Funded Research Fellowship at the University of Minho (Portugal)

The University of Minho has opened a call for one research fellowship attached to the SIMATRIX project, a materials engineering initiative run by the Institute for Polymers and Composites (IPC) in Guimarães. The position is aimed at researchers who already hold a master’s degree and who are enrolled, or about to enrol, in a doctoral or non-degree programme. It carries a monthly maintenance grant and a clearly defined six-month work plan focused on computational rheology and process modelling.

Reference IPC/SIMATRIX/MCN/17/2026 sits within a wider effort to improve reinforced pultrusion and extrusion processes through simulation and artificial intelligence. The project, SIMATRIX – Smart & Innovative Materials and Tools for ReInforced Pultrusion and Extrusion (COMPETE2030-FEDER-03272400), is financed by ANI – Agência Nacional de Inovação under Portugal 2030 and the Compete 2030 operational programme. The fellow will work directly on the numerical side of the project rather than on purely experimental tasks.

This is a useful entry point for early-stage researchers who want hands-on experience with open-source computational fluid dynamics applied to polymer processing. It is not a tuition-bearing scholarship in the usual sense; it is a research grant (bolsa de investigação) that pays a monthly amount while the holder carries out a specific work plan. Applicants should read the eligibility section carefully, because the technical requirements are precise.

Overview of the Research Fellowship

The work is hosted at the Institute for Polymers and Composites (IPC), part of the School of Engineering of the University of Minho, on the Azurém Campus in Guimarães. The IPC is a long-standing FCT research unit dedicated to polymer and composite science and technology, and it works closely with the Department of Polymer Engineering. Scientific supervision is provided by Professor João Miguel Nóbrega, who leads work in computational rheology at the institute.

The grant runs for six months, with a provisional start date in July 2026. It may be renewed up to the maximum limit allowed by the project and the applicable legislation, although renewal is not guaranteed. The fellowship operates under an exclusivity regime, meaning the holder commits to the activities under the conditions set out in the Research Fellow Statute and related regulations.

The defined work plan is concrete and split into four stages: setting the modelling and AI requirements for the process; selecting and formulating the preliminary numerical models; defining the computational architecture and adapting the relevant OpenFOAM code; and producing an initial implementation of the impregnation models together with the AI strategy. In practice, the role is well suited to someone comfortable moving between numerical modelling and code development.

Funding and Benefits

• Monthly grant: €1,359.64 per month, in line with the University of Minho research grant scale, updated annually by the Management Board.
• Payment schedule: paid on the 23rd of each month by bank transfer to the fellow’s account.
• Social insurance: reimbursement of Voluntary Social Insurance at the first level of contributions, available for grants lasting six months or more, if the candidate opts in.
• Insurance cover: personal accident insurance for the duration of the fellowship.

Note that the call does not mention tuition coverage. The grant is a maintenance stipend tied to the research work plan, so enrolment costs in any doctoral or non-degree programme are a separate matter that the candidate is expected to handle independently.

Research Areas

The position is anchored in computational modelling of polymer composite manufacturing, with a strong simulation and AI component. The most relevant research directions include:

• Computational rheology using the OpenFOAM library, which is central to the role and listed as a specific requirement.
• Numerical modelling of pultrusion and extrusion, including the formulation and selection of suitable physical models.
• Impregnation modelling for reinforced composite processes, where fibre wetting and resin flow are key challenges.
• AI-assisted process modelling, defining where and how machine learning can complement or accelerate the numerical models.
• Code development and architecture, adapting and extending existing OpenFOAM solvers to fit the project’s needs.

Eligibility Criteria

• Scientific area: Polymer Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Academic level: a master’s degree (or equivalent) is required. Candidates must be enrolled in a doctoral programme or a non-degree course integrated into the educational project of a higher education institution. Applications are accepted without prior registration, but enrolment will be verified at the date the grant is contracted, and the fellowship will only be signed for candidates who provide valid proof of enrolment.
• Technical requirements: demonstrated experience in scientific research projects, and experience in computational rheology using the OpenFOAM library. These are not optional extras; they are the criteria that distinguish competitive applications.
• Nationality: open to nationals of Portugal and other EU member states, third-country nationals, stateless persons, and individuals with political refugee status.
• Foreign qualifications: degrees obtained abroad must be accompanied by recognition of the qualification in Portugal and conversion of the final grade to the Portuguese scale (under Decree-Law no. 66/2018), or by a declaration of honour pending that recognition. Without this, the panel assigns a zero to the relevant degree score.

Required Documents

• An updated curriculum vitae.
• Certificates of the academic degrees obtained, or a signed declaration of honour confirming that the required degree was completed by the application deadline.
• Proof of experience in research projects.
• A motivation letter.
• For foreign degrees: the recognition record and grade conversion to the Portuguese scale, or, alternatively, a declaration of honour.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted by email to mnobrega@dep.uminho.pt, with the competition reference (IPC/SIMATRIX/MCN/17/2026) written in the subject line. Only applications sent within the official window and accompanied by all required documents will be accepted.

Selection is based entirely on the candidate’s merit, scored from 0 to 5 across three weighted components: academic record (50%), personal curriculum covering professional and scientific background (40%), and the motivation letter (10%). The final score follows the formula MC = (a × 0.5) + (b × 0.4) + (c × 0.1). Results are published in a single ranked list, posted publicly at the host unit and sent by email to all candidates, within a maximum of 90 working days from the deadline.

Deadline

The call is open from 22 June to 3 July 2026. The final submission deadline is 3 July 2026 at 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon time). The window is short, so candidates who match the OpenFOAM and research-experience requirements should prepare their documents early rather than waiting until the last days.

Final Advice for Applicants

The decisive factor here is the technical fit. The call explicitly asks for OpenFOAM experience in computational rheology, and the work plan revolves around numerical modelling and code adaptation. If you can point to concrete projects, repositories, or publications where you used these tools, make that visible at the top of your CV rather than burying it.

Because academic record and curriculum together account for 90% of the score, the motivation letter is best used to connect your background directly to the four stages of the work plan, not to make general statements about interest in research. If your degree was earned outside Portugal, start the recognition or declaration process immediately, since an unverified qualification can be scored as zero and pull down your ranking. Finally, confirm your enrolment situation in a doctoral or non-degree course before the contracting stage, as the grant cannot be signed without valid proof of registration.