진학프로석·박사 채용 접수 플랫폼

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

(whose scope of application is the FCT Research Grant Regulations)

Title: Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship - FluidicOnChip_1_2026; 1 vacancy

Reference: FluidicOnChip_1_2026_BIPD_MEtRICs (1)

A call for applications is now open for the attribution of 1 (one) grant of Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center – MEtRICs, within the scope of the I&D project “FluidicOnChip: An advanced microfluidic organ-on-a-chip platform to monitor and predict therapeutic effects of nanoparticles”, Reference 2022.06207.PTDC, financed by national funds Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (FCT), in the Scientific Research and Technological Development Projects in All Scientific Domains – IC&DT2020 program, under the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Recipient category: The BIPD are intended for doctorates in Mechanical Engineering, or related areas.

Admission Requirements:

• • Hold a doctoral degree obtained within three years prior to the date of submission of the scholarship application;
• • To have carried out the research leading to the award of the doctoral degree in an organization other than the one hosting the scholarship; *
• • Not exceed, with the conclusion of the contract in question, including possible renewals, an accumulated period of three years in this type of scholarship, consecutive or interpolated;
• • Not to have previously held a post-doctoral scholarship contract with the same I&D Unit. Once the BIPD contract has ended, no new scholarship contract can be signed between the same host organization and the same scholarship holder.

Candidates who do not cumulatively meet the requirements described will be excluded.

* This includes different I&D Units, even if they are based in the same Organic Unit (UOEI) of UMinho (according to nº 4 and 5 of the Article 7º of the FCT I.P. Research Grants Regulations in force).

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 doctoral degree (PhD) in Mechanical Engineering, or related areas. It is required for contractualization, proof of academic qualifications completed at the deadline for applications, including those resulting from academic degree recognition processes.
• • Preferential Requirements: Proven experience in numerical simulation, namely CFD applied to confined systems, using Ansys Fluent, as well as in heat transfer; application of fluid mechanics to experimental systems, including validation methodologies based on image analysis and particle tracking techniques (Particle Tracking Velocimetry, PTV); planning, design and manufacturing of devices involving ceramic, metallic, polymeric and composite materials, with particular emphasis on additive manufacturing techniques; materials characterization, including SEM/EDS, thermal analyses (DSC, TMA for determination of the coefficient of thermal expansion), surface topography and roughness characterization, image analysis and mechanical characterization (DMA, microhardness, among others).

Workplan and objectives to be achieved: The workplan for this scholarship includes:

• • Literature review and preparation of a knowledge document in the area of organs‑on‑chips, biomicrofluidics, sensors, and CFD;
• • Manufacturing and optimization of biomicrofluidic and organ‑on‑chip systems with electronic components;
• • Execution of experimental and numerical tests on biomicrofluidic systems within the scope of the FCT project “FluidicOnChip”;
• • Writing of scientific and technical documentation.

The activities carried out will be evaluated based on execution reports.

The BIPD are restricted in time in order to stimulate scientific employment and the use of researcher contracts as a rule for hiring them - according to nº 2, article 7º of the FCT I.P. Research Grants Regulation (2019).

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, 2025 Amended 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 workplan will be carried out in the Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (MEtRICs) of University of Minho, located in the Azurém Campus, under the scientific supervision and coordination Rui Alberto Madeira Macedo Lima, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho and Principal Investigator of the project.

Fellowship duration: The grant will take place for a period of 11 months, with a provisional starting date in March 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 1851€/month, according to the table of FCT grants in the country (http://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores) and the table of values of the Scientific Research Scholarships of the University of Minho, updated annually by decision of 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 benefits: Reimbursement of Voluntary Social Insurance, if the candidate chooses to receive it, corresponding to the 1st step of the contribution base (for scholarships of 6 months or more) 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 has the following composition:

President: Doctor Rui Alberto Madeira Macedo Lima, Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho.

Effective members: Doctor Carlos Alberto Jorge Leite Faria, (Invited professor equivalent to assistant professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho) and Doctor Cristiano Simões de Abreu, (Adjunct Professor at the Department of Physics, Instituto Politécnico do Porto).

