Research Associate in Privacy-Preserving Cryptography for Blockchain, IIT Kharagpur (DRDO Project)
Job Description
This Research Associate post in cryptography at IIT Kharagpur builds privacy-preserving protocols for blockchain systems used in defence. The project is funded by DRDO and run in the Department of Mathematics. Apply online by 19 October 2026.
At a glance
- Post: Research Associate (RA), one post
- Where: Department of Mathematics, IIT Kharagpur
- Principal Investigator: Dr Ratna Dutta
- Funded by: Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management (DFTM), DRDO, Ministry of Defence
- Pay: ₹58,000 a month, consolidated
- Duration: One year, extendable up to four years
- Age limit: 35 years
- Apply by: 19 October 2026
The advertisement is IIT/SRIC/R/PPB/2026/103. The project is titled “Construction of Privacy Preserving Cryptographic Protocols for Blockchain-Based Applications in Military and Defence Organizations”.
About the cryptography Research Associate post at IIT Kharagpur
- Design cryptographic protocols that keep data private on a blockchain
- Work on protocols meant for military and defence use
- Write proofs, papers and project reports with the PI’s group
The ad names the project and the qualifications. It does not list duties; the points above follow the project title.
Why this role matters
Defence systems want the audit trail of a blockchain without exposing what is on it. Protocols that do both are still rare. This post lets a new Ph.D. turn theory into protocols with a real user in mind.
Eligibility
- A Ph.D. (or MD/MS/MDS or equivalent), or three years of research, teaching or design and development work after an M.Tech, ME, M.Pharm or MVSc with at least one paper in a Science Citation Indexed (SCI) journal
- Specific to this post: a Ph.D. in cryptography, mathematics, computer science or a related field
- At least 65% marks in both your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
- Upper age limit: 35 years
Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview call. The advertisement lists no application fee. The appointment is for one year to start. It can be extended up to four years in total, or until the project ends, whichever is earlier, based on performance.
Pay and duration
- ₹58,000 a month, consolidated, depending on qualification and experience
- One year to start, extendable up to four years or until the project ends
How to apply
Apply online through IIT Kharagpur’s SRIC staff recruitment portal. Use the Apply Online button on the official advertisement. The portal asks you to register or log in first. The advertisement lists no application fee. Apply by 19 October 2026 and watch your email for the interview details. Other current SRIC project openings are on the SRIC recruitment page.
Key dates
- Last date to apply: 19 October 2026
- Interview: details by email to shortlisted candidates
Please read the official IIT Kharagpur advertisement before applying, and browse more Research Associate jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Official advertisement: erp.iitkgp.ac.in
How to prepare for this application
- Lead with your thesis: be ready to explain one protocol from your Ph.D., its security model and its proof.
- Revise privacy tools: zero-knowledge proofs, ring and group signatures, commitments and secure multiparty computation.
- Know blockchain limits: why a public ledger leaks data, and how permissioned chains differ.
- Think about defence needs: access control, audit trails and post-quantum security all matter here.
- Read the group's papers: look up Dr Ratna Dutta's recent work in public-key cryptography. Use our Find a supervisor page to compare cryptography groups.
About IIT Kharagpur and SRIC
IIT Kharagpur, founded in 1951, was the first of the Indian Institutes of Technology. Its Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy (SRIC) unit manages externally funded research projects. SRIC also recruits the temporary staff, such as JRFs and research associates, who work on them. These posts last for the tenure in the advertisement, or until the project ends.
