Research Fellowship for Master degree holder- ScisX; 1 vacancy

University of Minho; Portugal; On-site; EUR 13,000 - 16,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Reimbursement of Voluntary Social Ins.

Personal accident insurance

Job summary

University of Minho announces a research fellowship for a Master degree holder within CMEMS-UMinho, focusing on lightweight, adaptive lifting structures for heavy-duty transport. The project includes design, modelling, and experimental validation with potential renewal under project rules.

The grant amount is 1309.64 €/month for 12 months, with start provisional in December 2026. Eligibility follows FCT RBIC and SIID regulations, and includes exclusive work regime and social insurance aspects.

Qualifications

• Candidates must hold a Master degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Enrollment in a degree or non-degree program will be verified at contracting.
• Knowledge of numerical modelling and FEM is preferred.
• Practical experience in mechanical testing is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop models of adaptive-geometry actuation structures for truck lifting mechanisms.
• Design and conduct experimental campaigns to validate actuation solutions in analytical and numerical contexts.
• Work with CMEMS-UMinho lab facilities and prototypes during the project.

Skills

Numerical modelling

Finite Element Method

Education

Master degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

None

Job description

Organisation/Company University of Minho Department CMEMS - Dept. of Industrial Electronic Research Field Engineering » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Master Positions Application Deadline 19 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Country Portugal Type of Contract Not Applicable Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 6 Nov 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number NORTE2030-FEDER-03245600_01/2026_CMEMS Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

Reference: NORTE2030-FEDER-03245600_01/2026_CMEMS

A call for applications is now open for the attribution of 1 (one) research fellowship for master degree holder within the scope of the I&D project of Center for Microelectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho),“Lightweight, Adaptive Lifting Structure for Heavy-duty Transport”, reference NORTE2030-FEDER-03245600 and No. 26071, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), through the National Innovation Agency (ANI), under the SIID Programme – Incentive System for Business Research and Development, integrated into the Innovation and Digital Transition Programme and the Northern Regional Operational Programme, supported under Portugal 2030, under the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Engineering Sciences and Technologies

Recipient category: The fellowship is intended for Masters enrolled in a non-degree course or enrolled in a doctoral program in fields related to those specified in the public notice.

Requirement for granting the fellowship:

• The applicants may apply without prior registration in the course for which the fellowship is open. The requirement to enrol in a degree course or non-academic degree course will be verified on the date of contracting the fellowship;
• Only fellowships whose selected applicants present a valid proof of enrolment in a degree course or non-academic degree course will be contracted, according to the type of the fellowship,issued by a Higher Education Institution, indicating, respectively, the academic year or its duration (star and term).

Applicants’ eligibility:Candidates who meet the conditions set out in Article 9 of the Research Grant Regulations, No. 950/2019, of 16-12-2019, of FCT I.P. are eligible.

Nationals or citizens of other European Union member states, third-country nationals, stateless persons, and citizens with political refugee status are eligible to apply for this competition.

Candidate eligibility requirements:

• Candidates must have, at the date of application, a master degree in in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Polymer Engineering or related fields . During the contracting phase, proof of academic qualifications completed by the application deadline is required, including those resulting from academic degree recognition processes.

b) Contracting phase requirements: enrollment in a non-degree course or a doctoral program in the area or related area specified in the call for proposals.

c) Preferred requirements: Knowledge of numerical modelling and simulation, using the Finite Element Method; practical experience in carrying out mechanical tests.

Work plan and objectives to be achieved:

The research fellow's work will focus on Tasks 1 to 5 of the project. Within this scope, he/she shall develop models of adaptive-geometry actuation structures intended for truck body lifting mechanisms equipped with tipping systems. These mechanisms will be inspired by mechanical scissor-lift actuation systems equipped with hydraulic systems and featuring a high damping capacity. The research fellow will develop actuation solutions capable of overcoming the high loads encountered in the early stage of the lifting cycle, with particular emphasis on reducing the mass of the overall mechanical system. Finally, he/she shall design and conduct experimental campaigns to validate the proposed actuation solutions in both analytical and numerical contexts through the construction of functional prototypes and the actuation of test loads in a laboratory environment. At the end of each task, the grant holder shall be evaluated based on the work carried out.

Applicable legislation and regulations:Research Fellow Statute (EBI), approved by Law nº. 40/2004 of August 18, in its current wording and FCT Research Fellowship Regulation, approved by Regulation nº 950/2019, published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, of December 16, 2019, in its current wording, and Scientific Research Fellowship Regulation (RBIC) of the University of Minho, approved by order nº 4998/2025, published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, nº 81, of April 28, 2025Amended and republished through amendment statement no. 634/2025/2, published in the Official Gazette, 2nd series, no. 132, of July 11.

Host/Contracting institution and scientific supervision: The work plan will be carried out at the Center for Microelectromechanical Systems of the University of Minho (CMEMS-UMinho), located in the Azurém Campus - Guimarães, under the scientific supervision of Professor Nuno Miguel Magalhães Dourado,and coordination of Professor Luís Miguel Valente Gonçalves.

Fellowship duration: The grant will take place for a period of 12 months, with a provisional starting date on December of 2026. The fellowship grant may, eventually, be renewed up to the maximum limit allowed by the project and/or applicable legislation.

