A position is open for a Research Fellowship for a Master under the project New Generation Storage - NGS, REFª C644936001-00000045, financed under Invitation Notice n.º 02/C05-i01/2022 regarding the development of projects within the scope of the Mobilizing Agendas for Business Innovation, framed and financed under component n.º 5 - Capitalization and Business Innovation of the Recovery and Resilience in Portugal.

1. Scientific field: Materials Science and Engineering
2. Admission requirements: The candidate must have a Master's degree in Materials Engineering, Chemistry, and related areas and be enrolled in a doctoral program or a non-degree course. Preference will be given to candidates with training and research experience in the specific scientific area of the work plan, namely in the preparation of 2D materials (graphene, MXenes, among others) and carbon nanotubes and subsequent formulation of inks of these functional materials and respective deposition by spray coating and/or slurry casting for the development of battery electrodes.  Experience with battery manufacturing is highly relevant but is not a determining factor. The documents proving this situation must be submitted no later than the scholarship contracting stage, but may be replaced by a declaration of honor (as presented in the last pages of this call).
3. Workplan: The work to be developed is included in the objectives of activity 1 of Business Project 5 - Production of Sodium-Ion Based Structural Batteries (Work Package II - Components and Modules) of the NGS, which aims at the design, synthesis, characterization, and optimization of the respective components (electrodes/cathodes, electrolyte, and housing) of sodium-ion structural batteries. In particular, the candidate will work with the rest of the team on the optimization of the cathode, in order to increase the potential difference and the power of the cells, focusing on the following points: a) Preparation of dispersions of graphene, carbon nanotubes and other materials in liquid  phase, preferably in water; b) Manufacture of electrodes by deposition of the materials prepared in a) through slurry casting, spray coating, ink jet and flexo printing methods, among others; c) Characterization of the electrodes as components of structural iao-sodium batteries through electrochemical characterization techniques; d) Dissemination of the work developed in articles and technical-scientific conferences, as well as the organization of periodic communication actions for the promotion of the results obtained and the elaboration of periodic reports.
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 at the Materials Research Center (CENIMAT|i3N) of the Nova School of Science and Technology, under the scientific supervision of Dr. João Coelho and Dr. Emanuel Carlos.
6. Duration of the fellowship(s): The fellowship will last for 12 months, scheduled to begin in May 2023, possibly renewable within the duration of the project (if the research fellow is enrolled in a PhD).
7. Monthly maintenance allowance amount: The amount of the scholarship corresponds to € 1199,64, according to the stock chart of the exchanges awarded directly by FCT, I.P. (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM_2023.pdf), payment being made monthly by bank transfer.
8. Selection methods: The selection methods to be used are as follows: a) Curriculum Vitae [50%]; b) Level of knowledge in the area of production of 2D materials, and deposition/characterization techniques with emphasis on the area of the work plan [50%]. If the jury considers it necessary, an interview will be held with the selected candidates only, with each of the previous items being worth [40%] and the interview [20%].
9. Composition of the Selection Jury: President of the Jury – Rodrigo Ferrão de Paiva Martins, Full Professor, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal; 1st Effective Member – João Carlos Mesquita Coelho, Researcher, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal; 2nd Effective Member – Emanuel Abreu Antunes Carlos, Researcher, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal; 1st Substitute Member - Pedro Miguel Cândido Barquinha, Associate Professor, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal; 2nd Substitute Member – Rita Maria Mourão Salazar Branquinho, Assistant Professor, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal;
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 e-mail, 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 is open from 22nd March 2022 to 21st April 2023. Applications should be sent exclusively by e-mail, indicating, in the subject of the e-mail, the reference "BI_Mestre_2_NGS", to cenimat.rh@fct.unl.pt and jcm.coelho@fct.unl.pt within the deadline for the respective presentation. The application must be accompanied by the following documents:

(a) Curriculum Vitae

(b) Motivation letter

(c) Certificate of qualifications

(d) Other supporting documents deemed relevant, namely proof of registration for the current academic year and the documents related to the recognition of the academic degree in the case of candidates who have obtained their degree abroad (as detailed in item 2 of the announcement).

For more information, please contact Dr. João Coelho through the following email:  jcm.coelho@fct.unl.pt

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