IIT Madras Research Associate III Recruitment 2026

IIT Madras is hiring 2 Research Associate-III posts in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. If you have a Ph.D., MD, MS, MDS, or equivalent degree, or 3 years of post-PG research, teaching, design, or development experience with an SCI journal paper, you can apply online. The last date for online application is 30 June 2026. Salary is Rs. 67,000 per month.

IIT Madras Research Associate III Recruitment 2026 - 2 Posts

Indian Institute of Technology Madras has issued Advertisement No. ICSR/PR/Advt.117/2026 dated 16 June 2026 for temporary Research Associate-III posts under the Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research. The project is coordinated by Prof. Deepak Paramashivan in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. The role is initially for one year and may be extended based on performance, making it suitable for senior research candidates who can lead work packages and support publication-quality outputs.

Who Can Apply?

Minimum Qualification

• Doctoral route: You can apply with a Ph.D., MD, MS, MDS, or equivalent degree.
• Postgraduate experience route: You can also apply with 3 years of research, teaching, design, or development experience after MVSc, M.Pharm, ME, or M.Tech.
• Publication condition: Under the postgraduate experience route, you need at least one research paper in a Science Citation Indexed (SCI) journal.
• RA-III placement: Placement at the Research Associate-III level will be based on qualification and experience as decided by the host institute.
• Citizenship: Indian citizens can apply. Some special citizenship cases may need a Government of India eligibility certificate, as mentioned in the notification.

Desirable Project Fit

• Subject background: Humanities, Social Sciences, Indian Knowledge Systems, Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Sanskrit, Performance Studies, AI and Ethics, Digital Humanities, computational or technical research methods, and cultural knowledge systems are relevant to this role.
• Research experience: The project values academic project administration, fieldwork, archival research, interviews, transcription, translation coordination, data curation, qualitative or interpretive analysis, digital documentation, and publication preparation.
• Senior role fit: The notification prefers candidates who can design methodology, lead work packages, supervise staff, manage budgets or timelines, and deliver reports, publications, datasets, workshops, or digital resources.
• Communication: Good written communication and documentation discipline are important because the role works with researchers, field partners, administrative offices, and interdisciplinary project teams.

This is a senior research role, so the strongest applications will show clear evidence of independent research work, publication ability, and capacity to manage research outputs. If you are using the MVSc, M.Pharm, ME, or M.Tech route, keep your SCI journal paper proof ready because the notification names it as part of the qualification condition.

Salary

• Monthly pay: Rs. 67,000 per month.
• Tenure: The appointment is initially for one year and can be extended based on performance.
• Contract nature: The post is purely on contract basis and does not give any right to regular appointment or permanency at IIT Madras.
• Allowances: The notification lists the pay as Rs. 67,000; it does not mention a separate allowance for this Research Associate-III post.

Selection Process

IIT Madras will shortlist applicants using the information submitted in the online application. The institute may decide the screening and testing method based on qualifications, experience, relevance to the project, and the number of applications.

1. Online application scrutiny: IIT Madras checks whether your qualification, experience, SCI publication condition, and project fit match the post.
2. Shortlisting: The institute may restrict the number called for test or interview based on higher qualification, relevant experience, and academic achievements.
3. Test / Interview: Shortlisted applicants may be called for a test and/or interview. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
4. Document verification: Original documents can be checked at test, interview, appointment, or during the tenure of service.

No detailed written exam pattern is given in the notification, so focus on your research record, methodology experience, publication work, and fit with the project area.

The online application details are important because IIT Madras will shortlist candidates based on the information submitted in the portal. Make sure your research experience, publication details, project coordination experience, and contact information are accurate before final submission.

How to Apply

1. Go to the IIT Madras IC&SR careers page at icandsr.iitm.ac.in/careers/current_openings.php.
2. Register or log in with your valid email ID.
3. Find Advertisement No. 117/2026 for Research Associate-III.
4. Fill in the online application form and select the relevant post before submitting.
5. Enter correct education, experience, publication, and project-fit details.
6. Submit the form before 30 June 2026. After submission, the form cannot be edited or reverted.
7. Take a printout of the submitted form and keep it ready for document verification, test, or interview. Do not send a hard copy to IIT Madras unless called.

Submit only one application for this post, because multiple applications for the same post can lead to rejection.

Important Dates

• Advertisement Date: 16 June 2026
• Last Date to Apply Online: 30 June 2026
• Test / Interview Date: To be announced
• Document Verification: At the time of test, interview, or appointment as decided by IIT Madras

• Lead defined research work packages and prepare research protocols
• Coordinate data collection, archival work, interviews, and analysis activities
• Supervise project assistants or associates where required
• Draft manuscripts, reports, grant documents, and publication material
• Manage workshops, stakeholder meetings, and dissemination activities
• Keep project records, timelines, outputs, and documentation updated