IIT Gandhinagar Post-Doctoral Fellow Recruitment 2026

IIT Gandhinagar is hiring 2 Post-Doctoral Fellows for a research project in Cognitive & Brain Sciences titled 'Building and Testing Normative Models of Natural Behavior'. If you have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Psychology, Computer Science, Robotics, AI, or Mathematics, you can apply online. The last date to apply is 10 August 2026. The position pays a consolidated monthly remuneration of Rs. 72,000 to Rs. 84,000.

Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT Gandhinagar) Post-Doctoral Fellow Recruitment 2026 - 2 Posts

IIT Gandhinagar has released Advertisement No. IP/10358/Advt0278, dated 16 July 2026, for 2 Post-Doctoral Fellow positions under Prof. Sabyasachi Shivkumar in the Department of Cognitive & Brain Sciences. The project combines computational modeling with behavioral experiments to study natural human behavior using psychophysics, virtual reality, eye-tracking, and robotic interfaces. Candidates who have submitted their Ph.D. thesis but not yet received the degree can also apply. This is a strong opportunity for researchers interested in cognitive neuroscience, reinforcement learning, and Bayesian modeling. For queries about this project, you can contact Prof. Sabyasachi Shivkumar at sabyashiv@iitgn.ac.in.

The successful candidate will help set up a new research programme studying natural behavior through the Resource-rational Context-dependent POMDP (RCP) framework — a way of modeling how people and animals make decisions under uncertainty and changing context. Depending on your background, the role can lean more towards experimental neuroscience, computational modeling, or a mix of both, so candidates from either a strongly experimental or a strongly computational background are welcome to apply.

Who Can Apply?

• Qualification: You need a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Psychology, Computer Science, Robotics, AI, Mathematics, or a related discipline from a recognized institute. Candidates who have submitted their Ph.D. thesis by the last date of application are also encouraged to apply.
• Academic Record: You should have at least 60% marks (or equivalent CGPA) from graduation onwards, and 55% in Class X and XII.
• Research Expertise: You must show expertise in at least one of: human psychophysics, computational and cognitive neuroscience, reinforcement learning/Bayesian modeling/probabilistic inference, or VR-based behavioral experiments.
• Skills: Strong programming skills in MATLAB and/or Python, experience in quantitative data analysis and statistical modeling, and a good record of publications in peer-reviewed journals are required.
• Preferred: Experience with Psychtoolbox, PsychoPy, OpenXR, Unity, eye-tracking experiments, robotic interfaces or split-treadmill motor learning experiments, Bayesian/POMDP modeling, MLE/MCMC/variational inference, and reproducible research workflows (Git, Linux) will be an advantage.
• Also Valued: Experience mentoring students and collaborating in interdisciplinary research teams.

Salary

• You will get a consolidated monthly remuneration of Rs. 72,000 to Rs. 84,000, depending on your qualifications and experience.
• No House Rent Allowance (HRA) is applicable for this position.

How to Apply

1. Go to the IIT Gandhinagar recruitment portal at recruitment.iitgn.ac.in/projectstaff.
2. Fill in the online application form for the Post-Doctoral Fellow position under Prof. Sabyasachi Shivkumar.
3. Upload your CV, research statement, and supporting documents.
4. Mention your area of expertise clearly — human psychophysics, computational/cognitive neuroscience, reinforcement learning, Bayesian modeling, or VR-based experiments — so the selection committee can match you to the right part of the project.
5. Submit your application before the deadline.

Important Dates

• Advertisement Date: 16 July 2026
• Last Date to Apply: 10 August 2026

• Develop visual, multi-sensory, and motor-learning experiments using psychophysics, VR, eye tracking, and robotic interfaces
• Design behavioral paradigms to study perception, learning, planning, decision-making, and contextual inference
• Build computational models based on Bayesian inference, reinforcement learning, and probabilistic modeling
• Collect and analyze behavioral datasets from experiments
• Build experimental and computational pipelines for reproducible research
• Contribute to publications and external research grant proposals
• Mentor students and collaborate with the interdisciplinary research team