Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, an Autonomous Institution of National Importance under the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India, invites applications from eligible Indian nationals for the post of Research Associate-1. The position is purely on a contract basis under the ANRF-sponsored research project in Experimental High Energy Physics.
Job Details
| Attribute | Information |
| Hiring Institution | Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati |
| Advertisement No. | Advt. No. 74/2026 |
| Name of the Post | Research Associate-1 |
| Project Title | “Understanding the topological aspects of extreme QCD matter through their interactions with jets” |
| Sponsoring Agency / Code | ANRF Project (Project Code: 30226262) |
| Principal Investigator | Dr. Nihar Ranjan Sahoo |
| No. of Posts | 01 Position |
| Tenure | Temporary for an initial period of 1 year; extendable up to a maximum total duration of 2 years based on performance |
| Upper Age Limit | Not more than 40 years as of the closing date |
| Job Location | IISER Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Application Deadline | October 05, 2026 (up to 17:00 Hrs) |
Fellowship & Salary Structure
- For Ph.D. Degree Holders: ₹58,000/- per month + 10% HRA (upon production of the Ph.D. Certificate).
- For Ph.D. Thesis Submitted Candidates (Defense Awaited): ₹42,000/- per month + 10% HRA. (Must submit an official letter from a competent authority stating the thesis has been submitted and final viva/defense is pending; nominal research grant available).
About Institution
IISER Tirupati is a premier autonomous institution of national importance established by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India, dedicated to high-quality science education and state-of-the-art basic and applied research.
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Qualification & Experience Criteria
Minimum Qualifications
- Educational Background: Ph.D. degree in Experimental High-Energy / Nuclear Physics.
- Thesis Submitted Candidates: Candidates who have submitted their Ph.D. thesis and are awaiting the award of the degree are also eligible to apply.
- Research Focus: Preferred research experience in data analysis, relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and/or LHC experiments, Electron–Ion Collider (EIC) physics, jet physics, or hard probes.
- Computational Skills: Candidates must possess strong computational and data-analysis skills, with preferred experience in C++/Python, ROOT data analysis framework, high-energy physics Monte Carlo event generators, Geant4, or related simulation toolkits.
- Publication Track Record: Candidates should provide evidence of having conducted high-quality research during or after their Ph.D. program.
Key Responsibilities
- Experimental Data Analysis: Analyze high-energy nuclear physics data related to jet physics and hard probes in extreme QCD matter environments.
- Simulation & Modeling: Run Monte Carlo event generators and Geant4 simulations using C++, Python, and ROOT platforms.
- Research Output: Collaborate with the Principal Investigator, contribute to ANRF project milestones, and draft research publications for high-impact physics journals.
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Skills You’ll Gain
| Category | Specific Tools & Competencies Mastered |
| High Energy Physics Analysis | ROOT Framework, C++, Python, Heavy-Ion Collision Physics, Jet Reconstruction Algorithms. |
| Monte Carlo & Simulation | Geant4 Framework, Event Generators (PYTHIA/HERWIG), EIC/RHIC/LHC Data Models. |
| Academic & Grant Operations | ANRF Project Operations, Fellowship Grant Applications (SERB N-PDF, CSIR-RA). |
Selection Process
- Applications will be screened by a Screening Committee based on research experience and qualifications.
- Shortlisted candidates will be notified via email for an interview.
- No TA/DA will be paid for attending the interview.
Frequently Asked Interview Questions (With Answers & Solution Guidelines)
Jet Physics & Heavy-Ion Collisions
- Question:“How does jet quenching in relativistic heavy-ion collisions serve as a probe to study the properties of Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP)?”
- Answer & Solution Context: High-$p_T$ partons produced early in hard scattering processes traverse the hot and dense QGP medium, losing energy via induced gluon radiation and collisional scatterings (jet quenching). Measuring modified jet fragmentation functions, jet mass, and energy loss distributions provides insights into the medium’s transport coefficients ($\hat{q}$) and topological aspects of QCD matter.
ROOT & Event Simulation
- Question:“In ROOT, how do you handle memory management and perform tree processing for high-multiplicity particle collision events in C++ or Python?”
- Answer & Solution Context: Use
TTreeReaderorRDataFramefor vectorized event processing to avoid memory leaks. Utilize pointer management or smart pointers (std::unique_ptr) when allocating objects inside event loops, and write multi-threaded jobs usingROOT::EnableImplicitMT()to accelerate data analysis over large ROOT file datasets.
How to Apply & Registration Details
- Prepare Application: Download the prescribed application form available on the IISER Tirupati official job advertisement page and convert the filled form into PDF format.
- Email Submission: Send the completed application form via email to:
- Email Address:
niharsahoo@labs.iisertirupati.ac.in - Subject Line Format:
Research Associate-1: 74/2026 - (Note: Sending only a standalone resume/CV without the prescribed application form will NOT be considered).
- Email Address:
- Application Deadline:October 05, 2026 by 17:00 IST
- Official Job Notification Link:View IISER Tirupati Job Portal
- Official Notification PDF:Download Advt 74/2026 PDF