CALL FOR ONE MSC. RESEARCH GRANT UNDER THE FORESTSPHERE R&D PROJECT-Application period: Septemb[...]

Institute of Systems and Robotics-Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra; Portugal; Presencial; EUR 30 000 - 40 000; Tempo integral

Resumo da oferta

A leading research institution in Portugal seeks a Research Fellow for a project on wildfire risk management. This position requires a Master’s degree in relevant engineering fields and involves responsibilities such as UAV data collection, software development for aerial mapping, and real-time data processing. The role offers a monthly stipend of €1309.64 and a unique opportunity to contribute to sustainable development through innovative technology.

Qualificações

• Candidates must be enrolled in a PhD or Non-degree course in Portugal.
• Demonstrated coursework or R&D project involvement in UAV data acquisition.
• Experience in field data collection and system troubleshooting.

Responsabilidades

• Lead data collection with UAVs for forest mapping.
• Develop large-scale mapping pipeline using UAV data.
• Participate in field deployments and performance evaluations.

Conhecimentos

Knowledge of UAV operation

Proficiency in Python

Familiarity with photogrammetry

Collaboration in multidisciplinary teams

Oral communication skills in English

Formação académica

Masters/MSc in Computer Science, Robotics, or related

Ferramentas

GNSS-RTK positioning

Agisoft Metashape

GIS frameworks

Descrição da oferta de emprego

Offer Description

CALL FOR ONE MSC. RESEARCH GRANT UNDER THE FORESTSPHERE R&D PROJECT

Job: 1 (One) Research Fellowship for Masters/MSc.

Main research field:Engineering

Sub research field:Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics or a related area.

Application period:September 17 to September 30, 2025

The Institute of Systems and Robotics of the University of Coimbra (ISR-UC) opens a call for applications for one (1) Research Fellowship for Masters/MSc. in the scope of the R&D Project: ForestSphere (FCT/AMA DigitalTwins4SmartTerritories - DT4ST call), funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), under the implementation of the sub-investment with the code C19-i08, designated as “Smart Territories - AMA” of the PRR, component C19 – Public Administration – Digitalization, Interoperability, and Cybersecurity; and public funds from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education.

Project Description:

A group of research teams affiliated with the University of Coimbra, in collaboration with several companies and public entities, recently received funding of around 1.5 million euros to develop a digital tool to support wildfire risk management, in order to contribute to the digitization of territories in Portugal, promoting innovation and sustainable development through digital twins.

This is the ForestSphere Project, which will be coordinated by ADAI and includes the participation of ISR-UC, Onesource, Boldrobotics, Sim4Safety, REN, the Intermunicipal Community (CIM) of Coimbra, and the Lousã City Council. The DGT, ICNF, and ANEPC will also collaborate on the project.

A “digital twin” is a computer-based representation of the most relevant elements required to depict a given physical reality—in this case, a forest—with the components and parameters necessary to describe and model the physical processes involved in its management through technological and human resources. In the case of ForestSphere, the goal is to reconstruct the terrain, vegetation cover, buildings, and infrastructure, as well as the meteorological environment that can influence wildfires, using sensor data gathered from a variety of sources, including satellites, aerial, and ground-based systems. Using this data and computational models, the project will simulate various wildfire risk management interventions, spanning from prevention and firefighting to post-fire recovery.

The main objectives of the project include:

• Developing an open, scalable, and modular Digital Twin architecture.
• Enabling accurate, high-resolution forest mapping using advanced sensing techniques.
• Implementing real-time data processing for dynamic updates of the Digital Twin.
• Using Artificial Intelligence for predictive analysis of wildfires.
• Designing user-centred decision-support tools to assist firefighting teams and policymakers.
• Conducting pilot studies to demonstrate the applications of the Forest Digital Twin in forest and wildfire management.

Admission requirements: Masters/MSc. in the areas of Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics or a related area (see selection criteria). At the time of contract signature, the chosen candidate must be enrolled in a doctoral program or a non-degree course in Portugal.

