TIFR Project Associate Recruitment 2026

TIFR Project Associate Recruitment 2026: Overview

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) is engaging Project Associates in its Department of Biological Sciences at the Mumbai campus. The associates will join a study titled “Mechanistic insights into the adaptive role of sleep in cognitive functions” under Principal Investigator Dr. Nitin Singh Chouhan. This is a focused research assignment for people who want hands-on work in behavioural biology rather than a general administrative project role.

The project uses Drosophila as an experimental system to examine behaviour and cognitive function. Your work will bring together behavioural experiments, imaging and data analysis, so you should be comfortable moving between live experimental work and computer-based interpretation. The notice places substantial value on practical experience with Drosophila genetics and behavioural studies.

Microscopy is another central part of the assignment. You may need to prepare imaging work carefully, record observations consistently and connect visual evidence with behavioural results. Good experimental records matter because the team must be able to compare findings across runs and explain how each observation supports the project's larger question about sleep.

The role is suited to someone who can work with a principal investigator while also managing day-to-day research tasks independently. Prior experience in genetics, behavioural assays, microscopy and data analysis will help you settle into the project faster. The institute describes longer research exposure as a preference, which signals that practical depth will matter during shortlisting even when the academic qualification is met.

TIFR is an autonomous institution of the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India and a deemed university. The Mumbai campus combines laboratory research with academic training, giving the associate access to a research-focused environment. The appointment remains tied to this particular biological-sciences project rather than to a permanent institute position.

Service Conditions and Caveats

• Initial tenure: The appointment begins for one year and may be extended for up to another two years, depending on performance.
• Temporary status: The engagement is temporary and non-pensionable. It does not create a claim to any permanent or temporary TIFR appointment during or after the project.
• Funding category: Fellowship differs for NET-qualified and non-NET-qualified appointees; the applicable amount is recorded in the salary fields of this listing.
• Work location: The project is in the Department of Biological Sciences, TIFR Mumbai, at the main campus on Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba.
• Performance link: Any continuation beyond the initial term depends on your work on the project and the institute's assessment.

Application Submission Notes

Applications must be made through the Google Form named in the official advertisement, with the CV attached inside the form. The notice asks for a tightly prescribed CV format and says not to add extra information or pages beyond that format.

Your CV should be concise enough for the screening team to check the required academic and contact information quickly. Use the current advertisement and its official form; the TIFR careers table labels the row as offline, but the advertisement itself expressly directs applicants to the Google Form.

• Run Drosophila behavioural experiments for the sleep and cognition project
• Perform imaging and microscopy work required by the study
• Analyse behavioural and imaging data accurately
• Keep clear experimental records and organise research datasets
• Support Drosophila genetics work under the principal investigator
• Prepare concise findings and progress inputs for project discussions