BITS Hyderabad JRF Mechanical Engineering Recruitment 2026

BITS Hyderabad JRF Mechanical Engineering Recruitment 2026: Overview

Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani), Hyderabad Campus is looking for a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) for a space propulsion project run by its Department of Mechanical Engineering. The project is funded under ISRO RESPOND, the Indian Space Research Organisation's programme that sponsors research at academic institutes. This is a project-based fellowship that lasts as long as the two-year project, not a permanent campus job.

The work is led by Dr. N. Suresh Kumar Reddy (Principal Investigator, Senior Professor) with Dr. N. Jalaiah (Co-Principal Investigator, Associate Professor). If you have a master's degree in mechanical, production or materials engineering, or an M.Sc in Chemistry with an electrochemistry background, and you want hands-on research tied to India's space programme, this opening is worth a close look.

The project is titled "Realisation of Iridium coated Rhenium Combustion Chamber". The team will build a small cylindrical test specimen of rhenium coated with iridium — about 13 mm in diameter and 20 mm tall, with a rhenium layer of 1000 microns and an iridium coating of 50 microns.

Rhenium and iridium are used in rocket thrusters because they survive extremely high temperatures. The goal is to make this part indigenously in India and test whether the iridium coating protects the rhenium from oxidation while keeping the structure strong. The findings feed into advanced space propulsion systems, so the fellowship blends materials processing, coating work and testing.

Service Conditions and Caveats

• Project tenure: The project runs for two years, and the fellowship is tied to it.
• Who gets priority: Candidates with research publications are preferred, and a GATE, UGC NET or CSIR NET score is an added advantage, though not compulsory.
• Shortlisting: Only qualified and suitable candidates will be called for the interview, which will be held online in the second week of October 2026.
• PhD opportunity: The selected fellow can also register for the PhD programme of BITS Pilani, provided they meet the institute's admission requirements.
• Place of work: The project is based in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus.

Application Submission Notes

You apply through the Google Form linked in the advertisement; there is no postal or email application. Keep your degree details, publication list and any GATE/NET scorecard ready before you open the form.

For questions about the project or the application, you can write to the PI at nskreddy@hyderabad.bits-pilani.ac.in (phone +91-40 66303565) or the Co-PI at jalaiah@hyderabad.bits-pilani.ac.in (phone +91-40 66303514).

• Fabricate iridium-coated rhenium cylindrical specimens for the ISRO RESPOND project
• Carry out coating trials and control rhenium and iridium layer thickness
• Test the specimens for oxidation protection and structural integrity at high temperature
• Characterise samples and analyse the resulting data
• Keep detailed lab records and experiment logs
• Help the PI and Co-PI prepare project progress reports and research papers