Junior Research Fellow in Rotating Detonation Engines, IIT Kharagpur (6 Posts, ARDB-DRDO Project)
Job Description
These six JRF posts in aerospace propulsion at IIT Kharagpur work on rotating detonation engine (RDE) development and a test facility. You need proven hands-on skill in at least one of seven areas. Apply online by 3 November 2026.
At a glance
- Posts: Junior Research Fellow (JRF), six posts
- Where: Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kharagpur
- Principal Investigator: Prof. Manoranjan Sinha
- Funded by: ARDB, DRDO
- Fellowship: ₹37,000 a month, consolidated
- Duration: One year, extendable up to four years
- Age limit: 35 years, as shown on the portal
- Apply by: 3 November 2026
The advertisement is IIT/SRIC/R/FAT/2026/101, dated 19 October 2026. The project is “RDE Development with Real Time Flow and Thrust Control, Phase-1 RDE Engine Testing Facility”. It also covers advanced turbomachinery for RDEs.
About the rotating detonation engine JRF posts at IIT Kharagpur
- Research on detonation-based combustion, high-speed reacting flows, combustion instability and supersonic mixing
- Work on RDE exhaust-flow characterisation and turbine integration
- Experimental diagnostics, plus data-driven modelling and control
- Help build and run an RDE engine testing facility
The ad asks you to apply only if you have hands-on experience in at least one of seven areas: CFD; experimental propulsion testing; instrumentation and data acquisition; control systems and system identification; AI and ML for physical systems; signal processing; or applied physics, plasma and advanced diagnostics. Name your area and show evidence, such as a thesis, validated CFD runs, a rig you built, or code you wrote. Listing a software name without showing its use is not enough.
Why this role matters
Rotating detonation engines could make rockets and jets more fuel efficient. Only a few labs in India test them. Six posts on one project means a large team and a real test rig to learn on.
Eligibility
- A postgraduate degree in basic science, or a graduate or postgraduate professional degree, with selection through CSIR-UGC NET (lectureship counts) or GATE, or through a national exam run by DST, DBT, DAE, DOS, DRDO, MoE, ICAR, ICMR, IIT, IISc, IISER, NISER and similar bodies
- Hands-on experience in at least one of the seven areas above, with clear evidence
- Upper age limit: 35 years, as shown on the portal; relaxable up to 5 years for SC/ST/OBC, physically or visually handicapped and female applicants
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
- ₹37,000 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 3 November 2026 and watch your email for the interview details. Other current SRIC project openings are on the SRIC recruitment page.
Key dates
- Advertisement date: 19 October 2026
- Last date to apply: 3 November 2026
- Interview: details by email to shortlisted candidates
Please read the official IIT Kharagpur advertisement before applying, and browse more Junior Research Fellow jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Official advertisement: erp.iitkgp.ac.in
How to prepare for this application
- Learn RDE basics: how a detonation wave spins round an annulus, and why it beats steady burning on efficiency.
- Pick your area and prove it: bring one solid example, such as a validated URANS case or a rig you ran.
- Revise diagnostics: schlieren, shadowgraphy, chemiluminescence and high-frequency pressure sensing.
- Know your signal tools: FFT, power spectral density and wavelets on pressure traces from unsteady flows.
- Read the group's work: look at Prof. Manoranjan Sinha's papers in aerospace engineering. Use our Find a supervisor page to compare propulsion labs.
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.
