IUCAA Lab Assistant Recruitment 2026

About This Job

IUCAA Pune is hiring 2 Lab Assistants on a purely contract basis through an outsourced agency. If you have an M.Sc. or B.Tech from a recognised university, you can apply online. The last date to apply is 29 June 2026. Salary is Rs. 40,000 per month, and the age limit is 28 years.

IUCAA Lab Assistant Recruitment 2026 - 2 Posts

Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, an autonomous institution under the University Grants Commission, Government of India, has released a notice for Lab Assistant posts. The engagement is for 1 year and may be extended based on performance and IUCAA norms. This role supports M.Sc. laboratory experiments and astronomy-related practical work, so it is best for candidates who enjoy hands-on science labs.

The official notice mentions laboratory work, astronomy image analysis, night-time observations and equipment handling. You should be comfortable with Python programming, office software, optical telescopes, detectors or radio antennas, depending on your background.

Work conditions: The candidate is expected to be present for all IUCAA events, including some events at night and on weekends. The notice also says the job will require extensive presence during night-time observations, so this is not a purely daytime desk role.

Contract note: The post is purely on contract basis through an outsourced agency. IUCAA has also stated that it may decide not to fill the advertised post and that canvassing in any form will disqualify a candidate.

Vacancy Details

• Lab Assistant: 2 posts
• Nature of engagement: Purely on contract basis through an outsourced agency
• Duration: 1 year, extendable based on performance and IUCAA norms

Who Can Apply?

Educational Qualification

• Qualification: You need an M.Sc. or B.Tech from a recognised university.
• Lab experience: Experience in conducting lab experiments is preferred, especially in astronomy.
• Data analysis: Experience in data analysis is also preferred. The notice says this can be shown through projects or labs conducted during M.Sc.

Useful Skills

• Teaching lab support: Ability to assist in conducting M.Sc. lab experiments.
• Computer skills: Python programming, office software and astronomical image analysis.
• Instrument handling: Ability to handle optical telescopes, detectors and/or radio antennas.
• Equipment care: Ability to help with laboratory equipment maintenance.
• Extra useful background: Experience in optics, lasers or mechanical engineering work such as suspensions will be useful.

How to present your profile: In the application, mention your M.Sc. labs, B.Tech projects, Python work, astronomy exposure, image analysis work and equipment handling clearly. IUCAA may use qualification and experience to restrict the number of people called for the recruitment process.

Age Limit

• Maximum age is 28 years.
• The notice does not mention category-wise age relaxation details.

Salary

• Pay is Rs. 40,000 per month.
• The notice gives this as monthly pay for the contract engagement. Separate allowances are not mentioned.
• Duration: The pay is linked to the 1-year contract engagement, which may be extended based on performance and norms.

Selection Process

IUCAA may restrict the number of candidates called for the recruitment process based on qualification and experience. The notice does not mention a written exam pattern.

1. Application Screening: IUCAA may screen applications using the prescribed qualification, experience and skills.
2. Recruitment Process: Shortlisted candidates will be called for the next recruitment step as decided by IUCAA.
3. Document Verification: Your qualification, experience and project/lab claims may be checked before final engagement.

Meeting the minimum qualification does not automatically guarantee that you will be called for the recruitment process. The strongest applications will clearly show lab experiment support, data analysis, Python and astronomy-related experience.

How to Apply

1. Open the official IUCAA opportunities page at iucaa.in.
2. Find the Lab Assistant opening under current opportunities.
3. Open the Apply Online link for the Lab Assistant post.
4. Fill in the online form with your education, lab experience, data analysis work and skills.
5. Highlight relevant M.Sc. lab projects, astronomy labs, Python work, image analysis or telescope/equipment experience.
6. Submit the online application before 29 June 2026.

Application focus: Do not treat this as a generic assistant post. The notice gives importance to astronomy lab experiments, data analysis, scientific manuals, night observations and lab equipment maintenance, so include those details wherever they apply to you.

Before submitting: Check that your online form clearly shows M.Sc. or B.Tech qualification, any astronomy lab work, Python programming, image analysis, telescope/detector/radio antenna exposure and equipment maintenance experience. These are the exact areas IUCAA has highlighted in the notice.

Important note: IUCAA states that merely meeting the essential and desirable qualification will not guarantee a call for the recruitment process, so your application should be complete and specific.

Important Dates

• Advertisement Year: 2026
• Last Date to Apply Online: 29 June 2026
• Contract Duration: 1 year, extendable based on performance and IUCAA norms

• Assist students and academic in-charge during M.Sc. laboratory experiments
• Prepare, update and maintain scientific manuals for laboratory experiments
• Help students with astronomical image analysis and related data work
• Maintain laboratory equipment and keep experiment setups ready for use
• Assist students during night-time observations when required
• Support planning and development of new laboratory experiments
• Work during IUCAA events, including some night and weekend activities