Project Associate-II / SRF in Plant Biotechnology: Drought Tolerance and Oil Content in Groundnut (DBT Project), IISER Tirupati

Job Description

IISER Tirupati is recruiting a Project Associate-II or Senior Research Fellow (SRF) in plant biotechnology (Advertisement No. 72/2026) for a DBT-funded project on how MYB96 transcription factors can be used to improve drought tolerance and oil content in two oilseed crops, Indian mustard and groundnut.

At a glance

• Position: Project Associate-II / Senior Research Fellow
• Where: IISER Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
• Pay: Rs 42,000 plus 10% HRA per month with NET/GATE or equivalent, otherwise Rs 33,000 plus 10% HRA
• Duration: six months at first, renewable
• Apply by: 23 September 2026, 5 PM

The project is funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, under project code 30326261, and the Principal Investigator is Dr. Swarup Roy Choudhury. MYB96 is a transcription factor linked to plant responses to drought, and oilseeds such as groundnut and mustard are important crops in India’s drier regions.

About the SRF plant biotechnology post at IISER Tirupati

• Generate transgenic groundnut lines for trait improvement, the task the advertisement names for this post
• Plant tissue culture and molecular biology work that supports the project’s study of MYB96 in drought tolerance and seed oil content

Beyond generating transgenic lines, the advertisement does not list duties; the second point follows from the project aims and the desirable skills.

Eligibility

• A four-year Bachelor’s degree in natural or agricultural sciences, or an M.Sc. in botany, life sciences, biotechnology, biochemistry, agricultural sciences or plant sciences, or an equivalent degree
• Two years of R&D experience in industrial or academic institutions or science and technology organisations, as the advertisement requires alongside the degree
• Desirable: experience in plant tissue culture and plant molecular biology
• Indian nationals only, not more than 50 years old on the closing date
• Candidates still awaiting the final results of the qualifying degree are not eligible

The listed qualifications are the minimum. If many people apply, the screening committee may shortlist on qualifications and experience beyond the minimum, so mention everything relevant. No TA/DA is paid for the interview, and the selected candidate must join immediately. The number of posts may go up or down as the institute requires.

Pay and duration

• Rs 42,000 per month plus 10% HRA (consolidated) for candidates who have qualified CSIR/UGC NET-JRF or DBT JRF, GATE, or a selection through a national-level examination held by central government departments and their agencies
• Rs 33,000 per month plus 10% HRA (consolidated) for everyone else
• Six months at first, renewable on satisfactory performance; the post is temporary and ends with the project

How to apply

Fill in the application form, convert it to PDF, and email it to srchoudhury@labs.iisertirupati.ac.in by 5 PM on 23 September 2026, with the post name in the subject line. No other application form is accepted. Only shortlisted candidates are contacted, by email, so give an active email address and mobile number.

Key dates

• Last date: 23 September 2026, 5 PM
• Tentative interview: 28 September 2026, 2 PM

Please read the official IISER Tirupati advertisement (No. 72/2026) before applying, and browse more Senior Research Fellow jobs on ResearchJobs.in.