Research Associate-I in Bird Population Genomics and Phylogenomics, IISER Tirupati (Dr V V Robin)
Job Description
IISER Tirupati is holding a walk-in interview for a Research Associate in population genomics and phylogenomics on the project “Biogeography of Birds – Peninsular India”, led by Dr V V Robin in the Department of Biology.
At a glance
- Post: Research Associate-I, 1 position (contract)
- Where: Department of Biology, IISER Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
- Principal Investigator: Dr V V Robin
- Pay: ₹58,000 a month + 9% HRA with a PhD certificate; ₹42,000 + 9% HRA if the thesis is submitted and the degree awaited
- Tenure: Six months to start, renewable, co-terminus with the project
- Walk-in interview: 5 October 2026, 10:00 am
The post is Advertisement No. 76/2026 under project code RNPF (30523164), in the research area of ecology and evolution. It is open to Indian nationals only. The project studies how bird populations and lineages are distributed across peninsular India, a region whose hill ranges and forests hold many endemic species.
About the bird biogeography Research Associate post
- Carry out population-genomic and phylogenomic analyses of bird species from peninsular India
- Build and run bioinformatics and computational genomics workflows in R, Python or Bash
- Work with landscape or conservation-genomics approaches where the project needs them
- Help mentor undergraduate, Master’s and PhD students in the group
The ad lists the skills it wants rather than a full set of duties; the points above follow those desirable skills.
Why this role matters
Genomic studies of Indian birds are still few compared with the diversity of the region, so a postdoc here can build a distinctive record in a field where India-based data are in demand. It also suits new PhDs, since thesis-submitted candidates may apply.
Eligibility
- A PhD in any area of science, with skills relevant to the project
- Candidates who have submitted their PhD thesis and are waiting for the degree may also apply
- Evidence of high-quality research during or after the PhD
- Desirable: experience in evolutionary biology, population genomics, phylogenomics, landscape genomics or conservation genomics
- Desirable: R, Python or Bash and bioinformatics workflows; ability to work collaboratively and mentor students
- Age: not more than 40 years on the closing date of the advertisement; Indian nationals only
Thesis-submitted candidates must bring a letter from a competent authority stating that the thesis has been submitted and the final viva is pending. No TA/DA is mentioned for this walk-in; check the ad before you travel.
Pay and duration
- ₹58,000 a month + 9% HRA for candidates who produce the PhD certificate
- ₹42,000 a month + 9% HRA for candidates whose PhD degree is awaited
- Initial offer for six months, renewable on satisfactory performance, and co-terminus with the project
How to apply
Download the prescribed application form from the IISER Tirupati advertisement page, fill it in and bring it to the walk-in interview at 10:00 am on 5 October 2026 in the Department of Biology, IISER Tirupati, together with a passport-size photograph and photocopies of your certificates. No other application form is accepted.
Key dates
- Walk-in interview: 5 October 2026, 10:00 am, Department of Biology, IISER Tirupati
Please read the official IISER Tirupati advertisement No. 76/2026 before applying, and browse more Research Associate jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati
Official advertisement: www.iisertirupati.ac.in
How to prepare for this application
- Bring one pipeline you own: be ready to walk through a genomics workflow you built, from raw reads or SNP calls to a tree or population-structure result.
- Know the region: read up on the Western Ghats and the Shola sky islands, and on how their geography shapes bird lineages in southern India.
- Revise core methods: population structure (PCA, ADMIXTURE), phylogenomic inference, demographic history and isolation-by-distance.
- Show reproducibility: a GitHub repository or documented scripts will help show you can work independently.
- Plan for mentoring: the ad values supervising students, so have an example ready. See more life sciences jobs.
About IISER Tirupati
IISER Tirupati is one of the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, autonomous institutions set up by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, to combine science teaching with research. It was established in 2015 and is located near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Project staff are hired on externally funded research grants run by its faculty.
