NOTICE N.º 009/2025 (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: Research Scholarship (BI-M)

It is now open a call for 1 Research Grant within the project Population Trajectories and Cultural Dynamics of Late Neanderthals in Far Western Eurasia, 101045506-FINISTERRA-ERC-2021-COG, funding by the European Research Council, with the following conditions:

Research Field: Archaeology

Admission Requirements: Master’s degree in Archaeology; being enrolled or meeting the necessary conditions to enroll in the PhD program in Archaeology at the University of Algarve and conducting research activities leading to the attainment of a doctoral degree at the Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behavior (ICArEHB); experience in using Python and R for spatial studies in an archaeological context; experience in excavating Middle Paleolithic archaeological sites in the Iberian Peninsula..

Work Plan: Analysis of spatial data from the archaeological sites of Gruta da Companheira and Gruta do Escoural, aiming to identify site formation processes and spatial use by human communities. Conducting archaeological excavations at the aforementioned sites.

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 developed at ICArEHB from the University of Algarve, jointly with the Researcher João Cascalheira, principal investigator of the FINISTERRA project and coordinator.

Duration of the grant: The grant will have a first contract of 12 months duration, beginning on March 1, 2025. The contract may be renewed until 30/09/2027, considering UAlg’s Research Grants Regulation. (https://files.dre.pt/2s/2021/10/210000000/0013700149.pdf).

Value of monthly maintenance allowance: The monthly maintenance allowance corresponds to €1.259,64 euros. The maintenance allowance will be paid monthly by bank transfer.

Selection criteria will be as follows: Curriculum Evaluation, interview,… with the respective score.

In accordance with nº2 of the article 11º of the FCT Research Grants Regulation, the selection criteria will be: 

1. Merit of the candidate (70%)
2. Motivation letter (30%)

The tender jury shall comprise the following members:

João Cascalheira (President)

Lucía Cobo-Sánchez (Effective member) 

Anna Rufà (Effective member)

Ana Gomes (Substitute member)

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 ICArEHB 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 11/02/2025  to 24/02/2025

Applications must be accompanied by the following documents:

Official identification document (simple copy or legal equivalent). If you have a nationality other than Portuguese, you 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 doctorate has 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; 

Other documents considered important

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/ICArEHB, campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Reference 101045506-FINISTERRA-ERC-2021-COG or by email to jmcascalheir@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.

-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 contract

With the applicant(s) 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(s) is evaluated by the supervisor, by applying the following criteria, in accordance with the attached model:

1. Achievement of Objectives – Assessment of the degree to which the fellow has achieved the expected results, considering the work plan (75%).
2. Behavioral Competencies – Evaluation of personal characteristics demonstrated during the evaluation period, particularly related to professionalism and rigor in all activities carried out (15%).
3. Personal Attitude – Assessment of personal commitment and availability shown during the evaluation period, considering factors such as effort, interest, motivation, and receptiveness to the guidance team's recommendations (10%).

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.

University of Algarve, 05/02/2025

Scientific Coordinator

Doutor João Cascalheira