A position is open for a Research Fellowship for a Master 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 Masters students, or bachelors enrolled in non-academic degree courses, financed by “Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P.”, under the following conditions:

1. Scientific field: Materials Engineering and related areas
2. Admission requirements: Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering and related areas, and be enrolled in a Master's course or non-lecture course. 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.
3. Workplan:  As part of this project, the candidate will contribute to the performing of the following tasks: 1) Production of cholesteric crystalline liquid phases, from nematic crystalline liquid phases, by addition of chiral molecules; 2) Production of polymeric films, through casting methods, with the incorporation of dispersed droplets of cholesteric crystalline liquid phases; 3) Production of elastomeric films from cholesteric crystalline liquid phases; 4) Determination of isotropic/anisotropic transition temperatures. 5) Determination of the wavelength of the light reflected by the produced films; 6)  Mechanical characterization of polymeric films and elastomers in order to establish a deformation/color correspondence; 7) Preparation of reports and scientific articles based on the works described above.
4. Applicable legislation and regulations: Law No. 40/2004, of August 18, amended and republished by Decree-Law No. 202/2012 of 27 August (Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow) and amended by Decree-Law No. 233/2012 of 29 October, by Law No. 12/2013 of January 29, Decree-Law No. 89/2013 of July 9 and Decree-Law No. 123/2019 of August 28; Regulation of Research Scholarships of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. in force (https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/docs/RegulamentoBolsasFCT2019.pdf).
5. 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.
6. Duration of the fellowship(s): The fellowship will last for 6 months, starting in April 2023.
7. Monthly maintenance allowance amount: The amount of the scholarship corresponds to €930.98, according to the stock chart of the exchanges awarded directly by FCT, I.P. https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/docs/Tabela_de_Valores_SMM_2022.pdf, payment being made monthly by bank transfer.
8. 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%). {If the jury considers it necessary, an interview will take place only with the selected candidates, with the previous items being worth [70%] and the interview [30%]}.
9. Composition of the Selection Jury: President of the Jury – Dr. João Canejo; 1st Effective Member – Professora Maria Helena Godinho; 2nd Effective Member – Dr. Hugo Biscaia; 1st Substitute Member – Prof. Ana Trindade; 2nd Substitute Member – Dr. Ana Paula Duarte
10. 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.
11. Application deadline and form of submission of applications:  The call for applications will be open from March 3rd to March 16th 2023.

Applications must be sent exclusively by e-mail, mandatorily indicated, in the subject of the e‐ail, of the reference “BI_Mestre_1_F2F” to cenimat.rh@fct.unl.pt and jpgc@fct.unl.pt within the deadline for their submission. The application must be instructed with the following documents:

1. Curriculum Vitae.
2. Motivation letter.
3. Certificate of qualifications (including grades).
4. Two recommendation letters
5. Other supporting documents considered relevant, such as:
   1. proof of enrolment in an academic course consistent with the details in point 2 of the Notice.
   2. declaration on honor regarding the achievement of other necessary requirements, for example, obtaining the recognition of an academic degree awarded by a foreign Higher Education institution (please find a template of this document in the last pages of this document, if applicable).

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