Amount of the research grant:The amount of the grant corresponds to 1309,64 €/month, according to the table of values of the Research scholarship of the University of Minho, updated annually, as decided by the Management Board.

Payment is made on the 23rd of each month, through bank transfer to the Bank Identification Number of the fellow identified in the contratualization process.

Other components of the research grant:Define other components of the scholarships, as provided for in Article 18º of the FCT Research Scholarship Regulations (RBI).

Other benefits: Reimbursement of Voluntary Social Insurance, if the candidate chooses to receive it, corresponding to the 1st level of discounts (for research grants with a total duration 6 months or higher) and personal accident insurance.

Exclusivity regime:The grantee will perform the activities under exclusivity, as foreseen in article 5º of the Research Fellow Statutes and applicable regulations.

Selection panel: The selection panel is constituted by the following members:

President: Doctor Nuno Miguel Magalhães Dourado , Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho ;

Effective member: Doctor Andrea Zille, Associate Professor, Department of Textile Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho;

Effective member: Doctor Helena Prado Felgueiras, Assistant Researcher, Centre for Textile Science and Technology, School of Engineering, University of Minho;

Substitute member: Doctor Óscar Samuel Novais Carvalho, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho;

Substitute member: Doctor Nuno Ricardo Maia Peixinho, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho .

The first effective member will substitute the President of the selection panel in case of impediment, being nominate the first substitute member in the place of the first effective member.

Criteria and procedures for applications assessment and selection: The applications assessment will focus on the candidate's Merit, following evaluation criteria, valued on a scale of 0 to 5 values:

A. Curricular Evaluation – A (60%)

A.1: Academic background (reflecting the grades obtained in academic degrees, according to the reference table), weighted at 30%;

A.2: Personal curriculum vitae (reflecting the scientific and professional career path), weighted at 60%;

A.3: Motivation letter and/or letters of recommendation, weighted at 10%.

The Curricular Evaluation (A) score will be calculated using the following formula:

A = (A1 *0.3) + (A2 *0.6) + (A3*0.1)

B. Consolidated Knowledge (40%)

B.1: Knowledge of modelling and numerical simulation using the Finite Element Method (FEM), carrying a weighting of 50%;
B.2: Practical experience in conducting mechanical testing, carrying a weighting of 50%.

The Consolidated Knowledge (B) score will be calculated using the following formula:

B = 0,5*B1 + 0,5*B2

The Final Classification (FC) will be expressed on a scale from 1 to 5, and will be calculated according to the following formula:

FC = 0,6*A + 0,4*B

Applicants with degrees obtained abroad must present proof of recognition of qualifications in Portugal and conversion of the final classification obtained in them to the Portuguese classification scale or declaration under the terms indicated in the previous point. Candidates who do not comply with one of these provisions, the selection panel will assign “0” in the grade of the graduation and/or master course. Candidates will be evaluated on the remaining parameters.

If none of the candidates demonstrate to have a suitable profile for the execution of the work plan, the Jury is entitled to close this call without selecting a candidate.

Form of publication/notification of results: The results of the evaluation are published in a single list ordered by the final score obtained), posted in a visible and public place in the host unit, as well as by email to all candidates, attaching, for this purpose, the minutes of the jury's deliberations, within a maximum period of 90 working days from the deadline for submission of applications.

Candidates are informed, at a preliminary hearing, in accordance with Articles 121 and 122 of the Administrative Procedure Code, of the likely outcome of the final decision, and may comment within 10 working days of this notification.

An appeal may be lodged against the final decision within 15 working days, or an appeal may be lodged with the highest executive body of the funding entity within 30 days, both after the respective notification (Article 12(nº6) of the FCT Research Grant Regulations).

Within 10 working days of notification of the grant award, the applicant must declare their acceptance in writing. In case of non-acceptance, the next highest ranked applicant will be notified immediately.

Fellowship contractualization:The scholarship is awarded through the signing of a contract between the University of Minho and the scholarship recipient, in accordance with point 2.4 of the Rules for the Award and Management of Scholarships https://www.fct.pt/wpcontent/uploads/2022/03/Normas_de_Atribuicao_de_Bolsas_2021.pdf and the draft contract in Annex II of the University of Minho's Scientific Research Scholarship Regulations.

The contract can only be signed after receipt of all the documentation required for the type of scholarship, which must occur within a maximum period of 6 months, including proof of academic degrees or diplomas, as well as enrollment in non-degree study cycles or courses, as applicable.

Once all the documentation has been received, the contracting entity has 60 working days to sign the scholarship contract. Once received by the scholarship holder, the contract must be returned, duly signed, within 15 working days.

Term and cancellation of fellowship contracts:Without prejudice to the other grounds laid down in the University of Minho's Scientific Research Scholarship Regulation and in the Research Fellow Statute, the scholarship will cease on completion of the contracted work plan, as well as on expiry of the period for which it was granted or renewed.

Thefinal report must be submitted to the scientific advisor, in accordance with the defined objectives and evaluation criteria, no later than 60 working days after the end of the scholarship and must be drawn up in accordance with Annex