NOTICE OF THE OPENING OF A CALL FOR RESEARCH GRANTS

The University of Leiria and Oeste opens a call for the award of 1 Research Scientific Fellowship (BI - 196677) - Master, within the scope of ciTechCare, project "New Sustainable and Digital Technologies for Processing Bio-Based Polymers", reference MPr-2025-1-25477 (PPS3), funded by COMPETE2030-FEDER-03033700, under the following conditions: 

. Scientificarea: Health - Health Sciences; Health Technologies; Rehabilitation

. Recipients: Candidates who meet the necessary conditions for enrolment, or already enrolled, in a Master's Degree in the area of Rehabilitation (Physiotherapy, Nursing or Occupational Therapy), or holders of a Master's degree in these areas, enrolled in a non-degree course, who wish to develop research activities in ciTechCare. Given the thematic areas of research in ciTechCare, the area of Biomarkers and Clinical Engineering will be considered as a preferential condition, within the scope of the development and validation of medical devices and their applicability in the context of rehabilitation.

. Duration of the fellowship : The fellowship  will have a duration of 12 months, eventually renewable, under the terms of the applicable legislation, up to a maximum limit of 24 months for students enrolled in Master's or Integrated Master's study cycles, and up to a maximum limit of 12 months for candidates enrolled in non-degree courses, eventually renewable until the end date of the project or up to the maximum duration of this type of fellowship /study cycle (whichever occurs first), scheduled to start in 2026-11.

. Work plan: The research fellowship is part of the BioPLASTEC project, which aims to accelerate the ecological and digital transition of the polymer manufacturing industry by replacing fossil-based polymers (f-TPs) with bio-based alternatives (b-TPs). The work to be carried out falls under PPS 3 – Medical Device produced by microcellular injection molding, specifically the development and validation of an orthopedic component (a brace for support in cases of tendinitis) manufactured from b-TPs. From a rehabilitation perspective, the fellow will support the assessment of the device’s impact and applicability in clinical and community settings, contributing to the following objectives:

Support the definition of functional and clinical requirements of the orthopaedic device from the point of view of rehabilitation, considering the adequacy to the physiognomy and functional needs of the user;

Collaborate in the collection and analysis of data related to the usability, comfort, functionality and performance of the device in the context of rehabilitation;

Contribute to the demonstrator's functional validation tests and to the assessment of its impact on the user's well-being;

Participate in data analysis and scientific dissemination of the project results.

The work plan and scientific orientation of the fellowship are part of the mission and vision of ciTechCare and its areas of scientific intervention.

. Host entity and scientific supervision: The work will be developed at ciTechCare, under the scientific guidance of the professor(s) Doctor(s):

•           Elisabete Jorge Da Costa Roldão

•           Rui Manuel da Fonseca Pinto

. Financial components of the fellowship: Monthly maintenance allowance, in the amount of €1359.64, according to the FCT, I.P. (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-202…) table of values. To this amount is added the monthly amount referring to the Voluntary Social Security, if applicable, in accordance with the conditions defined in the Research Grant Holder Statute. The grant holder will benefit from Personal Accident Insurance, during the course of the grant.

. Payment: The amount of the fellowship will be processed monthly, by bank transfer, to the account identified by the fellowship holder. 

. Activity regime: Exclusivity, in accordance with the applicable regulations 

. Evaluation panel: Maria Pedro Sucena Guarino (chairman), Rui Manuel da Fonseca Pinto (member), Elisabete Jorge Da Costa Roldão (member), Jaime Emanuel Moreira Ribeiro (alternate), Nuno Manuel Lucas Vieira Lopes (alternate) 

. Application deadline: 07-10-2026 to 20-10-2026

. Selectionmethods and evaluation criteria: The evaluation takes into account the candidate's merit, the motivation letter and an individual interview. The evaluation process will have two mandatory, distinct and successive stages, according to the following evaluation criteria (detailed in its own minutes):

The first stage (E1) (scored from 0 to 20 and rounded to the nearest decimal) will focus on the Curriculum Analysis (CA) and the Motivation Letter (CM). The AC and CM will have, respectively, a weighting of 60% and 40% in the final classification of the first stage of the competition, which is expressed by the following formula: E1 = AC*60% + CM*40%.

