Senior Project Associate in Natural Dye Chemistry: Temple Floral Waste to Industrial Dyes, CSIR-IHBT Palampur
Job Description
CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, is holding a walk-in interview on 21 September 2026 for a Senior Project Associate in natural dye chemistry on a project that turns temple floral waste into industrial dyes and composts what is left, as part of a circular-economy effort (Advertisement No. 16/2026, position code 16001).
At a glance
- Position: Senior Project Associate (one post)
- Where: CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh
- Pay: Rs 42,000 per month plus 10% HRA, consolidated
- Duration: project tenure up to 31 March 2027
- Interview: 21 September 2026, 9:30 AM (walk-in)
The project (FTT050606) is titled “Valorization of Temple Floral Waste into Industrial Dyes and Leftover for Compost to Boost Circular Economy”. Large quantities of flowers offered at temples are discarded every day, and many of those flowers contain pigments that can be extracted as natural colourants.
Why this role matters
Natural dyes are a growing alternative to synthetic dyes in textiles and other industries, and using floral waste also keeps it out of rivers and landfill. The post suits a chemist with natural product experience who wants to work on a product that can reach industry.
About the Senior Project Associate natural dyes post at CSIR-IHBT
- Extraction and chemistry of natural colourants from temple floral waste, towards industrial dyes
- Work on using the leftover biomass for compost, the second aim in the project title
The advertisement does not list duties; the points above follow from the project title and its desirable experience.
Eligibility
- M.Sc. in chemistry or M.Pharm. in chemistry from a recognised university, with three years’ research and development experience in industrial or academic institutions or science and technology organisations
- Or a doctoral degree in chemistry, industrial chemistry or pharmacy, with two years’ research and development experience
- Desirable: research experience in natural product chemistry or in natural colours and dyes
- Age: at most 40 as on 21 September 2026 (five years’ relaxation for SC/ST/PwBD and women, three years for OBC)
Candidates reporting after 10:00 AM are not allowed to appear, and online interviews are not offered. Candidates whose results are awaited are not eligible. The selection committee may hold a multiple-choice test before the interview on the same day. Engagement is temporary, on behalf of the sponsoring agency, and lasts for the project or six years, whichever is earlier; performance is reviewed every six months. No travelling allowance is paid. Queries go only to recruitment.ihbt@csir.res.in.
Pay and duration
- Rs 42,000 per month plus 10% HRA, consolidated
- Temporary and co-terminus with the project, whose tenure runs to 31 March 2027
How to apply
Come to CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, on the interview date at 9:30 AM (reporting after 10:00 AM is not allowed) with the application in the prescribed format, which is attached to the advertisement, with a recent colour passport-size photograph affixed, self-attested photocopies of your certificates of age, qualifications and experience, and all the originals. Use a separate form for each position code if you apply for more than one. This post’s interview is on 21 September 2026.
Key dates
- Advertisement No. 16/2026 posted on the CSIR-IHBT website on 8 September 2026
- Walk-in interview: 21 September 2026, 9:30 AM (no entry after 10:00 AM)
Please read the official CSIR-IHBT Advertisement No. 16/2026 before applying, and browse more Research Associate jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT)
Official advertisement: www.ihbt.res.in
How to prepare for this application
- Dye chemistry: revise the main natural pigment classes (anthocyanins, carotenoids, flavonoids) and how their colour depends on pH and metal ions.
- Extraction: be ready to compare solvent, ultrasound and microwave extraction, and how you would scale one up.
- Application testing: know how dyes are tested on fabric: mordants, colour fastness to light and washing, and CIE colour values.
- Evidence of experience: the post needs two or three years of R&D experience, so bring certificates that show dates and the work done.
- Circular economy: think about what happens to the residue after extraction and how compost quality is judged.
About CSIR-IHBT
The CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, is a laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It works on the bioresources of the Himalayan region: plant and microbial biotechnology, natural products and chemistry, agrotechnology for crops such as tea, flowers and aromatic plants, and food and nutraceutical products. Like other CSIR laboratories it also trains PhD students through the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR).
