Ph.D. Junior Researcher Software Engineering Research (Human Behaviour Simulation) Lisboa

Offer Description

COFAC, Cooperativa de Formação e Animação Cultural crl. /Universidade Lusófona, hereby opens a call to recruit a Ph
D Researcher, corresponding to position 33 of the Single Remuneration Table, under the terms of the applicable legislation, with an uncertain term Employment Contract, within the scope of the contract programme between the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I. P. (FCT) and the above‑mentioned Cooperative, supported by national funds inscribed in the budget of the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and carried out at the Research Unit HEI‑Lab - Digital Human‑Environment Interaction Lab, UID/05380/2025.

Where to apply

E-mail: bruna. antonio@ulusofona. pt

Responsibilities

• Design and implement software systems that simulate and model human behaviour in immersive environments.
• Integrate psychophysiological data (e. g. , EEG, EDA, EMG) into interactive digital applications for experimental and clinical use.
• Provide technical and computational support for HEI‑Lab’s research on digital mental health and behavioural assessment.
• Develop reproducible, scalable, and ethically compliant research software aligned with ongoing national and EU‑funded projects. Submit and support HEI‑Lab’s contributions to national and EU funded projects (Digital Europe, Horizon Europe, FCT).

Qualifications

• Ph
  D (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Video Games, Psychology or closely related fields, with no more than five years of post‑doctoral research experience.
• Participation as a researcher in funded R&D projects.
• Minimum of four scientific articles published as author or co‑author in indexed international journals.
• Proficiency in English (speaking and writing).
• Technical skills: experience with Python (Pandas, Numpy, Matplotlib, etc. ), popular Python machine‑learning libraries (Py
  Torch, Keras, etc. ), statistical and machine‑learning methodology.
• Bonus: experience with Unity3D, Unreal Engine or other game engines; psychophysiology data collection; design and execution of human‑participant trials; publication in Computer Science, XR, HCI, Machine Learning, Psychology or Psychophysiology.

Contractual terms

• Uncertain term employment contract with a maximum duration of 36 months, renewable after 12 months.
• Gross base monthly salary: €2, 351. 53 (14 months).
• Merit pay increases and bonuses as per the Single Remuneration Table (position 33).
• Start date: 1 February 2026.
• Work location: Universidade Lusófona, Campo Grande, 376, Lisbon, or other necessary sites.

Application process

Applicants must submit their application by email, in PDF format, to the following addresses: carla. madeira@ulusofona. pt and bruna. antonio@ulusofona. pt with the subject: Junior Researcher SE/COFAC/ULusófona‑HEI‑Lab/2026. Include:

• Curriculum vitae detailing professional experience, list of scientific publications, and funded‑project participation.

• Ph
D certificate.

• Contact information of at least two academic referees.

• Portfolio link (e. g. , Git
Hub, Personal Website).

• Any other relevant documents.

Selection method

Evaluation criteria:

• Candidate merit (75%).
• Interview (25%).

Minimum weighted score of 15 out of 20 is required to advance. No applicant scoring below 15 will be considered.

Deadline

Open from 3 November to 3 December 2025 (Lisbon time).

Policy of non‑discrimination

COFAC/Universidade Lusófona actively promotes a policy of non‑discrimination and equal access. No candidate may be privileged, disadvantaged or deprived of any right on the basis of ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, economic situation, education, origin, or any other protected characteristic.

Data protection

By applying, you agree to the use of your personal data by COFAC/Universidade Lusófona staff for the purpose of this open call, in accordance with GDPR principles.