowance corresponds to € 1259.64. The maintenance allowance will be paid monthly by bank transfer (taking into account the Research Grants Regulations of the University of Algarve (https://files.dre.pt/2s/2021/10/210000000/0013700149.pdf)). The research grant will also pay the fees of the PhD program.

Selection criteria: 

In accordance with the provisions of Article 11(2) of the University of the Algarve's Research Scholarship Regulations, candidates will only be assessed on the following criteria: a) Suitability of the candidate's profile and knowledge for the activities to be carried out, including assessment of the letter of motivation; b) Curriculum evaluation (study plan path, publications, etc.) and c) Proposal for activities within the scope of the doctoral programme, and their suitability for the project, based on the doctoral programme plan; with respective scores of 30%, 30% and 40%. The jury can also decide to perform an interview to the candidates. In that case the scores will be 20%, 20% and 30% for criteria a) b) and c) respectively and 30% for criteria d) interview. If the jury opt by the interview, candidates with a score lower than 13 points out of 20 will not be admitted 

The jury may decide to reject candidates if their final score is lower than 15 points out of 20.

The tender jury comprises the following members:

Flávio Augusto Bastos da Cruz Martins (President) (Professor Coordenador Principal, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, ISE);

Cristina Veiga Pires (Effective member) (Professor Auxiliar, Departamento de Ciências da Terra, do Mar e do Ambiente, FCT);

Juan Luis Garzon Hervas (Effective member) (Investigador doutorado, Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental);

Sónia Cláudia Vitorino Cristina (Substitute member) (Investigador doutorado, Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental).

Publication and notification of the results: Final results will be publicized through an ordered list according to the final grade and posted in a conspicuous and public local of CIMA secretariat and communicated to the applicants by e-mail to the addresses indicated by each candidate.

Deadline for applications and submission forms: the call is open from 11/10/2024 to 24/10/2024

 Applications must be accompanied by the following documents:

- Official identification document (simple copy or legal equivalent). If the candidate have a nationality other than Portuguese, he should present a residence permit, permanent residence certificate or long-term resident status, valid on the scholarship start date, any of which may be replaced, in its absence, by a declaration of commitment. However, one of the previous must be delivered at the contracting phase, under penalty of forfeiture of the granting of the scholarship;

- Copy of the qualification certificates of the academic degrees held, specifying the final classification and, if possible, the classifications obtained in all subjects taken;

- If the academic degrees have been awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must conform to the rules established in Decree-Law no. 66/2018 of August 16, and all required formalities must be complied with up to the date of termination deadline for submission of the application. If the completed process is not found until the end of the application deadline, the candidate must prove that he / she has requested the recognition of the degree.

- Curriculum Vitae;

- Passport or identification card for European applicants (copy);

- Taxpayer Identification Number (NIF), if you have a nationality other than Portuguese, it must be submitted during the scholarship contracting phase, under penalty of forfeiture of the scholarship award; 

- Motivation Letter

- PhD Thesis workplan with relevance to the THETIDA project.

The Application Request, dated and signed, must be addressed to the President of the Evaluation Panel (https://www.ualg.pt/sites/default/files/documentos/2022-12/anexo-iii-requerimento-para-candidatura-bolsa-en.pdf).

 for the following address: Universidade do Algarve, Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Campus da Penha, 8005-139 Faro, Edital N.º 037/2024 or by email to fmartins@ualg.pt. If the Application Request is sent by email, the applicant must duly express his/her consent that all notifications regarding this application are sent to the email address given.

Documents to be submitted for the contractualisation of the scholarship

-Supporting documents stating that the applicant gathers all the requirements for this grant, namely the enrolment certificate in an awarding degree study cycle or in a postgraduate course;

-Supervisor Declaration taking the responsibility for the Work plan supervision, according to article 5º-A of the Statute of Scientific Research Fellow, as well as assuring the necessary conditions for the development of the work plan and in compliance with article 13 º of the Statute of Scientific Research Fellow;

-Declaration of the Grant acceptance;

-Declaration of commitment stating the exclusivity regime

Complaints and Appeal Deadlines and procedures 

On the decision for granting the Research Grant, candidates may, if they wish, comment on the hearing of interested parties, within 10 working days, under the terms provided for in the Administrative Procedure Code.

From the practice or omission of any act of the evaluation panel, candidates can complain to the body, within 10 working days.

The final decision of the evaluation panel can be appealed to the Rector within 15 working days after the respective notification.

scholarship contractWith the applicant selected, and after receiving all the required documentation, a scholarship contract will be signed in accordance with the attached model.Assessment of the scholarship holder(s)At the end of each period of duration of the scholarship contract, the activity developed by the scholarship holder is evaluated by the supervisor, by applying the following criteria, in accordance with the attached model:

a) Analysis of the quality of the work carried out;

b) Analysing the suitability of the work for the THETIDA project.

The University of the Algarve reserves the right to cancel this application procedure if by any means the contract celebration with the funding entity is not established.

The Scientific Coordinator

Prof. (Flávio Martins)