NOTICE

ANNOUNCEMENT CALL FOR A SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP (BI) FOR MSc HOLDERS

A call is now open for the award of 1 (one) scientific research fellowship (BI) for MSc holders, PhD student, under the project EnergyFlex  - Combining artificial intelligence and optimisation tools for a flexible and resilient green energy system, operation no. 16206, operation code at the Funds Counter COMPETE2030-FEDER-00736300, of the Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering of Coimbra (INESC Coimbra), BI Refª. 16206/EnergyFlex.1/2025, with financial support from FEDER, and national funds through FCT, I.P, under the following conditions:

Scientific Area: Sustainable Energy Systems

Admission requirements Holders of a master’s degree in Energy, Environment, or other related fields. Candidates must be enrolled in a doctoral program that covers the field of sustainable energy systems.. Additionally, the following competencies are required: fluency in both Portuguese and English (spoken and written). Preferred qualifications include knowledge of energy flexibility activation across different sectors, experience in designing questionnaires, familiarity with energy audit techniques and energy management, and understanding of electric energy systems and markets.

We emphasize that the academic degrees obtained in foreign countries require registration by a Portuguese Institution in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of August 16  and Ordinance No. 33/2019 of January 25. The presentation of the certificate is mandatory for the signing of the contract. More information can be obtained at:  https://www.dges.gov.pt/pt/pagina/reconhecimento?plid=374.

Work plan and objectives to be achieved: The energy transition requires the large-scale adoption of renewable energies and the promotion of a proactive consumer attitude, which creates serious challenges for the management of the electricity grid. EnergyFLEX aims to develop simulation and optimisation models and methods combined with technical AI tools to take advantage of flexible demand-side resources to provide the electricity grid with greater intelligence, efficiency and resilience.

The tasks to be carried out by the research fellow include:

1. Characterization of behavioral and organizational flexibility
   1. Analysis of methodologies applied to studies on decision-making and participation in flexibility programs.
   2. Definition of samples and target groups by activity sector.
   3. Support in the development of questionnaires for semi-structured interviews to assess willingness to activate energy flexibility.
   4. Analysis of collected data, identifying energy behavioral patterns, socioeconomic factors, and barriers to the adoption and implementation of flexibility mechanisms in the use of electricity.
   5. Characterization of energy decision-making profiles and existing constraints.
2. Development of models for demand-side flexibility markets
   1. Technical characterization of flexible demand-side resources across different sectors.
   2. b. Quantification of flexibility potentials by sector.
3. Writing of supporting reports and one scientific paper.

Applicable legislation and regulations: Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow, approved by Law No. 40/2004 of August 18, amended and republished by Decree-Law No. 202/2012 of August 27, by Decree-Law No. 89/2013 of July 9, by Decree-Law No. 233/2012 of October 29, and by Law No. 12/2013 of January 29, and amended by Decree-Law No. 123/2019 of August 28, in the drafting in force (https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/estatutobolseiro) and Regulation of Research Grants of FCT, I. P, in  force:  https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/regulamento.phtml.pt

Regime: The granting of the scholarship does not create or entitle a relationship of a legal-labor nature, it is carried out on an exclusive dedication basis and is attributed to the Scholarship Holder/the Scholarship Regulation of INESC COIMBRA, as provided for in the Bylaws of the Research Fellow and in the Research Grants Regulation of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., both in their current wording.

Workplace: The work will be developed within the activities of the Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering of Coimbra (INESC Coimbra), under the scientific guidance of Prof. Ana Soares. The workplace is in the Department Electrical and Computer Engineering of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra.

Duration of the scholarships: The scholarship will last for 1 year or until the end of the project, on an exclusive basis, in accordance with FCT’s advanced human resources training regulation and the INESC COIMBRA Research Scholarship Regulation, and is scheduled to start in October 2025.

Monthly maintenance allowance amount: The amount of the scholarships is in accordance with the table of values of the scholarships awarded directly by FCT, I.P. in the country (https://www.fct.pt/fct-atualizou-o-valor-das-bolsas-para-2025/) and corresponds to 1309,64€, The form of payment will be by bank transfer, for the account to be designated by the Research Fellow. The voluntary social insurance, corresponding to the first tier, is added to this amount if the applicant chooses to subscribe to it, as well as personal accident insurance. The value of the scholarship will not increase over the entire period of its duration.

Selection methods: The selection methods to be used will be the following: curriculum evaluation, with a valuation of 50% for academic qualifications and 50% for the degree of satisfaction of the requirements related to knowledge and experience in particular, knowledge of energy flexibility activation, questionnaire design, energy audit techniques, energy management, and electric energy systems and markets.. If the Jury deems necessary, an interview may be conducted with candidates placed in the top four positions according to the order resulting from the previous criteria. In this case, the final score will include the curricular evaluation (as described above), with a valuation of 75%, and the interview, with a valuation of 25%.

Composition of the Selection Jury: 

President:  Professor Ana Soares

Members: 

Professor Marta Lopes

Professor Carlos Henggeler Antunes

Substitute members:Professor Álvaro Gomes 

Candidates’ eligibility: Without prejudice to the applicable rules for each scholarship type, the following are eligible for fellowship:

1. National citizens or citizens of other Member States of the European Union;
2. Third-party state citizens;
3. Stateless persons;
4. Beneficiaries of political refugee status.

Required documents and application formalization: The application must be formalized by sending, by e-mail, the following documents:

•  Letter of motivation, where the applicant must mention whether he is available to start the fellowship on the scheduled date;
• Document(s) with proof of the ownership of the academic degree and/or diploma(s) required in the call, preferably with indication of the final average and the classifications obtained per curricular unit. Applicants with foreign qualifications must prove their academic degree and foreign diploma under Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of August 16.  These documents may be exempted, during the application stage, by the declaration of honor contained in the application form, which can only attest to facts that occurred on a date prior to the application, with this condition being only verified in the contractualization phase of the fellowship;
• (Optional in the application phase) Document proving the enrollment and registration in the study cycle or non-awarding degree course, as stated in the application notice. This registration may be made at a time after the application, provided that it is complete until the contractualization of the fellowship;
• Updated curriculum vitae of the candidate, with the description of qualifications;
• Proof(s) of another evaluation parameter(s) indicated in the application notice;
• Other certifications and/or other documents considered relevant by the applicant

Applicants with academic degrees obtained abroad will be required to present a Certificate of Recognition in accordance with applicable law. This document is mandatory only in the contractualization phase.

Form of publicization / notification of results: The final evaluation results will be published, through a list ordered by the obtained final grade, published in a visible and public place of the Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering of Coimbra (INESC Coimbra), and the approved candidates will be notified by email. 

After the announcement of the results, candidates are considered automatically notified to, if they wish to do so, comment on the results on a preliminary hearing period within 10 days after that date.

Application deadline: The call is open from August 20 to September 2, 2025.

Submission of applications:  Applications must be sent by e-mail toicolaco@inescc.ptand ana.soares@inescc.pt (BI Refª. 16206/EnergyFlex.1/2025) 

Additional information: In the absence of Applicants complying with the admission requirements (valuation of less than 50%) the fellowship will not be granted.

In case of resignation or withdrawal of the selected candidate, the next candidate with the highest evaluation score will be notified immediately. Once the selection process is completed, the fellowship contract will be drawn up in accordance with the draft contract provided by the FCT. After the contracted period, the fellowship holder and supervisor must prepare the final report in accordance with the respective assessment criteria that were established.

Publication link Notice in PT and EN, on the INESC Coimbra website:

https://www.inescc.pt/wp-content/uploads/Edital_BI_EnergyFlex_1_PT_EN.pdf