1 (One) Research Fellowship (BI) in the field of Exoplanets and Stars

Ref: IA2023-12-BI-M

The Centro de Investigação em Astronomia/Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto (CAUP) opens a call for 1 (one) Research Fellowship in the field of Exoplanets and Stars at the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA).

The Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA) is the most prominent Research Unit in the field of Astronomy/Astrophysics in Portugal, integrating researchers from the universities of Porto, Lisbon and Coimbra, and is responsible for a major fraction of the national productivity in international ISI journals in this field. Research and science communication at IA include topics and instrumentation at the forefront of research in Astronomy/Astrophysics and Space Sciences.

The position is offered in the context of the project “Star-exoplanet compositional link: towards realistic characterization of terrestrial planets (EXO-Terra)” funded by Portuguese funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (reference 2022.06962.PTDC), under the following conditions:

1.- Scientific area: Astronomy and Astrophysics.

2.- Requirements for admission: The applicants must have completed a BSc degree in Astronomy/Astrophysics or a related discipline. They must also comply with the requirements to be enrolled in a MSc Program of a university in Portugal at the time of the start of the fellowship. Only applications from candidates having an adequate background in Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics, or other relevant domains, will be considered.

3.- Additional skills and qualifications:
We're seeking an applicant who's eager to learn and possesses excellent communication skills. The project involves aspects of both stellar astrophysics and exoplanet sciences, so prior knowledge of astronomy is highly desirable. Programming experience with Python is beneficial and will be evaluated positively.

A preference will be given to 2nd year MSc students as they have typically completed a significant portion of their coursework, acquired specialized knowledge, developed a deeper understanding of their field of study, and can devote a significant amount of their time to this project.

4.- Contracting requirements:Presentation of the following documents at the time of signing the fellowship agreement:
5.- Work plan: The primary focus of the project is to investigate the relationship between stars and exoplanets. The project includes the following specific objectives:


6.- Legislation framework: The fellowship contract will comply with:
-    Law n.º 123/2019, of 28th August 2019 - ''Estatuto do Bolseiro de Investigação'' (Research Grant Holder Statute) in force [https://dre.pt/dre/legislacao-consolidada/lei/2004-58216179]
-    Regulation n.º 950/2019, of 16th December 2019 - ''Regulamento de Bolsas e Investigação da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia'' (Regulation of Fellowship of Research) in force [https://files.dre.pt/2s/2019/12/241000000/0009100105.pdf]
-    "CAUP's Fellowship Regulation" (available at www.astro.up.pt/documentos/CAUP-RegulamentoBolsas.pdf).

The fellow's functions are carried out under a scheme of exclusive dedication, in accordance with the terms established in the article 5 of Research Grant Holder Statute (Estatuto do Bolseiro de Investigação).

7.- Monthly allowance: According to the FCT table values [https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Tabela-de-Valores-SMM_2023.pdf], the monthly allowance will be € 930.98 (tax free) and will be paid monthly by bank transfer.

The fellows will have a personal accident insurance. They can also exercise the right to social security by joining the voluntary social insurance scheme, if not covered by any other social protection scheme, under the terms of the Código dos Regimes Contributivos do Sistema Previdencial de Segurança Social, as stipulated in article 10 of the Research Grant Holder Statute (Estatuto do Bolseiro de Investigação).

8.- Place of work: The work will be carried out at CAUP (in the Porto node of the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço), Rua das Estrelas, 4150-762, under the scientific supervision of Vardan Adibekyan and Diego Bossini.

9.- Fellowship duration: The fellowship should preferentially start in July and has a duration of 6 months.

10.- Application: The application, to be submitted through the web form indicated below, should include the following information:


The documents that prove the entitlement of the academic qualifications or diplomas, or the proof of registration in the academic degree or course, can be dismissed during the application period and replaced by a signed declaration of honour. If not provided during the application process, these documents must nevertheless be submitted before the signing of the contract.

In the event that the degree was awarded by a higher education institution outside of Portugal, that degree must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law n.º 66/2018 of 16th August 2018 (approves the legal regime for the recognition of foreign higher academic degrees) and Ministerial Order n.º 33/2019 of 25th January 2019, and all formalities established therein must be complied with up to the date of hiring.

Applicants are advised to check the website of the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) for further information: https://www.dges.gov.pt/en/pagina/degree-and-diploma-recognition. They can also check information on the website of the University of Porto: https://sigarra.up.pt/up/en/WEB_BASE.GERA_PAGINA?p_pagina=1005819.

11.- Deadline: This call for applications will remain open from the 26 May until the 9 June 2023.

12.- Selection criteria and evaluation: The evaluation of the applications will be performed based on:


An ordered list of candidates will be defined by the Selection Committee based on the submitted documents and the criteria mentioned above. Only those candidates who have submitted all requested documents will be admitted and subsequently evaluated. If deemed necessary, the designated referees may be asked to provide reference letters, which will be taken into account in the evaluation of points b.) and c.) of the selection criteria.

13.- Selection Committee:
Elisa Delgado Mena (Chair)
Ângela Santos
Jorge Martins
Jorge Filipe Gameiro
Sérgio Sousa (alternate)

14.- Awarding of the contract: Following the evaluation process, the fellowship will be offered according to the ordered list proposed by the selection committee. The position will be granted only if suitable candidates are identified. Only candidates with a minimum grade of 70% will be accepted. All the candidates will be notified by e-mail, sent by the call holder, with the final classifications and the selection meeting minutes and/or evaluation grids enclosed.

15.- Time limits for the appeal procedure: Candidates have 10 working days, after the date of announcement of the results, to pronounce on the decision through e-mail to jobs@iastro.pt and Chair of the Selection Committee – Elisa.Delgado@astro.up.pt. Appeals against the final decision may be submitted to the Executive Board of CAUP (direcao@astro.up.pt) within 15 working days after the notification date.

16.- Non-discrimination and equal access: CAUP promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access, thus no applicant may be privileged, benefitted, undermined or deprived of any right or exempted from any duty, namely, due to ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, civil status, family situation, economic situation, origin or social condition, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic disease, nationality, ethnicity or race, country or territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union affiliation.

Publication date: 25 May 2023

The period for application submission has ended for this opportunity.