Portuguese version: https://repositorio.inesctec.pt/editais/pt/AE2025-0551.pdf

CALL FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS (AE2025-0551)

INESC TEC is now accepting grant applications to award 1 Research Grant (BI) within the scope of the OCEAN_FCT funded by National Funds through FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., project reference .

1. GRANT DESCRIPTION

Type of grant: Research Grant (BI)

General scientific area: ENGINEERING

Scientific subarea: Computer engineering,Electrical engineering

Grant duration: 12 months, starting on 2026-02-16 , with the possibility of being renewed for a maximum term of four years, in the cases of students enrolled in a PhD.

Scientific advisor: Bernardo Silva

Workplace: INESC TEC, Porto, Portugal

Maintenance stipend: 1309.64, according to the table of monthly maintenance stipend for FCT grants (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM_atu…), paid via bank transfer. Grant holders may be awarded potential supplements, according to a quarterly evaluation process (Articles 19, 21 and 22 of the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC and Annex II), up to a maximum limit of 50 of the monthly maintenance stipend.

INESC TEC supports costs with registration, enrolment or tuition fees, during the grant duration, under the terms established in the internal document: "Payment of Tuition fees to grant holders" (https://www.inesctec.pt/pagamento-propinas-bolseirosEN)

The grant holder will benefit from health insurance, supported by INESC TEC.

2. OBJECTIVES:

Specific goals of the PhD work:;
• Literature review on offshore technologies and interconnection networks of offshore parks;
• Definition of criteria and mathematical modeling of the multi-criteria layout optimization problem;
• Development of a network simulation platform, considering different AC and DC connection technologies;
• Development of an integrated tool for evaluating the proposed layout optimization solutions;
• Evaluation of solutions for different park compositions and sizes;

3. BRIEF PRESENTATION OF THE WORK PROGRAMME AND TRAINING:

The need for greater renewable energy penetration, together with the occupation of the best resource sites, has justified the adoption of offshore renewable parks — starting with offshore wind technology and more recently evolving toward the hybridization of offshore parks with other technologies such as wave energy.;
This development opens a set of new research topics related to hybridization, not only from an energy perspective but also from a technical standpoint — particularly regarding how to interconnect wave energy with existing offshore wind farms, and how to design a new hybrid park from scratch with an optimal layout. This involves addressing several aspects such as loss reduction, increased reliability, optimized maintenance, and others.;

4. REQUIRED PROFILE:

Admission requirements:
Electrical and Computers Engineering or any other field
The awarding of the fellowship is dependent on the applicants' enrolment in study cycle or non-award courses of Higher Education Institutions.

Preference factors:
The candidate should have:;
• Strong knowledge of electrical power systems;
• Experience with computational simulation software such as PSS/E and/or DigSilent;
• Experience in Python and CPLEX;
• Experience in optimization applied to electrical power systems;
• Knowledge of grid codes and system service provision by renewable energy parks;
• Knowledge of tools and methodologies for reliability assessment in Electrical Power Systems;

Minimum requirements:
• Not having benefited from a PhD grant awarded by any organisation directly funded by FCT, regardless of its duration.
• In case the work plan of the requested grant takes place totally or partially in foreign institutions (mixed grants or abroad), the candidate must have residence in Portugal, a requirement applicable to both national and foreign citizens.
• Not holding a PhD degree
• To be a student enrolled in a doctoral program in the field of Power Systems

5. EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS AND SELECTION PROCESS:

Selection criteria and corresponding valuation: the first phase comprises the Academic Evaluation (AC), based on the criteria referred to in Article 12 of the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC, while the second phase comprehends the Individual Interview (EI).
All factors are evaluated on a scale of 0 to 100, taking into account the applicants' merit, suitability and conformity with the preference factors.
The weight of the AC factors are as follows: Academic Qualifications (FA, 50), Scientific Publications (PC, 20), Experience (EX, 20) and Motivation Letter (CM, 10).
Candidates who score less than 50 points in the AC average will be considered excluded on absolute merit. The top five candidates approved on absolute merit will be qualified for the individual interview. The Final Grade (CF) is obtained by the weighted average of AC (100) and EI (0).

DISABILITY INCENTIVE

Candidates who present a degree of disability equal to or greater than 90% will benefit from an incentive (20) in the score of the CV Assessment.
Candidates who present a degree of disability equal to or greater than 60% and less than 90% will also benefit from an incentive (10) in the score of the CV Assessment.
Said score may, in these cases, exceed 100 points.
Candidates must demonstrate the degree of disability during the application, namely through the submission of the Multi-Purpose Medical Certificate of Disability, issued in accordance with Decree-Law no. 202/96, of October 23 - currently in effect.

The Selection Jury is composed of the following members:
President of the Jury: Bernardo Silva
Full member: Ricardo Jorge Bessa
Full member: José Villar
Substitute member: João Peças Lopes

Release of results and prior hearing: the results of the selection process, as well as the terms and procedures for prior hearing, will be released to the applicants by email, under the terms referred to in Article 13 of the Regulations for Studentships and Fellowships of INESC TEC.

6. FORMALISATION OF APPLICATIONS:

Application Documents:
1. Motivation letter;
2. Curriculum Vitae (must include the list of previous fellowships, their type, beginning and end dates, funding entities and host institutions);
3. Certificate or diploma degree;
4. Proof of enrollment in a degree awarding study cycle or in a non degree awarding Higher Education program.
- The proof of enrollment may be presented just during the grant hiring stage.
5. Signed declaration stating the infringement of the grant holder's duties (article 14, no. 4)
6. Documental evidence to support the country of residence, residence permit or other legally equivalent document, in cases where the applicant is a foreigner or non-resident in Portugal - valid until the beginning of the grant.
7. Other supporting documents relevant to the final assessment.

Failure to deliver the required documents within the 90-day period after the date of the notice of the conditional awarding of the grant implies its cancellation.

Application period: From 2026-01-05 to 2026-01-16

Submission of applications: the application will be formalised by submitting the form available in the Work With Us section of INESC TEC website.

7. BINDING LEGISLATION AND REGULATION

The hiring process shall comply with the current legislation regarding the Research Grant Holder Statute, approved by Law no. 40/2004 of August 18, in its current wording, as well as by the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC and for https://files.dre.pt/2s/2019/12/241000000/0009100105.pdfFCT Grants Regulation in force.

For more information, please check the Regulations for Grants of INESC TEC and relevant annexes at www.inesctec.pt/bolsas