1 (one) Research Fellowship (BI) for PhD student or MSc enrolled in a non-degree course

1 Research Fellowship(s) (BI) is(are) open at the FCiências.ID – Associação para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento de Ciências, for the project/R&D institution “RECHARGE: REstoring Catchments And Rivers under Global changE”, “Water4All/0009/2023”, “DOI: https://doi.org/10.54499/Water4All/0009/2023”, funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. through national funds under the  programme Water4All JTC 2023, under the following conditions:

1. Scientific Area: Natural Sciences - Earth and Environmental Sciences
    
2. Admission requirements: National or foreign candidates holding a Master's degree in Ecology, Biology, Environmental Management, or related fields, and who also meet the following requirements (information to be provided in the CV and/or motivation letter):
   (a) Proven experience in carrying out work on Plant Biodiversity and Botany
   (b) Experience in Plant Ecophysiology projects/work
   (c) Experience in vegetation and habitat carthography
    
3. Additional optional skills and qualifications: 
   (a) Experience in carrying out work on Plant Diversity and Botany, particularly in Mediterranean systems – Information to be provided in the CV and/or motivation letter;
   (b) Experience in conducting flora surveys in aquatic systems – Information to be provided in the CV and/or motivation letter;
   (c) Experience in Restoration projects/work, particularly NBS and Mediterranean systems – Information to be provided in the CV and/or motivation letter;
   (d) Knowledge and experience in Plant Ecophysiology techniques and methodologies, particularly physiological parameters and stable isotopes (particularly water stable isotopes) – Information to be provided in the CV and/or motivation letter;
   (e) Professional and/or academic experience in preparing technical/scientific reports and/or scientific papers in the area of Plant Ecology – Information to be provided in the CV and/or motivation letter;
   (f) Motivation for fieldwork (plant sampling at Herdade da Ribeira Abaixo) and laboratory work (water extraction by 'cryogenic vacuum distillation' method and sample preparation at FCUL) – Information to be provided in the motivation letter;
   (g) Ability to conduct presentations and activities related to the dissemination and promotion of the project – Information to be provided in the CV and/or motivation letter;
   (h) Ownership of a valid driving license (category B) and the ability to drive commercial vehicles – Information to be provided in the CV;
   (i) Proficiency in Portuguese and English (written and oral) – Information to be provided in the CV and/or motivation letter.
    
4. Contracting requirements: Presentation of the academic qualifications and/or diplomas. Enrolment in   PhD course or a non-degree course developed in association or cooperation between a High Education Institution and one or multiple research units. 
    
5. Work plan: The RECHARGE project - REstoring Catchments And Rivers under Global changE, aims to understand the role of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystem services in restoration practices, studying its contribution to hydrological processes and the ecological functioning of rivers, and comparing the hydrological dynamics of different catchments, wetlands, and river systems in five countries (Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and South Africa). Focused on nature-based solutions (NBS) and the role of associated biodiversity, the project intends to understand aquifer recharge patterns during drought and low flow periods, as well as the different benefits obtained from the good condition and management of rivers upstream and downstream of NBS, considering different socio-ecological contexts. The information obtained in this research will be highly relevant for those responsible for managing the effects of droughts, nature conservation organizations, and managers and users of water resources. The knowledge acquired will be useful to understand the barriers to using the ecosystem services approach in ecological restoration processes.
   The work plan for the recruited researcher includes:
   i) Collaboration with the project team in organizing and executing the project tasks, including participation in the project Consortium's meetings;
   ii) Collaboration in identifying current pressures on water conditions and biodiversity at Herdade da Ribeira Abaixo (HRA) (WP1);
   iii) Assistance in organizing and processing available data for the hydromorphological description of the NbS at HRA (WP1);
   iv) Physicochemical water sampling at study sites in HRA (WP2);
   v) Sampling and evaluation of vegetation biodiversity and macrophytes at sampling points in HRA (WP2);
   vi) Nutrient sampling at sampling points in HRA (WP2);
   vii) Sampling of woody plant twigs and water at HRA (WP2);
   viii) Preparation of water samples for isotopic analysis (from all project sampling locations), including water extraction using the CVD method at the eco-physiology laboratory (FCUL) (WP2);
   ix) Organization of the isotopic data (WP2);
   x) Integrating data, constructing results (including statistical processing of isotopic data) (WP2, WP3);
   xi) Assistance in identifying and preparing support material for stakeholders (WP4).
    
6. Legislation framework: Research Fellowship Holder Statute, in accordance with Law 40/2004, of 18 August, in its current version and the FCT Regulation for Research Studentships and Fellowships, in its current version  (Reg. 950/2019 published in DR on 16th  December: https://dre.pt/application/file/a/127230968,  or at the FCT website: https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/regulamento.phtml.pt), and FCiências.ID Fellowship Regulation, as approved on 12th May 2020 (available at Regulamento de Bolsas de Investigação Científica da FCiências.ID).
    
