Funchal opens competition for eight municipal firefighters with a one-year internship

The Municipality of Funchal has opened an external recruitment competition for admission to an internship in the career of professional firefighter (bombeiro sapador), with eight permanent positions. The procedure was published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, no. 187, of September 25, 2026, under the reference Notice no. 23773/2026/2, signed on September 18, 2026, by councilor Diogo Alexandre Gomes Barreto.

The opening results from the deliberation of the Funchal City Council of May 21, 2026, and the order of September 2, 2026, using powers delegated by the mayor through the Order of Delegation and Sub-delegation of Powers of January 8, 2026, publicized by Notice no. 19/2026. The competition is governed by the General Labor Law for Public Functions (Law no. 35/2014, of June 20), by Decree-Law no. 106/2002, of April 13, which establishes the personnel statute for professional firefighters of local administration, and by Decree-Law no. 204/98, of July 11, with the adaptations of Decree-Law no. 238/99, of June 25.

The eight positions correspond to planned and unoccupied posts in the municipality’s personnel map, in the category of professional firefighter (m/f). The Municipality of Funchal declares that it does not have any recruitment reserve to fill these vacancies, and the competition is valid for one year starting from the publication of the final classification list.

Requirements and application deadline

The deadline for submitting applications is ten business days, counted from the day following the publication of the notice in the Diário da República. Applications must be submitted electronically via a form available on the municipality’s website; submissions by email or on paper will not be accepted.

Among the required admission requirements are:

• Age under 25 years, completed in the year the competition opened, i.e., born since January 1, 2002.
• Minimum educational qualification corresponding to the 12th year of schooling, with no possibility of substitution by training or experience.
• Portuguese nationality, 18 years of age completed, compliance with mandatory vaccination laws, and adequate physical robustness and psychological profile.
• A reduction of up to four years from the chronological age for candidates with military service performed under contract, special contract, or volunteering.

Selection methods and jury

The selection is based on four eliminatory methods: a general knowledge test, practical selection tests, a psychological selection exam, and a medical selection exam. The final classification results from the formula CF = (PCG + 2 x PPS + EPS)/4, on a scale of 0 to 20 values, with failure below 9.50 values.

The competition jury is chaired by José Cândido Fernandes Minas, commander of the Funchal Firefighters Corps. The effective members are Simão Basílio da Silva Santos, operational technical assistant, and Susana Maria Rebelo Andrade de Freitas, head of the Human Resources Management Division; Alberto Magno Franco Nóbrega and Frederico António Andrade de Castro serve as alternates.

Working conditions and progression

During the internship, which lasts one year, recruits receive the remuneration corresponding to the first remunerative position of the category, level 10 of the Single Remuneration Table, in the amount of 1,183.35 euros. The workplace is the Funchal Firefighters Corps, with a permanent service organized to ensure 24-hour coverage, every day of the year.

Interns who pass with a grade not lower than 14 points will enter into an indefinite public service employment contract. The notice also guarantees the reservation of one place for candidates with a disability degree equal to or greater than 60% and a quota of 25% of the vacancies for candidates with at least three years of contractual military service.

The opening of this competition reinforces Funchal’s civil protection system, allowing the effective integration of eight new firefighters into a corps with functions in firefighting, population rescue, pre-hospital emergency care, and surveillance of public events. For eligible candidates, it represents a stable entry point into local administration, with an indefinite contract at the end of the internship.

Source: Diário da República, 2nd series, no. 187, of September 25, 2026, competitive procedures section, page 1 (official reference: Notice no. 23773/2026/2).