Work Plan: The selected candidate will support the ForestSphere research team by contributing to R&D tasks related to airborne mapping with drones for Digital Twin applications in forestry. Specifically, the candidate will be responsible for:

• Performing and leading data collection with UAVs for the ISR team within the ForestSphere project;
• Developing a UAV-derived large-scale mapping pipeline leveraging GNSS-RTK positioning, IMU, multispectral or RGB cameras, and possibly LiDAR data, ensuring spatial consistency and coverage;
• Generating, manipulating, converting, loading, and saving aerial maps into standard formats such as PLY or PCD to feed the Forest Digital Twin data aggregator;
• Developing modular and reusable software components to ensure seamless interoperability of UAV-acquired above-the-canopy mapping within the broader ForestSphere Digital Twin architecture (e.g., integration with understory maps at ground level and sensor-derived mapping data with GIS systems);
• Assessing the performance of airborne mapping solutions in natural forest environments, focusing on metrics such as accuracy, scalability, completeness, and consistency;
• Participating in field deployments for both UAV aerial mapping and UGV ground-level mapping, including data acquisition, performance evaluation, and validation of the integrated multimodal mapping system. This also includes participation in pilot trials involving setup, on-site support, data collection, and post-trial evaluation of system performance;
• Actively participating in project partner meetings, including technical and quality management sessions, to support joint research activities and contribute to meeting project milestones.

Composition of the jury:

Doctor David Portugal (co-supervisor) and

Workplace: The workplace is located at the Institute of Systems and Robotics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rua Sílvio Lima, University of Coimbra – Pólo II, 3030-290, Coimbra.

Duration of the scholarship: The scholarship will last for the duration of the project (until at least March 2026), subject to the grantee's performance, on an exclusive basis, according to the FCT's advanced human resources training regulation.

Monthly Remuneration: The amount of the grant is € 1309.64 net, according to the FCT Monthly Maintenance Stiped for Research Grants for MSc. Holders, and the internal scholarship rules of ISR for scientific research and personal accidents insurance.

Selection Method: Curricular evaluation (100%). If the Jury deems it necessary, an interview may be held with the candidates placed in the first two positions according to the ordering resulting from the previous criteria. In this case, the final score will include the curricular evaluation (as described above), valued at 75%, and the interview, valued at 25%. If none of the candidates has the appropriate profile (overall assessment below 50%), the scholarship will not be awarded.

Selection criteria:

a) Curricular Evaluation

Criterion 1. Absolute merit of the candidate, considering his/her performance in the master's and bachelor/licentiate degree, or integrated master's degree (30%);

Criterion 2. Knowledge of tools and methodologies related to UAV operation, UAV data acquisition, UAV mapping, photogrammetry and SLAM systems, demonstrated through coursework or participation in R&D projects , including field data collection, system setup, troubleshooting in natural forest environments, and performance assessment . Familiarization with perception pipelines and multisensory systems for outdoor environments will be highly valued. (40%);

Criterion 3. Proficiency in programming (e.g., Python, C++), software development for Linux environments, familiarity with mapping pipelines and data processing tools for aerial mapping (e.g. Agisoft Metashape, GIS frameworks, etc.). (30%)

b) Interview (should it occur)

Criterion 1. Motivation to work on the project, ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams and willingness to contribute to field deployments, pilot trials, and project partner meetings (50%);

Criterion 2. Competence in the oral response to questions on the selection criteria subjects. Appropriate spoken English skills will be valued (50%).

Formalization of applications: Applications must be sent in pdf format to the following e-mail addresses: [e-mail] and [e-mail] with the subject: ForestSphere-ISR-UC-BIM4-Fellowship-2025.

The following documentation must be sent in the email:

• Copy of the certificate (s) of academic qualifications. Applicants with academic degrees obtained abroad must present a Certificate of Recognition in accordance with applicable law until the application deadline.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV). Should include the academic qualifications with the mean overall final classification in the courses, the Master dissertation title, and relevant experience in the selection criteria.
• Letter of presentation and application. Should include the candidate’s summarized background and motivation to work on this field. In cases where candidates have motivation to pursue a PhD in a related field and experience in Mobile Robotics, AI and Computer Vision, these should be clearly stated.
• Proof of enrollment/signed commitment to enroll in PhD or Non-degree course in Portugal upon start of contract.

Deadline for formalizing the application:September 30, 2025.

Form of publicity / notification of the results: The results of the evaluation will be publicized, through a list ordered by the final grade obtained, with the candidates being notified by email. After the dissemination of the results through e-mail, the candidates must consider themselves, from the outset, notified to, if they wish, express themselves in a prior hearing within a maximum period of 10 working days after that date. At the end of this period, the selected candidate must consider himself summoned to start the scholarship.