3-month predoctoral research fellowship for one (1) PhD student, eventually renewable.

Job Information
Organisation/Company: Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Research Field: Aesthetics and/or Philosophy of Perception
Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
Country: Portugal
Application Deadline: 15 Feb 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon)
Type of Contract: Temporary
Reference Number: UIDB/04666/2020

Offer Description:
The candidate must develop the following work plan within the scope of the CHAM exploratory project “IMCS – Imagination and Memory at the Intersection of Culture and Science”, by the principal investigator (PI) Dr Fabio Tononi:
a) Bibliographic data collection;
b) Contribute to the preparation of an academic essay on a topic to be defined jointly with the PI;
c) Support the PI in organizing activities linked to the project;
d) Develop research activities integrated into the objectives of the IMCS project.
 
Applications should be sent by email to chamfcsh.unl.pt, with the heading “Concurso BI_IMCS,” with the following documents:
1. CV;
2. MA Diploma; 
3. A writing sample (maximum 8000 words), published or unpublished;
4. An outline (max 600 words) of the fit between the candidate’s research and that of Dr Tononi’s (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fabio-Tononi), as well as potential joint papers;
5. Declaration of honor, stating that the candidate will not exceed the period of one year (consecutively or not) on this type of grant, and that they have never received funding from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) before, directly or indirectly;
6. For students who received their degrees abroad (i.e., not in a Portuguese higher education institution): candidates must have a degree conversion made by the Portuguese State, as mandated by the Portuguese law; candidates who have not yet obtained this degree conversion previous to the application must submit a declaration of honor in which they promise to obtain the degree conversion before signing the fellowship contract.

Researcher Profiles: PhD Students.

The successful candidate:
1. Must attend a PhD course in the field of aesthetics and/or philosophy;
2. Must have developed research on nearby areas of the CHAM exploratory project “IMCS – Imagination and Memory at the Intersection of Culture and Science” (more info on the project here: https://cham.fcsh.unl.pt/projectos-detalhe.php?p=3289), particularly regarding the dialogue between the humanities and neurosciences;
3. Must demonstrate interest in developing research on topics such as: Aesthetic experience; Aesthetic responses to images and/or works of art; Empathy from a philosophical, psychological or neuroscientific perspective; Emotions from a philosophical, psychological or neuroscientific perspective; Imagination and mental images from a philosophical, psychological or neuroscientific perspective; Memory from a philosophical, psychological or neuroscientific perspective; The notion of sublime; The biology of symbols; The power of images.

Research fields: Aesthetics and/or Philosophy of Perception.

Applications should be sent by email to chamfcsh.unl.pt, with the heading “Concurso BI_IMCS” and with the documents mentioned in the Offer Description section. 

Requirements
Research Field: Aesthetics and/or Philosophy of Perception
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications: Ability to write academic articles / Excellence in academic research
 
Specific Requirements
1. Candidates must be enrolled in a PhD program (before the starting date, April 1, 2024).
2. It is highly desirable that the candidate’s main research field is Aesthetics and/or Philosophy of Perception.
3. Research experience is highly desirable.

Additional Information
Benefits: The monthly stipend of the fellowship is € 1199,64. There is also an added amount of €142,21/month for those who wish to enrol in and pay for Social Security, which covers the Social Security monthly fee.  
Eligibility criteria: Candidates must be enrolled in a PhD degree.

Selection process
The selection of the successful candidate will be made according to the following criteria, corresponding to a total of 20 points: 
1. Curricular path (0-15 points):
Education (0-6 points);
 Scientific and professional path (0-9 points).
2. Statement of purpose (0-5 points), which should be a maximum of one page in length. In this statement, candidates should enumerate the reasons for their application and explain how their own professional and personal skills can contribute to the overall work-plan and project goals. 
 
The selection committee consists of:
Chair: Dr. Fabio Tononi
Dr. João Luís Lisboa
Dr. Adelino Cardoso
Dr. Cristina Brito

The application outcomes will be sent to all candidates by email, listing them from highest to lowest score. Should a candidate have a complaint regarding their final score and/or the results of the selection process, they can make a written complaint within 10 working days of receiving the application outcomes by email. A decision regarding their complaint will be made within 60 working days of the same being received, after which candidates have 15 working days to appeal this decision or 30 working days to communicate their appeal to the funding institution.

Additional comments
Draft scholarship contract: https://www.fcsh.unl.pt/static/documentos/concursos/bolseiros/Minutas/C…
Draft Final report to be prepared by the grantee: https://www.fcsh.unl.pt/static/documentos/concursos/bolseiros/Minutas/R…
Draft Final report to be prepared by the supervisor:
https://www.fcsh.unl.pt/static/documentos/concursos/bolseiros/Minutas/R…
Website for additional job details:
https://cham.fcsh.unl.pt/en/projects-detail.php?p=3291
https://www.fcsh.unl.pt/static/documentos/concursos/bolseiros/Edital_Bolsa_fina…

Contact
City: Lisboa
Website: http://www.fcsh.unl.pt
Street: Av. de Berna, 26 C
Postal Code: 1069-061