1232687 - Call for Research Initiation Grant

Universidade de Coimbra; Portugal; Sur place; EUR 89 000 - 96 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A Universidade de Coimbra abriu uma candidatura para uma bolsa de iniciação à investigação no âmbito do projeto CrossToPlasticity (COMPETE2030-FEDER-00702600). A posição é temporária e tem duração de 12 meses, com vencimento mensal de 701,12€.

O bolseiro apoiará atividades de recrutamento, comunicação com participantes surdos e ouvintes, organização de sessões experimentais e a gestão de documentos do laboratório, sob supervisão do coordenador do projeto.

Qualifications

• Licenciatura nas áreas acima indicadas.
• Candidatos elegíveis podem incluir nacionais da UE/UE e residentes estáveis em Portugal.

Responsabilités

• Auxiliar no recrutamento de participantes, incluindo pessoas com deficiência auditiva.
• Organizar visitas e sessões experimentais, preparar materiais e estímulos.
• Apoiar a coleta de dados comportamentais e de fMRI.
• Organizar registos de participantes e de laboratório, rever literatura relevante.
• Contribuir para divulgação e outputs científicos do projeto.

Connaissances

Recruitment support

Participant communication

Data organization

Formation

Bacharelado em Psicologia, Neurociência Cognitiva, Engenharia Biomédica ou área relacionada

Description du poste

Organisation/Company Universidade de Coimbra Department Divisão de Projetos e Atividades (Bolsas) Research Field Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Undergraduate Positions Application Deadline 27 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Country Portugal Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The University of Coimbra opens a call for the assignment of a research initiation grant, with 1 position, within the scope of the project COMPETE2030-FEDER-00702600, title “CrossToPlasticity - Topographic principles of cross-modal plasticity in the auditory cortex of congenitally deaf humans”.

This call is governed by this Announcement, the Research Grants Regulation of the University of Coimbra (RBI-UC), supplemented by the Research Grants Regulation of the Foundation for Science and Technology (RBI-FCT), the Research Grant Holder Statute (EBI), the Rules for the Attribution and Management of Grants within the scope of R&D Projects, the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA), all in their current wording, and other applicable national and EU legislation.

Procedure Reference: IT137-26-[ARdS1.1]436

I - Legal admission requirements

• I.I - Grant Recipients: Students enrolled in a bachelor’s degree in the scientific area of Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, or a related area.
• I.II - [JB3.1] Ineligible candidates: Candidates who have previously received any research grants under the terms of the EBI are not eligible.

I.III - The following are eligible for the grant(s), provided they meet the requirements outlined above:

• a) Portuguese nationals or nationals of other EU Member States
• b) Nationals of third countries
• c) Stateless persons
• d) Beneficiaries of political refugee status

When the work plan takes place, in whole or in part, in foreign institutions, only candidates who can prove permanent and habitual residence in Portugal at the start of the grant are eligible.[JB4.1]

II - Grant location

Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Coimbra

III- Scientific supervision/coordination of the grant

Zohar Tal

IV - Work Plan / Goals to be achieved

The fellow will support the CrossToPlasticity project, which investigates how the auditory cortex reorganizes in congenitally deaf people. The role will include helping recruit, communicate with, and support deaf and hearing participants, using Portuguese Sign Language where needed.

The fellow will help organize research visits and experimental sessions, prepare materials and stimuli, and support the collection of behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging data.

The fellow will also assist with organizing participant and laboratory records, reviewing relevant literature, and contributing to project dissemination and scientific outputs. The work will be carried out as part of a collaborative research team and under the supervision of the project coordinator.

V - Initial grant duration

12 months

V.I - Renewal Possibility

Possibily renewable

VI - Funding and financial conditions of the grant

• VI.I - Monthly grant amount (paid by bank transfer at the end of each month): 701,12€
• VI.II - Other financial components of the grant: N.A.
• VI.III - In addition to the above amounts, voluntary social security (SSV) is included when the grant has a duration of six months or more, corresponding to the first level, if the candidate opts for it, as well as mandatory personal accident insurance.
• VI.IV - Funding: The grant(s) assigned under this call will be funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P., through national funds and the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) through the Innovation and Digital Transition Thematic Program (COMPETE2030), Portugal 2030, and the European Union | Operation 15905, operation code COMPETE2030-FEDER-00702600 at the Funds Desk.[LM5.1]
• VI.V - Information and publicity about the funding: In all R&D activities directly or indirectly funded by the grant, namely in all communications, publications, and scientific creations, as well as theses, carried out with the support provided by the grant, mention must be made of the financial support provided by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) and the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), through the Innovation and Digital Transition Program (COMPETE 2030) of Portugal 2030.[LM6.1]