7. Place of work: The work will be developed at the CE3C – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, under the scientific supervision of Professor Cristina Antunes.
    
8. Fellowship duration: This position is initially opened for 6 months due to start in May 2025. The fellowship contract may be potentially renewed for until the end of the project, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation of Research Fellowships from the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. 
    
9. Monthly allowance: The fellowship amounts to € 1309,64, according to table values of the fellowships awarded directly by the FCT, IP. The fellowship holder will have a personal accident insurance and can ensure the right to social security through adherence to the voluntary social insurance scheme, if not covered by any other social protection scheme, pursuant to Código dos Regimes Contributivos do Sistema Previdencial de Segurança Social.
   The fellowship will be paid monthly by bank transfer.
    
10. Evaluation and selection process: Candidates will be assessed by 
     (a) Experience in carrying out work on Plant Diversity and Botany in Mediterranean systems, including plant identification, particularly in aquatic systems – 20%;
    (b) Knowledge and experience in Plant Ecophysiology techniques and methodologies, particularly physiological parameters and stable isotopes (particularly stable water isotopes) – 20%;
    (c) Experience in Restoration projects/work, particularly NBS – 15%;
    (d) Professional and/or academic experience in preparing technical/scientific reports and/or scientific papers in the area of Plant Ecology – 15%;
    (e) Ability to conduct presentations and dissemination activities related to the promotion of the project – 15%;
    (f) Motivation letter – 15%.
    The jury may conduct an interview with the top 2 (two) candidates based on the total of criteria (a) to (f), to obtain clarifications, additional information, and/or explanation of the curricular elements presented. If an interview is held, the sum of the evaluations obtained in the assessment criteria (a) to (f) will account for 90% of the final grade, and the interview will account for 10%.
    Applicants whose application is scored with a final classification of less than 50 points are not eligible for granting a fellowship.
     
11. Selection Committee:  President – Cristina Antunes (CE3C); 1st effective member – Rui Rebelo (CE3C); 2nd effective member – Cristina Branquinho (CE3C); 1st alternate member –Sergio Chozas (CE3C); 2nd alternate– Alice Nunes (CE3C).
     
12. Publication/notification of results: All the candidates will be notified by e-mail, sent by the call holder, with the selection meeting minutes enclosed.
     
13. Deadlines: This call for applications is open from 17/04/2025 to 06/05/2025 .
     
14. Application: Applications should be sent via e-mail to cmaantunes@fc.ul.pt, by attaching the following documents: 
    a) Curriculum vitae;
    b) Certificate of completion of previous degree Note 1, 2;
    c)Motivation letter.
     
15. Processing of personal data: FCiências.ID – Associação para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento de Ciências, as the controller under the General Data Protection Regulation, collects and processes the personal data requested in the context indicated in paragraph 14., under the legitimate interests in ensuring the award of the research fellowship to candidates with the indicated profile.
    The personal data will be kept for the period necessary for the execution of the purposes for which they are intended, being ensured the processing and protection in an appropriate and diligent way, the confidentiality and integrity of these data, through appropriate technical and organizational measures.
    Personal data may be transmitted to third parties, namely the entity funding the research project, solely for the purposes specifically established. In this sense, whenever the transfer of personal data to countries outside the European Union and/or international organizations is necessary, compliance with the applicable legal provisions is ensured.
    You have the right to request access, rectification, elimination, limitation of processing, the right to object and also data portability (if technically feasible), through the e-mail address: dpo@fciencias-id.pt. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the National Data Protection Commission. 
    For more information, we recommend consulting the Internal Rules of Data Protection of FCiências.ID - Association for Research and Development of Sciences at https://fciencias-id.pt/.
     
16. Time limits for the appeal procedure: In case of negative decision, the candidates have 10 business days, after the date of announcement of the results of the candidates’ evaluation, to pronounce their disagreement in accordance with the Código do Procedimento Administrativo. Appeals against the final decision may be submitted to the Administration Board of FCiências.ID (fciencias.id@fciencias-id.pt) within 15 business days after the notification date.

Note 1: The documents that prove the entitlement of the academic qualifications and diplomas can be dismissed during the application period and replaced by a declaration on their honour from the applicant (Minuta PT, Minute EN). Their delivery is mandatory for the fellowship contractualization.

Note 2: Please note that - higher education degrees and diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions  need to be  recognized by a Portuguese higher education institution, pursuant to the Decree-Law nr. 66/2018 (August 16) and the Ministerial Order nr. 33/2019 (January 25). The presentation of the recognition certificate is mandatory for contract signature. More information can be obtained at: https://www.dges.gov.pt/en/pagina/degree-and-diploma-recognition.