A call for application is now open for the attribution of 1 (one) Postdoctoral Fellowship, with reference 135/2024/BIPD/AgendasPRR, for development of scientific and technological research activities, under the scheme «Agendas Mobilizadoras para a Inovação Empresarial», namely “Agenda Microeletrónica” project, at the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM)” Research Unit, at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, with the following conditions:

1. Scientific Area: Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Engineering Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry and related areas

2. Funding entity: funded by the PRR - Recovery and Resilience Plan and by the NextGenerationEU, through the scheme «Agendas para a Inovação Empresarial». 

3. Admission Requirements: candidates must be Doctorate (BIPD) in the Science and Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry and related area. 

The proof of enrolment must be made until the contract signing date, and the candidate may attach a declaration of honor to confirm that they meet the admission requirements.

If the qualification has been conferred by a foreign higher education institution it must be recognized by a Portuguese higher education institution, under the terms of the provisions of article 25 of Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of August 16th, which approves the legal regime of recognition of academic degrees and diplomas of Higher Education, attributed by foreign higher education institutions, and of paragraph e) of no. 2 of article 4 of Decree-Law no. 60/2018, of August 3rd, and any formalities established therein must be fulfilled by the date of the hiring act.

4. Eligibility: candidates who comply with provisions of paragraph a) nº1 from article 2 of the Statute of the Research Fellow are eligible, as amended by Decree-Law nº 123/2019, of 28 of August, and also the provisions of article nº 8 of the Scientific Research Grant Regulations of the University of Aveiro.

The postdoctoral fellowship can only be granted if all the following requirements are met:

a) The doctoral degree has been obtained within the three years prior to the date of submission of the application for the grant;

b) The postdoctoral research is carried out in a host entity different from the entity where the research work leading to the doctoral degree was carried out;

c) the research activities do not require postdoctoral experience;

d) the research activities have a time frame for development and implementation up to three years;

e) The fellow does not exceed, with the conclusion of the grant contract in question, including possible renewals, an accumulated period of three years in that type of grant, consecutive or interpolated.

5. Work Plan:

1st Month: Bibliographical Review and Definition of Methodology - Detailed review of advanced oxidation processes

(such as Fenton and electrooxidation) and membrane technologies applied to the treatment of effluents from the semiconductors. - Interpretation of existing results of biological (aerobic and anaerobic) and physicochemical processes

(coagulation-flocculation, adsorption, ion exchange) as pre- or post-treatment processes to optimize the COD removal efficiency. - Definition of experimental methodologies, including selection of compounds representative, operating parameters and analysis methods.

2nd and 3th Months: Advanced Oxidation Testing - Implementation of laboratory tests to evaluate oxidation efficiency

Fenton and electrooxidation in the degradation of specific organic contaminants. - Optimization of parameters operating conditions (reagent concentrations, electrical current, reaction time) to maximize COD reduction. - Assessment of the generation of by-products and the energy efficiency of these processes.

4th and 5th Months: Implementation and Testing with Membrane Technologies - Configuration and operation of filtration systems membranes (e.g. ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis) to treat post-oxidation effluents. – Analysis the ability of membranes to remove remaining pollutants and concentrate byproducts for treatments secondary or appropriate disposal. - Study of the integration of membrane technologies with production processes oxidation and other processes (including biological processes) to develop a closed treatment system.

6th Month: Data Analysis and Treatment Sequence Proposal - Compilation and analysis of experimental data to evaluate the overall efficiency of the tested systems in removing COD and other contaminants. - Comparison of results with the standards obtained through traditional biological and physicochemical processes. - Development of a proposal for a treatment sequence that efficiently combines the processes studied, optimizing the COD reduction and operational sustainability. Preparation of a scientific article.