VII - Selection Methods

Evaluation of the academic record (AR)

VII.I - AR - The curriculum evaluation considers the candidates' academic and professional achievements based on the following weights and criteria:

• Criterion 1 – Academic background (30%)
• Criterion 2 – Specific knowledge related to the work plan (35%)
• Criterion 3 – Adequacy of the candidate’s profile to the work plan to be developed (35%)

Preference will be given to candidates with knowledge of Portuguese Sign Language, as the fellow will assist with the recruitment, communication, and evaluation of participants with congenital deafness.

Interest in research involving deaf individuals, behavioral research, cognitive neuroscience, or neuroimaging will also be valued, as well as strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills, and the ability to work carefully with participants.

VII.II - Criteria evaluation and final classification are determined on a scale of 0 to 100, calculated to two decimal places, using the following formulas

• AR: criterion 1 * (30%) + criterion 2 * (35%) + criterion 3(35%) = X
• Final Classification (FC): AR * (100%) = X

VII.III - All candidates who meet the admission requirements are subject to the academic record evaluation, carried out according to the criteria and weights defined in VII.I.

VII.IV - Candidates who score below 50 in any selection method will be excluded, and subsequent methods, if any, will not apply to them. Candidates who are duly notified but fail to attend the interview (if applicable) or withdraw at any stage will also be excluded.

VII.V - Tie-breaking criteria: In the event of a tie in the rankings, candidates will be ordered in descending order as follows:

• a) Based on the score obtained in the first method applied;
• b) Based on the score of their academic qualifications.

VII.VI - All provisional and final jury decisions must be justified, recorded in minutes, and published on https://apply.uc.pt/.

VII.VII - Jury Composition:

• President: Zohar Tal
• Effective Members: Ceren Battal Pereira da Costa and Sacha Haudry
• Alternate Members: Rebecca Helen Lowndes and Jason Thomas Fischer

VII.VIII - Selection reserve list: [LL7.1]N.A.

IX – Application deadline

14/10/2026to 27/10/2026

X - Activity Regime

The grant does not create or constitute a legal-labor relationship. It is carried out under an exclusive dedication regime, and the grantee is awarded the Research Grantee Status, as stipulated in the EBI and the RBI-UC.

XI - Notification of Candidates

All notifications will be made through the electronic platform Apply UC, under the terms of subparagraph c) of paragraph 1 and subparagraph b) of paragraph 2 of Article 112 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC. The notifications will take effect after being made, as provided in Article 113 of the CPA.

XII - Under Articles 121 and 122 of the CPA and Article 22 of the RBI-UC, candidates may, if they wish, submit comments regarding the jury's decisions within 10 business days, through the "Audiência dos Interessados" option in the platform's procedure section.

XIII - Candidates may also submit a complaint within 15 business days or an appeal to the UC's highest-ranking official within 30 business days, both following the respective notification, under Articles 191 and 192 of the CPA.

XIV - Selected candidates must declare in writing, within five business days of notification, their acceptance of the grant and confirm that they meet the requirements to accept the proposed start date of the grant contract. Unless a justifiable reason is provided, failure to provide this declaration within the stipulated time will be considered a renunciation of the grant. In case of renunciation or withdrawal by the selected candidate, the next candidate on the final classification list will be notified.

XV - The full competition process can be consulted by candidates, subject to prior scheduling, by sending an email to the Human Resources Management Service at: [e-mail].

XVI - In compliance with subparagraph h) of Article 9 of the Constitution, the University of Coimbra, as an employer, actively promotes a policy of equal opportunities between men and women in terms of employment access and career progression, ensuring that any form of discrimination is strictly avoided. It encourages underrepresented minorities in each area to apply.

Accordingly, no one may be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged, or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the grounds of ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family status, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, place of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union membership. The University of Coimbra also promotes measures to facilitate the balance between professional, family, and personal life, recognizing the efforts of its employees and fostering motivation.

XVII- The grantee must submit annual activity reports for each renewal and at the end of the grant contract, as stipulated in Article 7 of the RBI-UC, subject to an opinion issued by the respective supervisor(s). The report models, performance evaluation criteria, and the grant contract model are those approved under the University of Coimbra's Research Grant Regulations.