Substitute members: Doctor Maria Cândida Lobo Guerra Vilarinho, (Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho) and Doctor Graça Maria Henriques Minas (Associate Professor with Habilitation at the Department of Industrial 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:

Applicant Merit - AM (100%):

1. 
   
2. 1. Academic path (considering the classifications of academic degrees), with a weighting of 40%;
   1. • Master Course Final Grade, with a weighting of 25%;
   2. • Scientific Area of Master course, with a weighting of 25%;
   3. • Scientific Area of PhD course, with a weighting of 50%
3. 
   
4. 2. Personal curriculum (considering professional and scientific background), with a weighting of 50%;
   1. • Proven experience in numerical simulation, namely CFD applied to confined systems, using Ansys Fluent, as well as in heat transfer. Experience in experimental validation methodologies, including image analysis tools, namely Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV), with a weighting of 50%;
   2. • Knowledge and practical experience in the application of fluid mechanics to experimental systems, including the design, implementation and analysis of laboratory tests, with a weighting of 15%;
   3. • Experience in the planning, design and manufacturing of devices, involving ceramic, metallic, polymeric and composite materials, with particular emphasis on additive manufacturing techniques applied to different materials, with a weighting of 10%;
   4. • Experience in materials characterization, including electron microscopy techniques (SEM/EDS), thermal analyses (DSC, TMA for determination of the coefficient of thermal expansion), surface topography and roughness characterization, image analysis, and mechanical characterization (DMA, microhardness, among others), with a weighting of 25%;
5. 
   
6. 3. Motivation letter, with a weighting of 10%.

The final classification of the applicant’s merit with the achieved through the following formula:

MC=(A*0,4) + (B*0,5) + (C*0,1), in which

A= (A.1*0,25) + (A.2*0,25) + (A.3*0,5), and,

B= (B.1*0,50) + (B.2*0,15) + (B.3*0,10) + (B.4*0,25)

Note: Candidates with degrees obtained abroad must present proof of recognition of the qualifications in Portugal and conversion of the final classification obtained in them to the Portuguese classification scale or a declaration in the terms indicated in the previous point. Candidates who do not comply with one of these provisions will be given a mark of “0” for their degree. Candidates will be evaluated on the remaining parameters.

Application deadline and submission: The call for applications is open from 10/02/2026 till 26/02/2026 or is open for a period of 10 working days from the date of publication on the Euraxess portal.

Applications must be submitted by email to sec-metrics@dem.uminho.pt, indicating the reference number of the competition in the subject line. Only applications submitted within the established deadline and accompanied by the following documents will be accepted:

• • Candidate's updated curriculum vitae;
• • Certificates of the academic degrees obtained or, if applicable, the candidate's declaration of honor that he/she has completed the degrees required in the notice by the application deadline (not applicable to research initiation grants).

For degrees obtained abroad, the record of recognition of the academic degrees and record of the conversion of the respective final classification to the Portuguese classification scale must be presented, or, alternatively, a declaration of honor from the candidate.

This declaration must attest to facts that occurred prior to the application. In the event of a discrepancy between the information contained in the declaration and the documentation submitted for the purposes of contracting the scholarship, only the information contained in the latter will be considered. If it is found that the documents proving the academic degree and diploma, or their recognition under the terms of Decree-Law n. º 66/2018, of August 16, do not correspond to the classifications awarded in the assessment of the academic career and may consequently alter the candidate's ranking, the scholarship will not be contracted;

• • Motivation letter;
• • Declaration of Honor of the Candidate proving that meets the conditions for the grant typology;
• • Other documents that the candidate considers relevant to the evaluation process.

Form of publication/notification of results: The results of the evaluation are published in a single list (by 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.

Constitution of a selection reserve list: The applicants ranked in the next positions on the ordered list will be included in a selection reserve list, which can be used until 30/09/2026.

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 (https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/2s/2025/04/081000000/0027500295.pdf).

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 Regulations for Scientific Research Scholarships 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.

The final 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 I of the Regulations of the University of Minho (https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/2s/2025/04/081000000/0027500295.pdf).

Non-discrimination and equal access policy: Universidade do Minho actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access, so that no candidate may be privileged, benefited, harmed or deprived of any right or exempt from any duty due, namely, to ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and trade union membership.