FCT Individual Scientific Employment Stimulus (CEEC Individual)
Funds individual employment contracts for researchers at Portuguese research institutions across all scientific fields.
The Individual Scientific Employment Stimulus Call (Concurso de EstÃmulo ao Emprego CientÃfico Individual, CEEC Individual) is FCT's annual call for individual employment contracts at Portuguese R&D units, run since 2017. Selected PhD candidates are hired directly by their chosen host institution, with FCT funding the salary. The call covers all scientific areas — agricultural sciences, engineering, exact sciences, medicine and health, natural sciences, social sciences, humanities. Four reference categories: Junior Researcher (limited postdoctoral experience), Assistant Researcher (PhD for more than 5 years, no scientific-independence requirement), Principal Investigator (PhD for more than 5 years, scientific independence in the last 3 years), and Coordinating Researcher (PhD for more than 5 years, habilitation or associate professor, high-merit leadership curriculum). Applicants identify the host institution in advance. The 8th Edition (Dec 2025 – Feb 2026) funded 400 contracts; the 7th Edition (Nov 2024) also funded 400. Since the FCT-Tenure programme launched in 2024 to support permanent positions, CEEC Individual has been focused on the initial cycles of a research career.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.