Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Clinical Engineering and Bio-based Medical Devices (BioPLASTEC) University of Leiria and Oeste in Portugal

The University of Leiria and Oeste is inviting applications for one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (BIPD - 196680) within the ciTechCare research unit and the BioPLASTEC project, New Sustainable and Digital Technologies for the Processing of Bio-Based Polymers (reference MPr-2025-1-25477, PPS3), funded by COMPETE2030-FEDER-03033700.

This opportunity sits in the scientific area of Clinical Engineering and focuses on the development and validation of a sustainable orthopaedic medical device manufactured from bio-based polymers. The work is centred on a splint for tendinitis support, produced by microcellular injection moulding, and combines engineering, clinical, and regulatory perspectives to assess performance, safety, usability, rehabilitation relevance, and overall impact in health and wellbeing contexts.

The successful fellow will support the definition of functional, clinical, and regulatory requirements in line with the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR 2017/745), contribute to demonstrator development and validation, and participate in testing related to mechanical properties, thermal stability, and cell structure after expansion. The role also includes evaluation in clinical and community settings, data analysis, sustainability assessment, and dissemination of project outputs.

The call is open to national, foreign, and stateless citizens who hold a PhD in Engineering and Related Techniques, including Biomedical and Biophysical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Automation, or a related area relevant to health. The doctorate must have been awarded within the three years before the application date. Experience in medical devices, health technologies, medical instrumentation, technological validation, scientific writing, and funded research projects will strengthen the application.

The fellowship lasts 12 months and may be renewed until the end of the project or until the maximum duration allowed for this type of fellowship, whichever comes first. It is expected to begin in 2026-11. Funding includes a monthly maintenance allowance of €1901 according to FCT, I.P. values, with possible voluntary social insurance and personal accident insurance provided during the grant period.

Applications must be submitted online by 2026-10-20 via the recruitment portal. Candidates should upload proof of degree, a curriculum vitae, and any other documents relevant to the evaluation criteria. Foreign degree holders must provide recognition documentation under Portuguese law, or ensure it is available for the contracting stage.

Selection is based on a curricular evaluation and interview, with the strongest candidates progressing to the second stage. The supervising professor is Rui Manuel da Fonseca Pinto, and the work will be carried out at ciTechCare in Leiria, Portugal.