PhD in Silvopastoral Systems — Instituto Politécnico de Bragança

Key details

• Host institution: Instituto Politécnico de Bragança
• Location: Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Sta Apolónio, Bragança, Portugal
• Application deadline: August 3, 2026

Funding

LIFE Programme

How to apply

• Apply by email to [email protected] (subject line and attachments per the official instructions).
• Full vacancy text and updates: Euraxess listing.

About the position

The Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB) invites applications for a Research Grant (BI) within the “SILFORE – Toward the Conservation and Management of Resilient Agroforestry Systems Based on Silvopastoral Management Practices” project. This initiative is funded by the EU LIFE Programme (Ref. LIFE21-CCA-ES-LIFE SILFORE) and aims to deepen knowledge of silvopastoral systems in northern Portugal, particularly in the context of climate change resilience.

Scientific Field

Silvopastoralism

Work Plan

The selected candidate will contribute to three main tasks: (1) compiling a methodology for collecting data to monitor the resilience of forest systems to climate change through silvopastoral use; (2) preparing a draft methodological guide for assessing the resilience of forestry systems to climate change via silvopastoral management; and (3) writing a scientific article on fuel structure and fire risk in the SILFORE demonstration sites. The work will be carried out at the Escola Superior Agrária – Ligeo, under the academic supervision of Marina Castro and Gelson Difante.

Objectives

This grant offers the opportunity to deepen knowledge of silvopastoral systems in northern Portugal, become familiar with the production of outreach materials, and acquire skills in scientific writing.

Eligibility Requirements

• Hold a master’s degree in forestry sciences.
• Be enrolled in a PhD programme in the field of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences.
• Have experience in analysing soil, vegetation, and tree inventory data.
• Preferably have fieldwork experience in the region of the Montesinho Natural Park.
• Experience with methodologies for collecting and processing data in bibliographic databases (Scopus, Web of Science) is desirable.
• Proficiency in Portuguese is essential: candidates must be native speakers or possess a C1 level of proficiency.

Grant Details

The grant will have an initial duration of 3 months, scheduled to begin on 1 September 2026, with the possibility of renewal for up to a maximum of 6 months (including the initial period). The monthly maintenance grant amount is 1,359.64€, according to the FCT table of grant values. Recipients will benefit from personal accident insurance and may join the voluntary social security scheme if not already covered.

Selection Methods

Candidates will be assessed based on: (a) quality of the CV and its suitability for the project (40%); (b) field experience (20%); (c) letter of motivation (20%); and (d) other elements of the candidate’s profile (20%). In case of a tie or very close scores among top candidates, an interview will be conducted, with the final assessment weighted as CV assessment (50%) and interview (50%). The selection jury comprises Marina Castro, Gelson Difante, and João Paulo Castro.

Application Process

The call is open from 21 July 2026 to 3 August 2026. Applications must be submitted through the IPB application portal (http://concursos.ipb.pt) and include: a curriculum vitae, a certificate of qualifications, and a cover letter. Documents proving academic qualifications may be replaced by a declaration of honour at the application stage, but verification is mandatory during the grant contract phase. Academic degrees obtained abroad must be recognised by a Portuguese institution in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018.

Notification and Appeals

Results will be published via the IPB application portal or by email. Candidates have 10 working days after the publication of evaluation results to request a prior hearing if the decision is unfavourable. An appeal against the final decision may be made to the President of IPB within 15 working days after notification.