Public notice for research grant Refª BI|2025/688

Project BIG - Refª 952226

funded by European Commission

Application submission from 26-Mar to 08-April 2025 

WHO WE ARE

INESC-ID (www.inesc-id.pt , “Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores: Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa” is a Research and Development and Innovation Organization (R&D+i) in the fields of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering. 

INESC-ID’s research impact is focused on four Thematic Lines 

Energy transition

Life and health technology

Security and privacy.

Societal digital transformation.

INESC-ID promotes cooperation between academia and industry by addressing research on daily life issues, such as healthcare, space, mobility, human language technologies, agri-food, industry 4.0, and smart grids. This high level of knowledge transfer is achieved through both competitive research projects and direct contracted research. Therefore, public and private entities have access to a pool of knowledge, resources and services provided through the unique competencies available at the institution.

INESC ID has a strong international academic environment and inclusive work environment.

ONE (1) research grant for students with BSc degree with reference number BI|2025/688 under the scope of the Project BIG – refª Refª 952226, funded by European Commission, is available under the following conditions:

OBJECTIVES | FUNCTIONS 

Development of techniques to analyze the economical security of Ethereum smart contracts with a focus on price manipulation resistance by leveraging and combining traditional static program analysis techniques such as symbolic execution and taint analysis.

A successful candidate is expected to create a tool that can detect locations within a smart contract which might be vulnerable to price manipulation attacks and perform an evaluation on existing deployed smart contracts to evaluate the precision and recall of the proposed solution as well as the prevalence of such vulnerable smart contracts in the wild.

BINDING LEGISLATION 

Law 40/2004 of 18th of August (Scientific Research Fellow Status) in its current wording.

https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/lei/2004-58216179

Regulations for Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology in force

https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/regulamento/950-2019-127238533

INESC-ID Lisboa Grant Regulations in force

https://www.inesc-id.pt/scholarship-regulations/

The fellowship contract is awarded on an exclusive dedication basis – art. 5 of Scientific Research Fellow Status and art. 16 of Regulations for Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology.

DURATION

SIX (6) months, starting in May 2025, renewable subject to suitable performance within the period of the project, not exceeding the maximum period set by FCT for such grants.

RENEWALL

Renewable is subject to performance if the candidate is enrolled in a 

MSc program - art. 6º, n.4 b) 

https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/regulamento/950-2019-127238533

https://files.dre.pt/2s/2019/12/241000000/0009100105.pdf

subject to suitable performance within the period of the project, not exceeding the maximum period set by FCT for such grants – 2 years (included contract renewals) 

Renewable is subject to performance if the candidate is enrolled in a 

Non-degree programme – art. 6º, n. 4 a) 

https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/regulamento/950-2019-127238533

https://files.dre.pt/2s/2019/12/241000000/0009100105.pdf

subject to suitable performance within the period of the project, not exceeding the maximum period set by FCT for such grants – 1 year (included contract renewals) 

MONTHLY AMOUNT

The monthly amount of the grant is  1 040,98 €  according to the “Regulations for Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology” in force.

The payment will be made through a monthly bank transfer to a portuguese bank account, held by the grantee.

https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Tabela_valores_SMM_2025.pdf

SCIENTIFIC SUPERVISION

The activity will be supervised by Christof Ferreira Torres, Assistante Professor at IST and Researcher at INESC-ID Lisboa.

WORKPLACE

- INESC ID - Headquarters Rua Alves Redol, 9, 1000-029 Lisboa 

- INESC-ID - Taguspark Avenida Professor Cavaco Silva, Edifício IST 2744-016 Porto Salvo 

- INESC-ID Energia IST - Departamento de Engenharia Eletrotécnica e de Computadores, Área de Energia, Av. Rovisco Pais 1049-001 Lisboa

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

Any national, foreign and stateless candidate(s) holding a BSc degree in Computer Science and Engineering or related areas, and with a suitable scientific and professional curriculum may apply. 

The candidate(s) must be enrolled in a

MSc program - art. 6º, n.4 b)

https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/regulamento/950-2019-127238533

or

Non-degree programme – art. 6º, n. 4 a) 

https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/regulamento/950-2019-127238533

The applicants are required to have proficiency in Portuguese and English, both written and spoken, as well as being enthusiastic, proactive, collaborative and able to work individually and as a team.

Preferential factors: 

Preference will be given to candidates with suitable scientific and professional curriculum such as:

• BSc degree in Computer Science or related field
• Enrolled in a Master Program in Computer Science and Engineering or equivalent
• Be fluent in written and spoken English
• Have some prior experience with blockchains and cryptocurrencies as well as program analysis techniques such as symbolic execution or taint analysis.

EVALUATION CRITERIA 

The selection will be based on the following criteria:

• Criterion A: Academic and Training Qualifications, Mentoring Experience (45%), namely the candidate´s higher education degree(s) grades(s), attendance of training courses, and experience in mentoring or teaching more junior students. This criterion will be evaluated via the CV and academic transcripts or other training certificates.
• Criterion B: Prior research experience in topics related to the work plan (45%), namely participation in projects in the areas of decentralized platforms, blockchains, security and privacy, and large-scale distributed systems. This criterion will be evaluated via the CV.
• Criterion C: Statement of Purpose (10%), which should describe the candidate's skills and background and their relevance for the work plan. This criterion will be evaluated via the statement of purpose.

