Junior Research Fellow in AI and Computer Science at SAC, ISRO (Ahmedabad)

Job Description

The Space Applications Centre is taking four Junior Research Fellows in computer science to work on agentic AI and large language model integration, AI methods for meteorology and oceanography, and NISAR radar data, under advertisement SAC:02:2026 (post code 06).

At a glance

• Position: Junior Research Fellow, post code 06
• Vacancies: 4
• Where: Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad
• Stipend: ₹37,000 a month for the first two years, ₹42,000 thereafter, plus HRA
• Age limit: 28 years as on 30 September 2026
• Apply by: 17:00 on 30 September 2026

This is the fellowship for computer scientists who want their models pointed at the physical world. The scope of work names agentic AI and large language model integration, prompt engineering and AI debugging alongside climate-quality data processing and the analysis of L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radar data from NISAR, the radar satellite ISRO built jointly with NASA.

Why this role matters

Weather and ocean forecasting in India runs on satellite data, and the bottleneck is increasingly the software that turns that data into a usable prediction. A fellowship here puts a computer science postgraduate next to the meteorologists and oceanographers who will use what they build, which is a rare and useful thing early in a research career.

What the fellows will work on

• Agentic AI and large language model integration, prompt engineering and AI debugging
• Development of AI-based solutions for meteorology and oceanography, and climate-quality data processing
• Processing and analysis of L-band and S-band SAR data from NISAR for meteorology and oceanography studies
• Development of AI and machine-learning methods and tools in hydrology, remote-sensing time-series analysis, and software for hydrological modelling and data assimilation

Eligibility

• M.E./M.Tech./M.Sc. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or a related discipline
• A valid score in one of: CSIR-UGC NET including lectureship, GATE, or a national-level examination conducted by a central government department or agency such as DST, DBT, DAE, DOS, DRDO, MoE, ICAR, ICMR, IIT, IISc, IISER or NISER
• Maximum age 28 years as on 30 September 2026, with the usual relaxations for SC/ST, OBC-NCL, serving central government employees, persons with benchmark disabilities and ex-servicemen
• Indian nationals only
• M.E./M.Tech. where prescribed needs at least 60% marks averaged over all semesters, or a CGPA of 6.5 on a 10-point scale
• M.Sc./B.E./B.Tech. where prescribed needs at least 65%, or a CGPA of 6.84 on a 10-point scale
• Marks are not rounded up, and a CGPA cannot be converted to a percentage to meet the cut-off

SAC states that the scope of work given against each post is an outline and not exhaustive, that the number of vacancies is provisional and may go up or down, and that it may cancel the recruitment or leave posts unfilled. The positions are temporary and carry no claim to a regular appointment at any Department of Space or ISRO centre. A fellowship is not a government job with permanent tenure. These posts are temporary, tied to the project or scheme that funds them, and the advertisements say plainly that they confer no claim to a regular post. What they do give you is paid research time inside a national laboratory, and in many cases a route into a PhD. Selection is by interview alone. If many applications arrive, SAC will shortlist on academic record and subject specialisation, and says the committee’s decision is final. Shortlists and the interview schedule are published on the SAC website, and call letters go out only by e-mail, so candidates who are not shortlisted hear nothing.

Pay and duration

• ₹37,000 a month for the first and second year, ₹42,000 a month thereafter, plus House Rent Allowance at the rate in force at Ahmedabad if hostel accommodation is not provided
• Medical benefits for yourself only, and leave as per Department of Space and Government of India rules

How to apply

Apply online only, through the portal linked from the official ISRO advertisement page for advertisement SAC:02:2026 (the full advertisement PDF lists every post code). The portal is open from 10:00 on 10 September 2026 to 17:00 on 30 September 2026. There is no application fee for any post. Note that the printed advertisement gives the portal as career.sac.gov.in, which does not currently resolve; careers.sac.gov.in does respond, so use the link on the ISRO advertisement page rather than typing the address by hand. After submitting, save your application number and print the summary, because the site closes for printing after 17:00 on 30 September 2026.

Key dates

• Advertisement SAC:02:2026 dated 10 September 2026
• Online portal open from 10:00 on 10 September 2026
• Closes at 17:00 on 30 September 2026
• Your NET or GATE result must be valid on 30 September 2026

Please read the official ISRO advertisement SAC:02:2026 before applying, and browse more artificial intelligence jobs on ResearchJobs.in.