Research Associate in Soil Microbiology for Regenerative Agriculture, IIT Kharagpur
Job Description
This Research Associate post in environmental microbiology at IIT Kharagpur looks for soil bacteria that improve nitrogen and phosphorus flow in farm soils. It is in the Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology. Apply online by 22 October 2026.
At a glance
- Post: Research Associate (RA), one post
- Where: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur
- Principal Investigator: Prof. Pinaki Sar
- Sponsored by: Cropcoin Technologies Private Limited
- Pay: ₹65,000 a month, consolidated
- Duration: One year, extendable up to four years
- Age limit: 35 years
- Apply by: 22 October 2026
The advertisement is IIT/SRIC/C/SNPF/2026/102. The project is titled “Microbial solutions for sustainable and regenerative agriculture: improvement of nitrogen and phosphorous flux”. A private company sponsors it, so the work is applied.
About the soil microbiology Research Associate post at IIT Kharagpur
- Enrich and isolate selected bacteria from soil and other environmental samples
- Characterise the isolates by biochemical, molecular and genomic methods
- Run DNA- and RNA-based tests, amplicon sequencing and metagenomics
- Study how the microbes change nitrogen and phosphorus flux for crops
The ad lists the experience it wants. It does not list duties; the points above follow that experience.
Why this role matters
Indian farms lose much of their fertiliser to air and water. Microbes that keep nitrogen and phosphorus where roots can use them cut costs and pollution. An industry-sponsored project also shows how lab work becomes a product.
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
- Wanted: thorough experience in environmental microbiology, including enrichment and isolation of selected bacteria
- Wanted: biochemical, molecular and genomic characterisation of bacteria
- Wanted: DNA/RNA-based methods, amplicon sequencing and metagenomics
- 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
- ₹65,000 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 22 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: 22 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
- Know the nutrient cycles: nitrogen fixation, nitrification and phosphate solubilisation, and the genes behind them.
- Explain an isolation you ran: the medium, the enrichment step and how you confirmed the strain.
- Show sequencing skills: 16S amplicon work, metagenome assembly, and tools such as QIIME 2 or Kraken.
- Think about field use: how a lab strain survives in real soil, and how you would test it in pots and plots.
- Read the PI's papers: look up Prof. Pinaki Sar's work in environmental microbiology. Use our Find a supervisor page to compare microbiology 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.
