BITS Pilani has released a recruitment notice for the Professor of Practice – ARCSET position for 2026. The post is connected with the Advanced Research Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies, a centre focused on clean energy, decarbonisation, sustainability, technology translation and industry-academia collaboration.
This is not a regular entry-level teaching vacancy. The role is designed for senior professionals such as CEOs, CTOs, Vice Presidents, Principal Scientists, Senior Research Scientists and other experienced domain leaders who can guide the centre, build partnerships, secure projects, mentor researchers and connect academic work with industry and government priorities.
The official BITS Pilani job page lists the position as a full-time academic opportunity at the K.K. Birla Goa Campus with one vacancy. Candidates should submit their application on or before May 15, 2026 and should rely on the official job page and JD PDF for final application instructions.
Important Dates and Current Status
The BITS Pilani Professor of Practice – ARCSET recruitment notice is active for the 2026 cycle. The official career listing shows the post was posted on April 21, 2026, and the JD states that interested candidates should submit their applications on or before May 15, 2026.
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Job posted on official career page | April 21, 2026 |
| Last date to submit application | May 15, 2026 |
| Post status | Applications invited |
| Official notification / JD | Available as PDF on BITS Pilani website |
Candidates should not wait until the last day because the role is senior and may require a detailed profile, supporting documents, research or industry experience details, and a clear statement of fit with ARCSET’s work.
Vacancy and Work Location
The official BITS Pilani career page lists one position for Professor of Practice – ARCSET. The location mentioned for the role is BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus.
| Post | No. of Positions | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Professor of Practice – ARCSET | 01 | BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus |
The listing is connected with ARCSET, the Advanced Research Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies. The role is meant to support the centre’s activities, partnerships, project development and technology translation work in energy and sustainability.
Who Can Apply
The role is meant for experienced professionals rather than fresh graduates. The official JD specifically mentions professionals such as CEOs, CTOs, Vice Presidents, Principal Scientists and Senior Research Scientists as examples of profiles that may be considered.
- Senior professionals with leadership experience in relevant sectors may apply.
- Candidates should have a background connected to engineering, science, humanities or a related field.
- Applicants with strong domain knowledge in energy, sustainability, innovation, technology development or policy-linked work may be relevant for the role.
- Industry professionals with a strong record in entrepreneurship and start-ups may also be considered if they hold an appropriate Bachelor’s degree and have exceptional achievements.
The key point is that BITS Pilani is looking for a practical, applied and leadership-oriented profile, not only a conventional academic profile.
Qualification and Experience Requirements
The official eligibility condition states that professionals with at least a Master’s degree in engineering, science, humanities or a related field can be considered for the Professor of Practice position. A PhD is desirable, but it is not essential for this role.
If an applicant does not have a PhD, the JD makes it clear that the gap must be offset by strongly demonstrated domain knowledge gained from extensive field experience. This means the candidate’s professional achievements, leadership record, applied expertise, patents, products, projects, policy work or industry impact may become important in assessment.
| Requirement | Official Position |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | Required for the main professional eligibility route |
| PhD | Desirable but not essential |
| Bachelor’s degree route | May be considered for candidates with exceptional achievements in entrepreneurship and start-ups |
| Experience | Extensive and strongly demonstrated domain knowledge is important |
Age Preference
The official JD mentions a preferable age of 45 years and above. This is consistent with the senior nature of a Professor of Practice role, where applied experience, leadership, mentoring ability and industry networks are central to the position.
Candidates below this preferred age should read the JD carefully and apply only if they can demonstrate exceptional achievements and strong relevance to ARCSET’s work. The notice uses the word preferable, so candidates should not treat it as a simple entry-level age condition.
Role and Responsibilities at ARCSET
The Professor of Practice is expected to act as a strategic leader and industry bridge for ARCSET. The role focuses on practical experience, applied research, industry engagement and technology translation rather than only classroom teaching.
- Provide leadership for the growth and impact of ARCSET.
- Build collaborations with industry, government bodies and international institutions.
- Identify priority research areas aligned with national energy and sustainability goals.
- Secure funding from industry, CSR, government agencies and international organisations.
- Drive joint projects, sponsored research and consultancy assignments.
- Support technology transfer, pilot demonstrations, scale-up and commercialisation.
- Organise workshops, conclaves and policy dialogues.
- Represent the centre in government and industry forums.
- Mentor faculty, researchers and students working in relevant areas.
The role is therefore suitable for candidates who can combine technical depth with institution-building, external partnerships and project execution.
About ARCSET and Its Focus Areas
ARCSET stands for Advanced Research Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies. BITS Pilani established the centre to support research, innovation, technology development and policy integration in clean energy, decarbonisation, climate change mitigation and sustainable resource management.
