CALL FOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP – 979843

Organisation/Company

Universidade de Coimbra

Department

Divisão de Projetos e Atividades (Bolsas)

Research Field

Other

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Portugal

Application Deadline

18 Mar 2024 – 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

University of Coimbra opens a call for 1 research fellowship, in the framework of the CEMMPRE Research and Development Unit “Centro de Engenharia Mecânica, Materiais e Processos” (reference: UIDP/00285/2020), financed by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), through national funds (PIDDAC), in the following conditions:

Scientific area: Mechanical Engineering and Sports Sciences.

Skills/Qualifications/Admission requirements: Masters in Sports Sciences, enrolled in a PhD or non-degree course in Mechanical Engineering. Preference will be given to candidates with knowledge of sports, biomechanics, as well as knowledge of programming with Phyton and data analysis.

 “Courses not conferring an academic degree” must be related to the research fellowship’s activity type. “Courses not conferring an academic degree” are the courses referred to in paragraph e) of number 3 of article 4 of Decree-Law no. 74/2006, of 24 March, in the current wording, provided that they are developed in association or cooperation between the higher education institution and one or more R&D units, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph e) of article 3 of the Regulation for Research Fellowships of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). 

Although the recipients must be enrolled in a cycle of studies leading to the attribution of an academic degree or in a course not conferring an academic degree, at the time of application it is not necessary for the candidate to have made such an enrollment, and proof of enrollment must be presented until the fellowship is contractualized. Candidates are only required to meet the requirements to enroll in the training offer. If there are candidates already enrolled (including attending a course), they compete on an equal footing with those who are not enrolled. 

Work plan/ Objectives: This research seeks to develop an advanced AI-biomechanical Analysis tool that can help coaches to define training programs to target the specific needs and weaknesses of athletes.
The biomechanical analysis tool must accurately determine the body loading during a particular sport or exercise task. Hence, observation experiments must be accompanied by a biomechanical analysis tool capable of predicting the loading level of member joints and muscle activation. 
The proposed framework includes three main goals:
The first is to identify the existing sensor technology that has been employed in the several sports studies. The number of new sensors is increasing daily, and it is essential to identify the drawbacks and advantages of those new devices. All technology service providers should have evidence of their efficacy, especially those providing algorithm-based tech solutions. Meanwhile, it is also essential to identify the equipment required for all experiments.
The second goal is to use the selected sensors to generate a data set that can be employed to model the mechanics of articulating bones and contractile muscles and the activation of muscles to generate movement simulations based on physics concepts. In this phase, it is crucial to understand all the experimental and software methodologies and, if necessary, to develop new software in a Matlab, LabView, or Python environment.
The third phase can be used to identify available software that can be employed to model the mechanics of articulating bones and contractile muscles, which are necessary for generating physics-based simulations of movements.
In the fourth stage, it is important to make dissemination of scientific results in top peer-reviewed journals (one review paper) and national and international conferences.

Regime: The attribution of the fellowship does not generate or entitle a relation of a legal-labour nature, and the fellowship is undertaken in an exclusive dedication regime. The fellowship holder is awarded the Fellowship Statute of the UC, in its current wording, according to the Research Fellowship Holder Statute , and according to the Regulation for Research Fellowships of the Foundation for Science and Technology, both in their current wording.

Location: Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at the University of Coimbra.

Duration: 4 months.

Renewal: Eventually renewable.

Scientific orientation: 
Ana Paula Bettencourt Martins Amaro
Maria Augusta Neto
Beatriz Branquinho Gomes.

Financial conditions: The amount of the fellowship is € 1.259,64 corresponding to the monthly compensation stipulated in the FCT table (https://www.fct.pt/en/financiamento/programas-de-financiamento/bolsas/ ), plus   personal accidents insurance. The payment will be made by bank transfer. This amount will not be increased during the entire period of the fellowship duration.

Selection methods: Curricular evaluation (50%) + Interview (50%).

Selection criteria: 
Curricular evaluation:
– Specific knowledge related to the work plan (60%)
– Absolute merit of Curriculum Vitae (40%)

Interview:
– Motivation and interest (40%)
– Knowledge and profile appropriate to the functions to be developed (40%)
– Ability to express oneself and verbal fluency (20%).

Jury responsible for selection: 
President: Bruno Miguel Quelhas de Sacadura Cabral Trindade
Members: Marta Cristina Cardoso de Oliveira and Ana Sofia Figueira Ramos
Substitutes: Luís Filipe Martins Menezes and Amílcar Lopes Ramalho.

Formalization of application: All of the following documents must be submitted at the portal Apply UC – University of Coimbra:
– Motivation letter
– Curriculum Vitae
– Proof of enrolment in a doctoral degree or in a course not conferring an academic degree (optional)
– Certificate of qualifications

The declaration mentioned below must be formalized in a proper form at the platform https://apply.uc.pt .

Declaration on the honor of the candidate(s) with the indication of the fellowship(s) of the typology to which the contest was held and the respective duration(s).

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.

Applications submission: Applications must be submitted at https://app.apply.uc.pt/procedure/IT137-24-108 .

Submission of applications: Between 05/03/2024  and 18/03/2024.

Submission deadline date: 18/03/2024.

Additional information: The evaluation results will be announced within 90 working days after the end of the applications submission deadline, by notifying the applicants via 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. After this, the selected candidates will have to declare in writing their acceptance. Unless a justification worthy of consideration is presented, if the declaration is not submitted within the referred period, it is considered that the candidate waivers the fellowship. 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.

Pursuant to subparagraph h) of Article 9 of the Portuguese Constitution, the University of Coimbra, as employer, actively promotes a policy of equal opportunities between men and women in access to employment and professional development, and acts to prevent each and every kind of discrimination.
Therefore, no one can be privileged, benefited, harmed or deprived of any right or immune from any duty on account of, in particular, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, family, economic situation, education, origin or social condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic or racial origin, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs and trade union membership.

Selection reserve list: n.a. 
 

Requirements

Research Field

Other

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Univesity of Coimbra

Country

Portugal

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://app.apply.uc.pt/procedure/IT137-24-108

Contact

City

Coimbra

Website

https://www.uc.pt/administracao/dpa

Street

Rua Larga

STATUS: EXPIRED