6. Legislation and regulations: the fellowship assignment will be done according to the Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow, published in Decree-Law nº 123/2019, of 28 of August; Scientific Research Grant Regulation of the University of Aveiro, Regulation No. 292/2020, published in Diário da República No. 61, Series II, of March 26th; Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of August 16th (Legal regime of recognition of academic degrees and diplomas of higher education awarded by foreign higher education institutions) (available at https://www.ua.pt/en/sgrh/bolseiros).

7. Place of work: the work will take place at Department of Environment and Planning of the University of Aveiro under the scientific supervision of Professor Doctor Maria Helena Gomes de Almeida Gonçalves Nadais and Doctor Flávio Gonzaga Castro Santos Silva.

8. Duration of the grant(s): the research fellowship will last for 6,5 (six and half) months, with an expected starting date on the 16th of December of 2024. The fellowship may be renewed up to the maximum limit of approved funding, during the project implementation period, and without exceeding the duration limits defined for the type of fellowship in article 8 of Regulation no. 292/2020, of February 28th, published in Diário da República, no. 61, Series II, of March 26th (Scientific Research Grant Regulation of the University of Aveiro).

9. Monthly allowance: The monthly allowance is €1.801,00 according to the table of values of monthly allowance set out in Attachment III of the Regulation on Scientific Research Scholarship of University of Aveiro, subject to any updates that may occur if applicable. The payment will be made by bank transfer. The candidate may also be reimbursed for the amount corresponding to the Voluntary Social Security, in case of adherence.

10. Selection method: the selection methods to be used include Curricular Evaluation, with the option Interview in case the Jury considers that do not have the conditions of deciding based on Curricular Evaluation. The sub criteria to be assessed under Curricular Evaluation (with a weight of 0 - 20  points) are: 

- R&D experience in the scientific area of ​​the competition (50%)

- Number of scientific publications (20%)

- Adequacy and merit of the candidate's CV taking into account the scientific area(s) of opening of the course

Contest (30%)

If the jury considers that do not have the conditions for deciding based on Curricular Evaluation, an interview may be held, where the final score will be 50% for curricular evaluation and 50% for interview.

The jury reserves the right to not admit candidates for interview that do not reach the minimum classification of 10 points (in a scale from 0 to 20 points), as well as not to assign the research fellowship if among candidates there is no one who has a minimum final classification of 10 points. 

11. Members of the Jury: resident: Professor Maria Helena Gomes de Almeida Gonçalves Nadais; Permanent members: Professor Flávio Gonzaga Castro Santos Silva and Professor Manuel Arlindo Amador de Matos; Substitute members: Professor Ana Paula Duarte Gomes and Professor Luís António da Cruz Tarelho.

12. Period for submission of applications: the call is open between 24th of October 2024 and 7th of November 2024. Only applications received in this period will be considered for evaluation. Applications must be submitted by e-mail to recr-agendasprr@ua.pt with identification of the reference number in the email subject.

Applications should include the following mandatory documents: certificate(s) of qualifications, curriculum vitae, declaration of honor, application form, motivation letter. The candidate should also indicate the e-mail address to be notified for all purposes within the scope of this procedure.

Failure to comply with the deadline for submission of the application, as well as the incorrect formalization of the application, result in the exclusion of the application.

13. Publication/notification of results: the results of the evaluation will be published within 60 working days after the final date of submission of the application, whereas the candidates will be notified by email. For the purposes of prior hearing of interested parties, the deadline of 10 working days after notification is set, as provided for in the Code of Administrative Procedure. At the end of the period for hearing the interested parties, and in the absence of any response from them, the list of candidates will become final. Candidates may lodge a complaint against the final decision within 10 working days after notification of the final decision, by appealing to the Rector.

14. Research fellowship duration: The final ranking list of candidates will be valid for 12 months for the purpose of constituting a reserve list for selection. 

University of Aveiro, 17th October, 2024

Professor Doctor Maria Helena Gomes de Almeida Gonçalves Nadais

PT Version Link: https://www.ua.pt/pt/noticias/3/88342