Reference: ARDITI-ECHO-2026-001-BI
ARDITI - Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation - Association, opens a call for applications for one (1) Research Fellowship, within the scope of the research activities of the project “ECHO - Earthquakes, Currents, Hydroacoustics and Oceanography with Distributed Acoustic Sensors - 2024.13655.PEX”, under the following conditions:
Application period: from 17/06/2026 to 30/06/2026
Type of fellowship:
Research Fellowship for students enrolled in Master's/Integrated Master's programs (bachelor’s degree holders).
Scientific area:
Geophysics, distributed sensors
Host institution:
ARDITI – Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation – Association / Dom Luiz Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon
Scientific supervisor:
Manoel Afonso Loureiro, PhD
Funding entity:
FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, through ARDITI – Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation – Association
Target applicants:
The research grant is intended for R&D activities by a student enrolled in a Master's or Integrated Master's program (bachelor’s degree holders) in Geophysical Sciences, Marine Sciences, or related fields.
Eligibility requirements:
The following may apply for the fellowship:
a) Nationals of Portugal or of other Member States of the European Union
b) Nationals of third States
c) Stateless persons
d) Beneficiaries of refugee status
Admission requirements:
To apply, candidates must also meet the following requirements:
General requirements:
- Enrollment in a Master's or Integrated Master's program in Geophysical Sciences, Marine Sciences, or related fields.
- The fellowship will only be contracted if the selected candidate presents a valid enrolment certificate in a degree-awarding study cycle, issued by the Academic Services of the Higher Education Institution, indicating the current academic year or the duration of the course (start and end dates).
Preferred requirements:
- Knowledge of the Python programming language
- Knowledge of the Linux operating system
- Ability to work independently
- Knowledge of the English language (CEFR level B2)
- Good knowledge of the Portuguese language (native or CEFR level B2).
Work plan:
The ECHO project - Earthquakes, Currents, Hydroacoustics and Oceanography with Distributed Acoustic Sensors (2024.13655.PEX) aims to determine transfer functions between apparent deformation data measured with distributed acoustic sensors in fiber optics and seismic and oceanographic data. This will require managing a large volume of data, which must be cataloged and converted into formats suitable for the various tasks of the project.
The work plan for this fellowship includes:
- Management, cataloging, and conversion of DAS data,
- Preparing data volumes for transfer function calculations
- Creating a catalog of seismic events with relevant DAS data windows, metadata, and auxiliary formats
- Creating a catalog of marine mammal vocalizations, with relevant metadata
- Collaborating on other technical and operational support tasks for the execution of the project.
- Collaboration in the preparation and writing of articles for submission to international conferences and journals.
Work Location: The execution of the tasks foreseen in the work plan will preferably take place at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon.
Duration of the fellowship:
The fellowship will have a maximum duration of 6 months, with an expected starting date of 1st of September 2026.
Monthly maintenance allowance:
The fellowship holder will receive a monthly maintenance allowance of 1090,98 euros, tax exempt, in accordance with the ARDITI table of monthly maintenance allowances and Annex 1 of the ARDITI Research Fellowship Regulations (https://cloud.arditi.pt/index.php/apps/files/files/73196848?dir=/_Atividades/_ARDITI_docs/_Regulamentos/Bolsas&openfile=true).
Payments due to the fellowship holder are made by bank transfer to the account indicated by the holder.
The monthly maintenance allowance is paid during the last week of each month.
Other benefits:
All fellowship holders benefit from personal accident insurance related to the research activities, supported by ARDITI.
All fellowship holders who are not covered by any social protection scheme may exercise their right to social security by joining the voluntary social insurance scheme, under the terms of the Contributory Regimes Code of the Social Security Welfare System, with ARDITI bearing the cost of the contributions under the terms and within the limits established in Article 10 of the Research Fellowship Holder Statute.
How to apply:
Until 30-06-2026, interested candidates must submit their application by email to
The following documents must be attached to the email, in a single file:
A. Updated Curriculum Vitae in Portuguese
B. Motivation letter explaining how the candidate meets the requirements of the call, research abilities and research interests
C. Valid proof of enrollment in a master's degree or integrated master's degree in the area of Geophysical Sciences, Marine Sciences, or similar areas, issued by the academic services of the Higher Education Institution, indicating the current academic year or its duration (start and end);
D. List of completed curricular units, respective ECTS credits and grades
E. Graduation certificate, including the list of completed curricular units, respective ECTS credits and grades.
Selection committee:
President: Dr. Manuel Afonso Lages Braz Vargas Loureiro, PhD Researcher at ARDITI
Member: Dr. Susana Custódio, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon
Member: Dr. Stéphanie Dumont, Assistant Researcher at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon
Alternate member: Dr. David Schlaphorst, Adjunct Researcher at the Higher Institute of Engineering of Lisbon
Alternate member: Dr. Andreia Fernandes, Researcher hired by Fciências.ID
In case of impediment of the President, he will be replaced by the first full member, and the first alternate member will be appointed to replace the full member.