The centre’s work is connected with themes such as hydrogen, renewable and alternative energy, biofuels, carbon capture, utilisation and storage, energy security, circular economy and sustainable technology deployment. The Professor of Practice role is expected to help translate this research ecosystem into partnerships, projects, funding and real-world outcomes.
Because of this focus, candidates with experience in clean energy, sustainability, climate technology, industrial R&D, energy policy, technology commercialisation or allied interdisciplinary areas may find the role especially relevant.
Appointment Tenure and Engagement Type
The official JD states that the Professor of Practice appointment is non-tenured. The initial offer will normally be for three years and may be extended based on performance and contribution.
The JD also notes that an industry professional may apply for a short-term Professor of Practice position for one to two years by taking appropriate leave from their regular industry role. This makes the role relevant both for long-term academic engagement and for senior industry professionals who can contribute for a defined period.
| Engagement Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Appointment type | Non-tenured |
| Initial period | Three years |
| Extension | May be considered based on performance and contribution |
| Short-term option | One to two years for suitable industry professionals, as per applicable leave arrangement |
Compensation Details
The official JD does not mention a fixed salary or pay scale for the Professor of Practice position. It states that compensation will depend on the nature of appointment, the expertise brought by the candidate and prevailing market trends for such expertise.
Candidates should therefore avoid assuming a standard professor pay level unless BITS Pilani communicates it during the recruitment process. For this role, compensation is likely to be assessed in relation to the candidate’s experience, domain strength, leadership profile and the kind of engagement offered.
Selection and Approval Process
The official JD states that the non-tenure appointment of a Professor of Practice will be done through the Campus Level Review Committee. The process will be based on recommendations from relevant departments and centres, similar to the process followed for non-tenure appointments.
No written examination is mentioned in the official JD for this recruitment. Candidates should be prepared for profile screening, review of professional achievements, interaction or interview, and assessment of their fit with ARCSET’s objectives.
- Shortlisting may depend on eligibility, experience and relevance to the centre.
- Leadership record in energy, sustainability, applied research or industry partnerships may be important.
- Evidence of projects, grants, patents, products, policy work, publications or mentoring may strengthen the application.
- The final appointment will depend on the review and approval process followed by BITS Pilani.
How to Submit Application
The topic is being searched as an offline recruitment update, but candidates should carefully follow the latest official BITS Pilani career page because the official listing displays an Apply button and the JD asks interested candidates to submit applications by May 15, 2026. The official JD does not provide a detailed postal address in the visible text.
- Open the official BITS Pilani career page for Professor of Practice – ARCSET.
- Read the job description PDF fully before filling any application.
- Check the post title, location, eligibility, age preference, tenure and role expectations.
- Use the application route provided on the official BITS Pilani job page.
- Prepare a detailed CV highlighting leadership experience, domain expertise, project work, patents, publications, products, start-up achievements, grants or policy contributions.
- Submit the application before May 15, 2026.
If any secondary website mentions a different mode of application, candidates should treat the BITS Pilani official career page and official JD as the final source.
Documents and Application Preparation Checklist
The official JD does not publish a detailed document checklist in the visible text. However, for a senior academic and industry-facing role like Professor of Practice, candidates should keep a complete professional profile ready before applying.
- Updated CV or professional profile.
- Educational qualification details, including Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD details if applicable.
- Evidence of senior leadership roles such as CEO, CTO, Vice President, Principal Scientist or equivalent positions.
- Details of major industry projects, research projects, grants, CSR-funded work or consultancy assignments.
- Patents, publications, product incubation or technology transfer details, if available.
- Entrepreneurship and start-up achievements, if applying through the exceptional Bachelor’s degree route.
- Brief statement explaining fit with ARCSET’s work in energy, sustainability and technology translation.
Candidates should ensure that all claims in the application can be supported with documents or verifiable professional records if BITS Pilani asks for them later.
Official Links
Frequently Asked Questions
The last date mentioned in the official JD is May 15, 2026.
The official BITS Pilani career listing mentions one position.
The job location is BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus.
Candidates should generally have at least a Master’s degree in engineering, science, humanities or a related field. Exceptional Bachelor’s degree holders with major entrepreneurship or start-up achievements may also be considered.
No. A PhD is desirable but not essential. Candidates without a PhD must show strong domain knowledge from extensive field experience.
The official JD mentions a preferable age of 45 years and above.
No. The JD describes it as a non-tenured appointment, initially for three years and extendable based on performance and contribution.
The non-tenure appointment will be processed through the Campus Level Review Committee based on recommendations of relevant departments and centres.