PhD Opportunity: Reduce Bycatch of Threatened Marine Animals in Portugal

The University of Coimbra’s Department of Life Sciences is offering a fully funded PhD position to join the EU Horizon 2030 REDUCE project, aiming to reduce bycatch of threatened mega-fauna in the East Central Atlantic, attracting passionate marine conservationists, computer scientists, and AI enthusiasts.

Your Role:

The PhD candidate will work on the REDUCE project, collaborating with experts from the University of Coimbra and Data-fish. Their research will focus on optimizing electronic monitoring systems for fishing vessels, including machine learning models for automatically tagging bycatch events and deep learning models for accurate species detection and classification. They will also optimize databases and conduct comparative analyses.

About the Scholarship:

Fund type: Fully funded Scholarship for PhD program
Scholarship amount: €23,000 per year (before tax)
Starting Date: As soon as possible
Last Date to apply: Open until filled

Eligibility:

• Hold a four-year BS or two-year Master’s degree in Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Computer Science, Bio-Informatics, Mathematical Sciences, or a related field.
• Have good hands-on experience in programming skills in R, Python, Matlab, or similar languages.
• Show willingness to learn and use AI frameworks like TensorFlow, Keras, or PyTorch.
• Express your commitment to personal development and a knack for problem-solving.
• Have a fluent skill in English (B2 level minimum).

How to Apply:

• Write a motivational letter that describes your interest in the following position.
• Your complete CV.
• Attach your transcript record for BS and Master’s diploma (if applicable).
• Share contact information referees from your academic or employment institutes.
• Make a single PDF file for all the required documents and send it via email to Catarina.s.silva@uc.pt.

Its a great opportunity so do not miss it and Apply today!