AC will be scored from 0 to 20 and rounded to the nearest tenth – it has a weighting of 60% in the final classification of the first stage of the competition and will focus on:

• Bachelor's Degree (NL): 50%;
• Research experience, or other relevant scientific experience, especially participation in R&D projects and participation in scientific congresses, with presentation of papers (I): 30%;
• Professional activity, courses, internships (AP): 20%.

The calculation of the Curriculum Analysis (CA) classification is made through the weighted average of the evaluated criteria: AC = NL*50% + I*30% + AP*20%.

Only the three candidates with the best classification in E1 will be admitted to the second stage (E2), provided that they obtain a classification equal to or greater than 10 points. The second stage (E2) consists of an individual interview, scored from 0 to 20 points, based on knowledge and ability to critically discuss the project's topics. The final classification (NF) of the candidates who pass the second phase E2 and carry out the interview will be calculated by the formula: NF = E1*60% + E2*40%.

. Note: If the candidate(s) holding a foreign qualification(s) does not present the document(s) proving, in the application phase, the recognition of the foreign degree or diploma and the conversion of the classification to the Portuguese classification scale, the jury establishes the conversion, only for the purposes of the competition, based on the rules of the legal regime applicable to the recognition of foreign degrees and diplomas or, when impossible, applies the minimum classification of 10 points. We emphasize that academic degrees obtained in foreign countries require registration by a Portuguese Institution in accordance with Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of August 16 and Ordinance no. 33/2019, of January 25. The presentation of the certificate is mandatory for the signature of the contract. More information can be obtained at: https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento?plid=374

. Eligibility of candidates: Without prejudice to the provisions of the rules applicable to each type of fellowship, the following are eligible for fellowship s: 

a) National citizens or citizens of other Member States of the European Union; 

(b) third-country nationals; 

(c) Stateless persons; 

d) Beneficiaries of political refugee status. 

. Application | Formalization of documentary elements: 

Applications must be submitted through the link https://recrutamento.ulo.pt/processos-ativos/bolseiros/concurso?recruitment_process_id=251, by clicking on the "Submit application" button, filling in and submitting the respective form accompanied by the following documents:

Document(s) proving the ownership of the academic degree and/or diploma(s) required in the competition, preferably indicating the final average and the grades obtained per curricular unit. Candidates holding foreign qualifications must prove their academic degree and foreign diploma under the terms of Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of 16 August. These documents may be waived, at the application stage, by the declaration of honour contained in the application form, which can only attest to facts that occurred on a date prior to the application, and this condition will only be verified at the stage of contracting the fellowship ; Document verifying enrollment and registration in a program of study or course that does not lead to an academic degree; Updated curriculum vitae of the candidate; Document(s) proving another evaluation parameter(s) indicated in the application notice; Other certifications and/or other documents considered relevant by the candidate.

. Results| Disclosure and complaint: The jury will send to the candidates, by e-mail, the provisional results of the evaluation (presented in the form of the minutes resulting from the evaluation process) up to 90 working days after the deadline for submission of applications. After this disclosure, candidates have 10 working days to comment, if they wish, in a specific form available on the Institutional page and under the terms of the administrative procedure code (CPA). The final decision will be taken within a maximum period of 60 working days after the conclusion of the prior hearing of the interested parties, of which a complaint may be filed within 15 working days, after notification, to the highest executive body of the University of Leiria and Oeste. Within the scope of the procedure for awarding the grant, if the final ranking list, duly approved, contains a number of approved candidates greater than the number of grants to be occupied, an internal recruitment reserve is always constituted, which may be used when there is a need for occupation due to withdrawal of the grantee, under the terms of the CPA, to be used during the eligibility of the project.

. Applicablelegislation and regulations: Research Grant Holder Statute, approved by Law No. 40/2004, of 18 August, as amended; Regulation of Scientific Research Grants of the Polytechnic of Leiria, currently the University of Leiria and Oeste, Regulation No. 152/2021, of 22 February.

Leiria, October 06, 2026.

The Pro-Rector of the University of Leiria and Oeste,

Diogo Manuel Teixeira Monteiro