1 (one) RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP (BI) FOR MASTER'S DEGREE

UNIVERSIDADE POLITÉCNICA DE SANTARÉM; Portugal; On-site; EUR 9,100 - 15,000; Full time

Job summary

A Universidade Politécnica de Santarém abriu uma bolsa de investigação para Mestre integrada no projeto Soil4OneHealth – Soil Regeneration and Food Quality: Promoting Health in Biocultural Contexts for Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality, com início previsto em novembro de 2026 e duração de 6 meses.

O posto é na Escola Superior Agrícola de Santarém, sob orientação de docentes, com financiamento through ERDF; exige mestrado na área indicada e experiência em trabalho de laboratório e análises de

Qualifications

• Educação e/ou experiência em ciência e tecnologia de alimentos, qualidade e segurança alimentar.
• Experiência laboratorial, preparação de amostras e análise de alimentos.
• Conhecimento de análises físico-químicas, microbiológicas, nutricionais, reológicos e sensoriais.
• Conhecimento de boas práticas de laboratório e de organização/análise de dados.
• Competências organizacionais, autonomia e trabalho em equipa; Inglês valorizado.

Responsibilities

• Definição/adaptação/aplicação de protocolos para avaliação da qualidade nutricional de alimentos.
• Coleta/preparação/ conservação de amostras e realização de análises químicas/ físicas/ microbiológicas/ sensoriais.
• Organização/ tratamento/ análise de dados, integração de dados de qualidade de alimentos com práticas agrícolas.
• Elaboração de relatórios técnicos e científicos e disseminação de resultados.
• Participação em reuniões técnicas do projeto e apoio na elaboração de relatórios de progresso.

Skills

Food science

Laboratory work

Food analysis

Data handling

English proficiency

Organizational skills

Education

Master degree in Food Science and Technology

Job description

Offer Description

A call for applications is now open for a research fellowship for master’s degree holders, as part of the Soil4OneHealth project – Soil Regeneration and Food Quality: Promoting Health in Biocultural Contexts for Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality, reference number ALT2030-FEDER-02663700, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Alentejo Regional Program (Alentejo 2030), under the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Food Science and Technology

Work Plan: The fellowship is intended to support the project’s research activities, specifically:

• Support for the definition, adaptation, and application of protocols for assessing the nutritional quality of food;


• Support for the collection, preparation, and preservation of samples, as well as the performance of physicochemical, microbiological, nutritional, rheological, and sensory analyses;


• Support for the organization, processing, and analysis of data, including the integration of information on food quality with data on soil and agricultural practices;


• Support for the preparation of technical and scientific reports and for activities to demonstrate and disseminate the results;


• Participation in the project’s technical meetings and support in the preparation of progress reports and the final project report.

Place of work: The work will be carried out at the School of Agricultural Sciences of the Polytechnic University of Santarém, under the academic supervision of Professor Igor Dias, Ph.D., and Professor Filipe Madeira, Ph.D.

Duration of the fellowship(s): The fellowship will last 6 months and may be renewed until the project’s end date or until the maximum duration allowed for this type of fellowship, with a scheduled start date in November 2026.

Requirements

Research Field Biological sciences » Nutritional sciences Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Preferred factors:

• Education and/or experience in the fields of food science and technology, food quality and safety, or related areas;


• Experience in laboratory work, food sample preparation, and analysis;


• Knowledge and/or experience in physical-chemical, microbiological, nutritional, rheological, and/or sensory analysis of food;


• Knowledge of good laboratory practices and of data organization, processing, and analysis;


• Organizational skills, autonomy, ability to work in a team, and a sense of responsibility;


• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) will also be valued.

Specific Requirements

Admission Requirements:

• I. Hold a master’s degree in one or more of the following scientific fields: Food Science and Technology, Food Engineering, Agri-Food Engineering, Food Biotechnology, or related fields.


• II. In accordance with the provisions of Article 6 of the FCT Research Fellowship Regulations ( Reg. No. 950/2019 ):




• Research Fellowship (Master’s):




• a) hold a master’s degree and be enrolled in a non-degree program that is part of the educational program of a higher education institution, carried out in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units;


• b) not exceed, upon signing the relevant fellowship contract—including any possible renewals—a cumulative period of one year for this type of fellowship, whether consecutive or non-consecutive.






• III. Applicants who obtained their degree abroad must have the degree recognized in Portugal, in accordance with Decree‑Law No. 66/2018, of August 16, and Ministerial Order No. 33/2019, of January 25. Submission of the certificate is mandatory for signing the contract. Further information is available at: https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento?plid=374


• IV. Hold a valid driver’s license for Category B light vehicles.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Additional Information

Monthly Maintenance Fellowship Amount: The fellowship amount is 1,359.64€, in accordance with the schedule of grant amounts awarded by FCT, I.P. in Portugal ( https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM-2026.pdf ).

• The fellow will be covered by personal accident insurance and, if not covered by any social protection program, may ensure their right to social security by enrolling in the voluntary social insurance program, under the terms set forth in Decree‑Law No. 40/89, of February 1.


• The fellowship is paid monthly.

Eligibility criteria

Applicable legislation and regulations: The Research Fellowship will be awarded upon the execution of a contract between the Polytechnic University of Santarém and the fellow, in accordance with the Regulations on Research Fellowships of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (FCT) and the Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow (Law No. 40/2004 of August 18, as amended by Notice (excerpt) No. 412/2026/2, which amends and republishes the FCT Research Fellowship Regulations, I.P., Regulation No. 950/2019 , published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, No. 241, of December 16, 2016) https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/aviso-extrato/412-2026-996320857

Selection process

Selection Methods: The selection methods to be used will be curriculum evaluation, with the option of an assessment interview. The following criteria will be taken into account when evaluating applications:

• a) Curriculum Vitae and research experience relevant to the work plan, evaluated on a scale of 0..20, according to the following weightings:
  
  
  
  • 20% for the final master’s degree grade;
  
  
  • 20% for the relevance of academic and supplementary training to the field of the fellowship;
  
  
  • 5% for relevant technical and scientific publications;
  
  
  • 5% for proficiency in the English language;
  
  
  • 20% for experience in laboratory work and the preparation and analysis of food samples;
  
  
  • 20% for experience in physical-chemical, microbiological, nutritional, rheological, and/or sensory analyses; and
  
  
  • 10% for experience in data organization and analysis, report writing, and/or participation in research projects.
  
  
  
  


• b) Candidates admitted to the selection process will be ranked on a scale from 0 to 20, with scores rounded to the nearest tenth);