A call is open for the award of 1 (one) Research Fellowship for a Bachelor's degree holder within the scope of the STRUCTURE Project – Ref: COMPETE2030-FEDER-03432500 – 26639, co-financed by the Innovation and Digital Transition Thematic Programme (COMPETE2030) through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Portugal 2030, under the following conditions:

1.    SCIENTIFIC AREA
Civil Engineering

2.    ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Candidates may apply for this call provided that they cumulatively meet the following requirements:

Requirement 1: hold a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering.
Note: If the qualification was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of 16 August, and any formalities established therein must be completed by the time of contracting.
Requirement 2: be enrolled in a Master's degree programme in Civil Engineering, specializing in Structures.
Requirement 3: have proven experience in R&D activities involving the development and implementation of artificial intelligence techniques for the identification of structural damage in civil engineering assets, including techniques based on images and sensor data.

3.    DURATION
The fellowship will have a duration of 6 months, starting on 1 December 2026, and may be renewed in accordance with the project's objectives and budget, up to the limit established by law. It will be carried out on an exclusive basis, in accordance with the regulations governing advanced training of human resources of the Foundation for Science and Technology and ISEP or until the end of the project, whichever occurs first.

4.    ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION / WORK PLAN
The work to be carried out forms part of the STRCUTURE project, which aims to develop a digital platform based on artificial intelligence, smart sensing and predictive analytics for monitoring the condition of railway infrastructure, thereby enabling the early detection of anomalies, supporting decision-making and implementing maintenance strategies based on the actual condition of the infrastructure. In particular, the work plan includes the following activities:
-Support for the development of advanced numerical models of vehicle-track dynamic interaction using SIMPACK software.
- Support for the development of a multimodal digital platform for the railway system, including railway infrastructure and vehicles, to support condition assessment, traffic safety and maintenance management.
5.    APPLICABLE LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS
Statute of the Research Fellow, approved by Law No. 40/2004 of 18 August; Research Fellowship Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology, approved by Regulation No. 950/2019, published in Series 2, Part C, of the Diário da República of 16 December 2019; ISEP Research Fellowship Regulations; Decree-Law No. 66/2018, published in Diário da República No. 157/2018, Series I, of 16 August, which establishes the legal framework for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions; and Decree-Law No. 60/2018 of 3 August, which simplifies the administrative procedures required for the pursuit of research and development activities, all in their current versions.

6.    SCIENTIFIC SUPERVISION AND WORKPLACE
The work will be carried out at ISEP, within the iBuilt research group, under the scientific supervision of Professor Diogo Rodrigo Ferreira Ribeiro.

7.    MONTHLY MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE
Monthly scholarship amount: €1,090.98, paid by bank transfer (in accordance with the monthly maintenance allowance amounts applicable to FCT grants for the year 2026: https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-202…), funded via PAD No. C73416.

8.    SELECTION METHODS AND COMPOSITION OF THE PANEL
The selection methods will be as follows: curriculum evaluation and interview, with a weighting of 50% and 50%, respectively, both assessed on a scale from 0 to 20 points.
The curriculum evaluation will consider the following factors, with the corresponding weightings:
· Academic qualifications – 35%
· Experience in research and development activities in the field of structural damage identification using Artificial Intelligence – 35%
· Experience in academic activities in the field of safety assessment of civil engineering assets – 30%
The interview will be assessed according to the following factors:
· Motivation for applying – 50%
· Perception of the relevance of the project's subject matter within the scope of Digital Construction – 50%
O júri responsável pelo processo de seleção será constituído por: 
Professor Diogo Rodrigo Ferreira Ribeiro (Chair)
Professor Luis Manuel Silva Conceição (Member)
Professor Maria Do Rosário Santos Oliveira (Member)
and Professor Rafael de Araújo Cabral as Alternate Member.

9.    APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
Applications must be submitted by email to drr@isep.ipp.pt, accompanied by the following documents:
- Curriculum Vitae;
- Motivation letter;
- Certificate of qualifications / Document proving the award of the academic degree and diploma, together with proof of recognition when awarded by foreign higher education institutions, or a document proving that recognition has been requested;
- Proof of enrolment in a degree-awarding study programme;
- Any other documents the applicant considers relevant. 
To ensure that all documents can be read, the preferred file format is Portable Document Format (.pdf).

10.    APPLICATION DEADLINE
Applications will be accepted from 30 September to 14 October 2026.

11.    PUBLICATION/NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS
The evaluation results will be communicated by email to the email address provided in the application.

12.    COMPLAINT AND APPEAL PROCEDURES
If the result is unfavorable, candidates have 10 working days following publication of the application assessment results to make representations, if they wish, during the prior hearing of interested parties, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Code.
An administrative appeal against the final decision referred to in the preceding paragraphs may be lodged with the ISEP´s Director within 15 working days following notification thereof.

13.    RESERVE LIST (OPTIONAL)
ISEP reserves the right to call upon non-selected candidates, in ranking order, to contract a fellow under the same project in the event that the initially selected candidate withdraws.