RENEWABLE ENERGIES CHAIR

RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP FOR MASTER’S DEGREE – 1 VACANCY

February 17th, 2025 

A call for tenders is open for 1 (one) scholarship for Master’s Degree, within the scope of the project NEXUS: Innovation Pact – Green and Digital Transition for Transport, Logistics and Mobility, Ref. C645112083-00000059, funded by the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan program, trough the European Union – NextGenerationEU (2022-C05i0101-02/ C645112083-00000059), under the following conditions: 

Scientific area: Agronomy

Admission requirements: 

- Master's degree in the scientific area of ​​Agronomy. This is a mandatory condition.
- Familiar with agricultural production systems, crop selection and their evaluation. 
- Experience in the design, preparation, monitoring and evaluation of crops in experimental systems.
- Preferably with previous knowledge or experience in research projects related to agrivoltaics, renewable energy for agriculture, or sustainable agriculture.
- Ability to analyse data and produce scientific documents.
- Good command of English and Portuguese, these will be the working languages.

According to the FCT Research Grants Regulation No. 950/2019 of December 16, 2019, articles 3 and 6, candidates for “BI” (Research Grants) must comply, as a condition for the award of the grant, with effective insertion in study cycles leading to the award of academic degrees or in courses that do not award an academic degree. Courses that do not confer an academic degree correspond to the courses provided for in paragraph e) of paragraph 3 of article 4 of Decree-Law no. 74/2006 of March 24 and must be developed in a higher education institution in association with at least one R&D unit, including the course plan in one or more research areas of the unit. 

Work plan: 

The work plan foreseen for the Scholarship is related to the activities of the NEXUS project in the area of ​​development and technological demonstration of dual land use systems - agrivoltaic and includes:
- Analysis of the legal framework for agrivoltaic applications.
- Definition of cases for testing crops in agrivoltaic experimental pilots, definition of the methodology and plan for monitoring the evolution and performance of crops.
- Technical support in R&D tasks included in the project.
- Support and monitoring of the implementation of suitable crops in the agrivoltaic pilot, analysis of their characteristics and results.
- Support in improving and optimizing the characteristics of this technology, to enable its integration into modern agricultural practices.
- Analysis and production of technical documentation related to this area, to be developed within the scope of the project.
- Support in the acquisition, commissioning, monitoring and analysis of data from pilot facilities, for reporting to project partners and others.
- Support in the project's dissemination and knowledge transfer actions.
- Support in the production of project reports and publication of scientific results. - Support for ongoing R&D tasks at the Renewable Energies Chair.

Applicable legislation and regulations: The granting of the Research Scholarship will be carried out upon the signing of a contract between the University of Évora and the scholarship holder, according to the version in Annex I, pursuant to the Research Scholarship Statute (Law no. 40/2004 of August 18, as amended) and considering the provisions of other applicable legislation and regulations, namely, the Research Grant Regulations of the University of Évora (published by Order no. 8131/2024, of July 22, 2024), and the Research Grant Regulations of the Science and Technology Foundation, I.P. (Regulation no. 950/2019, of July 22, 2024). º 8131/2024, of July 22, 2024), https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/2s/2024/07/140000000/0035300366.pdf and in the Research Grants Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (Regulation no. 950/2019, of December 16, as amended).

Workplace: The work will be developed at the Renewable Energies Chair of the University of Évora, under the general coordination of the Administrator of the University of Évora and scientific guidance of Doctor José Silva and Doctor Fátima Batista, who must prepare an opinion on the final report of the scholarship activities (Annex II), according to the draft in Annex III.

Duration of the scholarship: The scholarship will last 12 months, starting in April 2025. The scholarship contract may be renewed until the end of the budget allocation of the NEXUS funding project.

Value of monthly maintenance allowance: The value of the grant corresponds to €1309.64, according to the table of values ​​of grants awarded directly by FCT, I.P. in the country (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Tabela_valores_SMM_2025.pdf), payments are made monthly, by check or bank transfer.

Selection methods: The selection methods to be used will be the following

Academic Qualifications: 50% 

• Classification: 50%
• Adequacy: 50% 

Curriculum Analysis: 50% 

• Scientific Activity: 50%
• Experience in requested topics: 50%

Composition of the Selection Jury:

President: Doctor José Silva (Researcher CER) 

1º member - Profª Fátima Batista (MED – Director)

2º Vogal – Doctor Afonso Cavaco (Researcher CER)

1º Substitute - Doctor Diogo Canavarro (Researcher CER)

2º Substitute - Doctor Luís Fialho (Principal Researcher CER)

Form of publication/notification of results: The final evaluation results will be published, through a list ordered by final grade posted in a visible and public place at the University of Évora (Renewable Energy Chair, Pólo da Mitra), and the approved candidate will be notified by email.

Under the terms of the right to a prior hearing of interested parties, the Final Classification project will be announced by any written means to all interested parties.

After the provisional list of evaluation results has been communicated, candidates have a period of 10 working days to, if they wish, express their views in a preliminary hearing of interested parties. Based on the final classification list, a reserve selection list will be created, to be used for the eventual hiring of new scholarship holders within the scope of this project, up to the limit of the duration of the scholarship, which may be used in the event of withdrawal of the candidate classified in first place, failure to present the mandatory documentation, or in the event of the scholarship holder cancelling his/her scholarship early. If none of the candidates demonstrates that they have the profile indicated for carrying out the work plan, the jury reserves the right not to award the scholarship. Registration deadline and form of submission of applications:

Application deadline and submission of applications: The tender is open from March 7th  to 21st, 2025 and the selection results will be published by March 28th, 2025.

Applications must be formalized by sending a letter of application accompanied by the following documents: Curriculum Vitae, certificate of qualifications and other supporting documents considered relevant.

For application purposes, proof of registration may be replaced by a declaration of honour by the candidate, but failure to demonstrate, at the contracting stage, possession of the required degree by the application deadline or failure to present proof of enrolment or registration in a study cycle or course not awarding a degree, for scholarships with this component, will result in the candidate's assessment being cancelled.

Academic degrees obtained in foreign countries need to be registered by a Portuguese Institution in accordance with Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of August 16 and Ordinance no. 33/2019, of January 25th. Presentation of the certificate is mandatory for signing the contract.

More information can be obtained at: https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento?plid=374 

Applications should be sent by email to:

PhD. Jose Silva

Renewable Energies Chair at the University of Évora e-mail: catedraer@uevora.pt 

ANNEX I, ANNEX II, ANNEX III:

https://www.uevora.pt/investigar/Oportunidades-de-Investigacao/concursos-bolsas-id?item=42809