The final grade will be obtained through the following formula: 

Final score = (0,45 x A) +(0,45 x B) + (0,1 x C)

The evaluation panel assigns a classification to each of the candidates on a scale of 0 to 100 points, ranking the candidates according to their classification consisting on the sum of the partial classifications assigned in each evaluation criterion, and considering the weighting factor given to each parameter. In this process abstentions are not allowed.

In the event of a tie among candidates with the same highest evaluation score, the Evaluation Panel reserves the right to conduct interviews to have a more objective assessment of specific criteria. 

If an interview is conducted, the punctuation proposed by each member of the evaluation panel is obtained by assigning a weighting factor of 80% to the CV, and a weighting factor of 20% to the interview.

Additionally, the evaluation panel retains the discretion to withhold the scholarship if the candidates fail to fulfil the stipulated requirements.

The evaluation panel may also decide not to assign the scholarship, if none of candidates meets the required conditions.

If the requirements mentioned above are not fulfilled, the evaluation panel may choose not to select a candidate.

Candidates with an average score below 70, are not recommended for hiring

Minutes of the evaluation panel meeting are drawn up with a summary of what has taken place in the meeting, as well as the votes emitted by the jury, being available to the candidates whenever requested.

EVALUATION PANEL 

Jury

Name

Professional Status

Institutions

President

Christof Ferreira Torres

Researcher / Assistant Professor

INESC ID - Tecnico, ULisboa

Member

Rodrigo Miragaia Rodrigues

Researcher / Full Professor

INESC ID - Tecnico, ULisboa

Member

Miguel Marques Matos

Researcher / Assistant Professor

INESC ID - Tecnico, ULisboa

Substitute member

David Rogério Póvoa de Matos

Researcher / Assistant Professor

INESC ID - Tecnico, ULisboa

Substitute member

Luís Manuel Marques da Costa e Caires

Researcher / Full Professor

INESC ID - Tecnico, ULisboa

APPLICATION 

The application and supporting documents must be submitted via email to bolsas@inesc-id.pt.

The application email should clearly state the reference of the grant on the subject. 

BI|2025/688 - Project BIG – Refª Refª 952226

Applications without the reference of the grant will not be considered 

The candidate should clearly state his / her consent so that the communications and notifications in the context of this call can take place to the electronic address bolsas@inesc-id.pt.

The application and supporting documents may be submitted in Portuguese or English, although the President of the evaluation panel when a member of the evaluation panel is a non-native Portuguese speaker, may request that, within a reasonable time, the candidate translates into English a document previously presented in Portuguese.

Candidates who submit their application incorrectly or who do not prove the requirements required in this public notice are excluded from admission. In case of doubt, the evaluation panel may demand any candidate to present documents proving those statements.

False statements by the candidates will be punished according to the law.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS 

The supporting documents listed below must be presented in pdf form. 

Applications without required supporting documents may not be considered 

Supporting documents presented in another format will not be considered by the evaluation panel.

1. Motivation letter 

Addressed to the Evaluation Panel, including full name, and contact address, including email address and telephone.;

2. Detailed curriculum vitae;

3. Single copy of official academic degree certificate required in the ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS
4. In the application submission, the candidates may replace the copy of official academic degree certificate by a declaration of honour, stating that they have the required academic degree.

It is mandatory for the approval of the fellowship contract that the selected candidate presents a single copy of the official academic degree certificate, required in education level.

2. In the application submission, the candidates from foreign education institutions may replace the copy of the official academic degree certificate by declaration of honour, stating that they have the required academic degree.

   It is mandatory for the approval of the fellowship contract that the selected candidate presents a single copy of the official diploma required in education level. 

4. Detailed list of grades 

5. Proof of enrolment required in the ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS at grant starting date;

In the application submission, the candidates may replace the proof of enrolment by a declaration of honour, stating that they are/will be enrolled in the program required ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

It is mandatory for the approval of the fellowship, that the selected candidate present the official proof of enrollment required in the ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS .

NOTIFICATION, PRIOR HEARING, COMPLAIN AND APPEAL DEADLINES 

The admitted and excluded candidates will be notified by email of the final ranking list.

After being notified, all candidates have 10 working days to submit a formal rebuttal. After that period, the evaluation panel notifies the candidates of the final report.

Excluded candidates may complain about the evaluation panel final report for 15 working days after notification or appeal to the evaluation panel decision to the INESC ID Board of Directors for 30 working days, after notification.

Non-discrimination and equal access policy

INESC-ID actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access, so that no candidate can be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged or deprived of any right or exemption from any duty owing, in particular, to ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs and trade union membership.

Under the terms of D.L. No. 29/2001, of February 3, a disabled candidate has a preference when in equal classification, which prevails over any other legal preference. Candidates must declare on the application form their respective degree of disability, the type of disability and the means of communication / expression to be used in the selection process, under the terms of the aforementioned diploma.