IISER Tirupati – Hiring for Technical Officer / Senior Project Associate (Advt. No. 56/2026)

The infectious disease research landscape in India is advancing rapidly under national and extramural funding initiatives aimed at combating critical public health challenges. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, a premier autonomous institution of national importance under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, has announced a recruitment drive for the post of Technical Officer / Senior Project Associate under Advt. No. 56/2026.

This extramurally funded research project focuses on understanding immune responses associated with severe dengue infection, under the guidance of leading virology and immunology researcher Prof. Guruprasad R. Medigeshi.

Job Details

About Company

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati is a premier autonomous institution established by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, for the promotion of high-quality science education and research in the country. Located in Yerpedu Mandal, Tirupati District, the institute houses state-of-the-art research laboratories and advanced central instrumentation facilities across fundamental and applied scientific disciplines.

The Department of Biology at IISER Tirupati leads translational scientific research in infectious diseases, molecular virology, immunology, and bio-engineering, driving high-impact publications and interdisciplinary research programs.

Job Description

The position of Technical Officer / Senior Project Associate under Advt. No. 56/2026 is a senior-level scientific research role focused on host-pathogen interactions and translational immunology. Working under Principal Investigator Prof. Guruprasad R. Medigeshi, the selected researcher will drive core scientific investigation into the immune mechanisms triggering severe dengue pathologies.

Selected candidates will handle pathogenic virus cultures, perform mammalian cell culture assays, execute protein expression and purification pipelines, run advanced molecular biology protocols, and assist in managing laboratory research infrastructure.

Requirements & Qualifications

1. Educational Qualifications & Experience Background

• Option A: Four-year Bachelor’s Degree / Master’s Degree in Natural or Agricultural Sciences / BVSc / Bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology, or Medicine with at least 4 years of R&D experience in academic, industrial, or S&T organizations.
• Option B: Master’s Degree in Engineering or Technology (Biological Sciences) with at least 2 years of R&D experience in industrial or academic institutions.
• Option C: Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.) in Life Sciences / Bio-Engineering / Biotechnology with at least one first-author peer-reviewed publication indexed in PubMed, SCOPUS, or equivalent public databases.

2. Technical & Domain Competencies (Desirable)

• Infectious Disease Research: Hands-on experience in molecular virology, infectious disease assays, and biosafety protocols.
• Cell & Viral Culture: Practical expertise in mammalian cell line maintenance, propagation, and handling of pathogenic viruses.
• Molecular & Protein Techniques: Proficiency in recombinant protein expression, protein purification, Western blot, ELISA, PCR/qPCR, and molecular cloning.

Telegram Channel:Click Here to Join

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Experimental Execution & Viral Research

• Plan and execute experimental protocols to investigate immune responses, cytokine profiling, and host cellular factors in severe dengue cases.
• Maintain mammalian cell line cultures and execute viral propagation, plaque assays, and neutralization studies under appropriate biosafety standards.
• Perform protein expression, chromatographic purification, and molecular assays (qPCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence).

2. Data Management & Publication

• Compile, analyze, and archive experimental raw data, maintaining meticulous laboratory logs and assay records.
• Assist the Principal Investigator in drafting scientific manuscripts, progress reports for funding agencies, and conference presentations.
• Ensure data reproducibility, statistical validation, and compliance with institutional biosafety guidelines.

3. Laboratory Governance & Equipment Management

• Oversee day-to-day operation and maintenance of specialized virology equipment, cell culture facilities, and biosafety cabinets.
• Manage inventory for specialized reagents, cell culture media, viral stocks, and assay kits.
• Mentor junior research scholars, postgraduate project students, and fellows in biosafety and molecular techniques.

Role Summary

Serving as Technical Officer / Senior Project Associate at IISER Tirupati places you at the clinical-translational interface of viral immunology. You will work with premier researchers on high-consequence viral pathogens, utilize advanced experimental platforms, and contribute to scientific literature addressing critical dengue disease burden.

WhatsApp Group:Click Here to Join

Company Culture & Insights

Working within IISER Tirupati’s research environment offers an intense, research-focused culture backed by modern cell culture, microscopy, and biosafety facilities. Senior researchers work closely with multi-disciplinary teams, maintaining international standards of scientific rigor, biosecurity, and research ethics.

Why We Recommend This Job

• National Scientific Standing: Work at an Institution of National Importance backed by the Ministry of Education.
• High-Impact Domain: Direct involvement in cutting-edge infectious disease and dengue viral immunology research.
• Competitive Compensation: Senior monthly stipend of ₹57,000 + 10% HRA per month.

Career Growth Potential

Technical Officer / Senior Project Associate ➔ Senior Scientist / R&D Lead (Pharma / Diagnostics) ➔ Research Assistant Professor / Principal Investigator (Academic / Research Institutes)

Skills You’ll Gain

Salary & Benefits Info

• Consolidated Remuneration: ₹57,000/- + 10% HRA per month.
• Tenure: Initial offer for 6 months, renewable subject to satisfactory performance; co-terminus with project.
• Age Limit: Not more than 50 years on the date of the interview.
• Official Registration Link:Apply Now

Frequently Asked Interview Questions (With Answers & Solution Guidelines)

Handling Biosafety and Pathogenic Viruses

• Question:“What biosafety precautions and containment practices do you follow when handling live viral pathogens or primary mammalian cell lines?”
• Answer & Solution Context: Focus on BSL containment protocols, personal protective equipment (PPE), proper use of Biosafety Cabinets (Class II), surface decontamination procedures, and biological waste disposal guidelines.

Troubleshooting Protein Expression and Purification

• Question:“How do you optimize conditions when a target viral protein fails to express or forms insoluble inclusion bodies during purification?”
• Answer & Solution Context: Discuss modifying expression vectors, lowering induction temperature (e.g., 18°C–25°C), changing IPTG concentration, using specialized host strains, or applying refolding protocols from inclusion bodies.

Evaluating Host Immune Metrics in Dengue

• Question:“What experimental approaches would you select to quantify pro-inflammatory cytokine storms in dengue patient serum or cell culture supernatants?”
• Answer & Solution Context: Detail using Sandwich ELISA, Multiplex Bead-Based Immunoassays (Luminex/CBA), and RT-qPCR to measure transcript levels of TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6, and IFN-$\gamma$.

Behavioral & Culture Questions (With Guidance & Model Answers)

Managing Experimental Timelines in High-Containment Labs

• Question:“Working in biosafety facilities requires meticulous planning. How do you manage your time when complex viral assays require long incubation periods and strict safety checks?”
• Guidance & Answer Strategy: Use the STAR method. Highlight batch processing, scheduling parallel molecular assays during incubation windows, strict adherence to SOPs, and maintaining detailed experimental logs.

Mentoring and Maintaining Facility Safety Standards

• Question:“How do you address a situation where a fellow researcher or student accidentally violates a biosafety SOP in the tissue culture room?”
• Guidance & Answer Strategy: Emphasize immediate non-confrontational safety intervention, reporting the incident per protocol, re-educating the team on SOP compliance, and maintaining a culture of safety and accountability.

Note:Core job parameters (Role, Qualifications, Emoluments, Deadline, Official Links, and Application Email) are directly taken from official Advt. No. 56/2026. Supplementary sections like Interview Preparation Guidelines, Role Insights, and Skills Analysis have been curated as a helpful guide to assist candidates in framing their applications and interview strategy.