Postdoctoral call to select researcher for the BDC-Favelas project
Applications may be submitted by email until April 3. Eligibility criteria and required documentation are specified in the call for applications.
The Center for Favela Studies (CEFAVELA) has opened applications for a postdoctoral position to work on the project “BDC-Favelas: Data Cube for Favelas.” CEFAVELA is one of the new Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (CEPIDs) funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), based at the Federal University of ABC (UFABC), and dedicated to the study of favelas. Brazilian and foreign applicants who obtained their doctoral degree no more than seven years ago are eligible to apply. The application deadline is April 3, 2026.
The BDC-Favelas project seeks to address the challenges involved in producing and organizing qualified information on Brazilian favelas, using Remote Sensing (RS) data for Earth observation as its primary source, based on orbital (satellites) and suborbital (drones) platforms. These data are made available through the BDC-Favelas Explorer platform, which employs technological solutions developed under the Brazil Data Cube (BDC) project of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
This research aims to develop a technological solution to support the definition of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) typologies, with a specific focus on identifying risk landscapes in favelas. The core strategy is based on advancing the Brazil Data Cube (BDC) infrastructure to create a customized module capable of integrating drone and satellite imagery, aligning their respective spectral bands. This innovation will enable the stacking of these datasets to generate combined “data cubes” over areas of interest, allowing for detailed analysis of territories susceptible to socio-environmental risks.
The FAPESP postdoctoral fellowship provides a monthly stipend of BRL 12,570.00, plus a technical reserve equivalent to 10% of the annual fellowship amount. General requirements include: holding a doctoral degree or equivalent (PhD) obtained within the past seven (7) years; proficiency in Portuguese; full-time dedication to the research; and availability for on-site work. Specific requirements are detailed in the research project described in the call.
For further information, including the list of required documents and the timeline, please consult the call for applications.
About CEFAVELA
Based at the Federal University of ABC (UFABC), CEFAVELA is a Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center (CEPID) funded by FAPESP and committed to conducting research, training human resources, transferring technology, and disseminating knowledge about favelas to society. It operates in collaboration with various institutions, movements, and organizations engaged in the territorial agenda of favelas. Through an interdisciplinary and multi-scalar approach, CEFAVELA seeks to generate, articulate, and disseminate knowledge to expand the understanding of the territorial dynamics of favelas and the mechanisms underlying the reproduction of spatial inequalities, as well as the limits and potential of programs and policies aimed at improving these territories in the contemporary urban context.
Press contact:
Janaína Simões
WhatsApp: +55 11 99903-6604
Email: comunicacao.cefavela@ufabc.edu.br
Instagram: @cefavela.ufabc