Evaluation and selection criteria and procedures:
Each application that meets the admission requirements will be evaluated by the selection committee.
The evaluation of the admitted applications will be based on the combined assessment of the following criteria, graded on a scale from 0 to 20:
- Criterion A: Evaluation of the Curriculum Vitae and its suitability to the preferential requirements (50%)
- Criterion B: Final average of undergraduate academic training (30%)
- Criterion C: Demonstrated motivation to work on the project (20%)
Applications will be ranked according to the weighted average of the scores obtained in the three evaluation criteria, with the following weights: Criterion A – 50%, Criterion B – 30% and Criterion C – 20%.
For tie breaking purposes, candidates will be ranked according to the scores obtained in each criterion, in the following order of precedence:
Criterion C, Criterion A, Criterion B.
The evaluation committee may interview, via videoconference, the top 3 candidates. The interview score is expressed on a numerical scale of 0 to 20 points.
If an interview is conducted, a weighting factor of 80% is assigned to the curriculum evaluation score, and a weighting factor of 20% is assigned to the interview score.
Disability bonus:
- Candidates with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 90% will receive a 20% bonus in Criterion C.
- Candidates with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 60% and less than 90% will receive a 10% bonus in the same criterion.
- The degree of disability must be proven by submitting, with the application, a Multi Purpose Disability Medical Certificate (AMIM), issued under Decree Law no. 202/96 of 23 October, in its current wording. Following the amendments introduced by Decree Law no. 15/2024 of 17 January, in the case of AMIMs subject to renewal or reassessment, they are considered valid provided they are accompanied by proof of having requested a disability assessment medical board before the expiry date of the certificate.
Deadlines for publication of results, prior hearing, complaint and appeal:
The draft decision on the evaluation (provisional results) will be communicated to all candidates by email within 90 working days of the application deadline.
After this communication of the provisional results list, candidates with a draft decision unfavorable to the awarding of the fellowship have a period of 10 working days to comment in a prior hearing of interested parties, under Articles 121 and following of the Code of Administrative Procedure.
The final decision (final evaluation results) will be issued and communicated after analysis of the statements submitted in the prior hearing of interested parties.
A complaint may be lodged against the final decision within 15 working days, or alternatively, an appeal may be filed within 30 working days, both periods counting from the date of the respective notification.
The submission of opposing arguments by candidates in these stages of contestation, and the communication of the outcome of their analysis, will take place exclusively by email:
Terms and conditions for scholarship renewal:
Renewal of the fellowship always depends on a request submitted by the fellowship holder within the 60 working days prior to the start date of the renewal period, accompanied by the following documents:
a) Detailed report on the research carried out, including the URLs of any communications, publications and outputs resulting from the activity, if applicable
b) Work plan for the renewal period
c) Copies of communications and publications resulting from the activity carried out, if applicable
d) Opinions issued by the supervisor(s) and by the host institution(s) on the monitoring of the scholarship holder’s work and the assessment of their activities
e) Updated document proving compliance with the exclusive dedication regime
f) Document proving renewal of enrolment in the degree awarding study cycle
Failure to submit a renewal request within the deadline set in paragraph 2 of Article 15 of the RBI will result in the scholarship expiring.
Non discrimination and gender equality policy:
ARDITI – Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation – Association promotes a policy of non discrimination and equal access, and therefore no candidate may be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the grounds, namely, of ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, origin or social condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic or racial origin, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union membership.
Personal data processing:
ARDITI – Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation – Association will act as the data controller (as defined in the GDPR), with the collection and processing of candidates’ personal data being essential for the selection and recruitment procedure and for the possible subsequent conclusion of the fellowship contract.
In order to facilitate the performance of processing, activities related to pre contractual steps, scholarship candidates are expressly informed that ARDITI – Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation – Association, as data controller, may process the following categories of personal data:
a) Identification and contact data
b) Academic and curricular data
c) Data relating to professional experience
d) Amounts received under the scholarship
Scholarship candidates are informed that, in order to comply with legal obligations, ARDITI – Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation – Association may disclose and/or transfer personal data to the following entities:
a) Instituto de Qualificação, IP-RAM
b) Instituto para o Desenvolvimento Regional, IP-RAM
d) Tax Authority
e) IGFSS – Social Security Financial Management Institute
f) IGF – Audit Authority
g) Regional Government
Funding:
The research fellowship is funded by the project ““ECHO - Earthquakes, Currents, Hydroacoustics and Oceanography with Distributed Acoustic Sensors - (Reference 2024.13655.PEX)
Applicable legislation and regulations:
The call is governed by this Call for Applications, by the ARDITI Research Fellowship Regulations and by the Research Fellowship Holder Statute approved by Law no. 40/2004 of 18 August, in its current wording, and by other applicable national and European legislation. For more information, please consult the ARDITI Research Fellowship Regulations at: https://cloud.arditi.pt/index.php/apps/files/files/73196848?dir=/_Atividades/_ARDITI_docs/_Regulamentos/Bolsas&openfile=true.
Contact point:
Information about the call should be requested by email to
