CALL FOR ONE SCIENTIFIC INITIATION GRANT UNDER THE FORESTSPHERE R&D PROJECT - Ref. ForestSphere-ISR-UC-BIC1-Fellowship-2025 - Application period: September 3 to 16, 2025

  • Coimbra
  • 651 € por més
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Offer DescriptionCALL FOR ONE SCIENTIFIC INITIATION GRANT UNDER THE FORESTSPHERE R&D PROJECTJob: 1 (One) Scientific Initiation GrantMain research field: EngineeringSub research field: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science or a related area.Application period: September 3 to 16, 2025Job description:The Institute of Systems and Robotics of the University of Coimbra (ISR-UC) opens a call for applications for one (1) Scientific Initiation Fellowship in the scope of the R&D Project: ForestSphere (FCT/AMA DigitalTwins4SmartTerritories - DT4ST call), funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), under the implementation of the sub-investment with the code C19-i08, designated as “Smart Territories - AMA” of the PRR, component C19 - Public Administration - Digitalization, Interoperability, and Cybersecurity; and public funds from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education.Project Description:A group of research teams affiliated with the University of Coimbra, in collaboration with several companies and public entities, recently received funding of around 1.5 million euros to develop a digital tool to support wildfire risk management, in order to contribute to the digitization of territories in Portugal, promoting innovation and sustainable development through digital twins.This is the ForestSphere Project, which will be coordinated by ADAI and includes the participation of ISR-UC, Onesource, Boldrobotics, Sim4Safety, REN, the Intermunicipal Community (CIM) of Coimbra, and the Lousã City Council. The DGT, ICNF, and ANEPC will also collaborate on the project.A “digital twin” is a computer-based representation of the most relevant elements required to depict a given physical reality-in this case, a forest-with the components and parameters necessary to describe and model the physical processes involved in its management through technological and human resources. In the case of ForestSphere, the goal is to reconstruct the terrain, vegetation cover, buildings, and infrastructure, as well as the meteorological environment that can influence wildfires, using sensor data gathered from a variety of sources, including satellites, aerial, and ground-based systems. Using this data and computational models, the project will simulate various wildfire risk management interventions, spanning from prevention and firefighting to post-fire recovery.The main objectives of the project include:
  • Developing an open, scalable, and modular Digital Twin architecture.
  • Enabling accurate, high-resolution forest mapping using advanced sensing techniques.
  • Implementing real-time data processing for dynamic updates of the Digital Twin.
  • Using Artificial Intelligence for predictive analysis of wildfires.
  • Designing user-centered decision-support tools to assist firefighting teams and policymakers.
  • Conducting pilot studies to demonstrate the applications of the Forest Digital Twin in forest and wildfire management.
Admission requirements: Students enrolled in a professional higher technical course, a bachelor's degree, an integrated master's, or a master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, aiming to begin their scientific training through integration into R&D projects to be carried out at national institutions.Work Plan: The selected student will undergo training by engaging in R&D activities aligned with the ForestSphere project. The focus will be on developing initial scientific and technical skills through supervised participation in the following activities:
  • Familiarization with hardware integration: training in the assembly, configuration, and operation of hardware components (sensors, computing units, communication modules) to understand their role in forest data acquisition.
  • Introduction to ROS-based development: learning how to set up and test sensor drivers and low-level interfaces (e.g., LiDAR, camera input, serial protocols) under guidance, with emphasis on reliability in field data collection.
  • Practice in mapping software evaluation: assisting in the design and execution of testing procedures to gain experience in assessing system stability and module performance.
  • Supervised participation in pilot trials: involvement in the preparation, on-site support, data acquisition, and post-trial reflection to develop skills in field experimentation.
  • Training in digital twin validation: supporting iterative validation processes, with supervised opportunities to analyze results and contribute to feedback-based adjustments of the infrastructure.
Composition of the jury:Doctor David Portugal (supervisor),Professor Doctor Paulo Monteiro Peixoto (co-supervisor) andDoctor João Ruivo Paulo.Workplace: The workplace is located at the Institute of Systems and Robotics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rua Sílvio Lima, University of Coimbra - Pólo II, 3030-290, Coimbra.Duration of the scholarship: The scholarship will last for the duration of the project (until at least March 2026), subject to the grantee's performance, on an exclusive basis, according to the FCT's advanced human resources training regulation.Monthly Remuneration: The amount of the grant is € 651.12 net, according to the FCT Monthly Maintenance Stiped for Scientific Initiation Grants, and the internal scholarship rules of ISR for scientific research and personal accidents insurance.Selection Method: Curricular evaluation (100%). If the Jury deems it necessary, an interview may be held with the candidates placed in the first two positions according to the ordering resulting from the previous criteria. In this case, the final score will include the curricular evaluation (as described above), valued at 75%, and the interview, valued at 25%. If none of the candidates has the appropriate profile (overall assessment below 50%), the scholarship will not be awarded.Selection criteria:a) Curricular EvaluationCriterion 1. Academic performance and motivation of the candidate, considering results obtained in the bachelor's/licentiate degree and/or an ongoing master's degree (30%);Criterion 2. Initial familiarity with concepts in mobile robotics (e.g., mapping, SLAM), sensor technologies (LiDAR, cameras, IMUs), and experimental practices-demonstrated through coursework, academic projects, or introductory participation in R&D activities (40%);Criterion 3: Basic programming skills in Python or C++, as well as initial experience with software development in Linux and interest in learning middleware and libraries such as ROS, OpenCV, or the PointCloud Library (PCL) (30%).b) Interview (should it occur)Criterion 1. Motivation to work on the project (50%);Criterion 2. Competence in the oral response to questions on the selection criteria subjects. Appropriate spoken English skills will be valued (50%).Formalization of applications: Applications must be sent in pdf format to the following e-mail addresses: and with the subject: ForestSphere-ISR-UC-BIC1-Fellowship-2025.
The following documentation must be sent in the email: * Proof of enrollment in higher education program.
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV). Should include academic qualifications and corresponding grades, including marks from completed courses and relevant experience related to the selection criteria.
  • Cover letter and application. Must include a summary of the candidate's background and motivation to work in this field.
  • Recommendation Letter (optional).
Deadline for formalizing the application: September 3 to 16, 2025.Form of publicity / notification of the results: The results of the evaluation will be publicized, through a list ordered by the final grade obtained, with the candidates being notified by email. After the dissemination of the results through e-mail, the candidates must consider themselves, from the outset, notified to, if they wish, express themselves in a prior hearing within a maximum period of 10 working days after that date. At the end of this period, the selected candidate must consider himself summoned to start the scholarship.Where to apply E-maillara@isr.uc.ptRequirementsResearch Field Engineering Education Level Bachelor Degree or equivalentLanguages ENGLISH Level GoodAdditional InformationWebsite for additional job detailsWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica Country Portugal State/Province Coimbra City Coimbra Postal Code 3030-790 Street Rua Silvio Lima GeofieldContact State/ProvincePortugal CityCoimbra WebsiteStreetPolo II, University of Coimbra Postal Code3030-790 E-Mailinfo@isr.uc.ptSTATUS: EXPIREDShare this page

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