The Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, has invited applications for a temporary Project Associate post under the Department of Civil Engineering. The recruitment is listed under Advertisement No. ICSR/PR/Advt. 62/2026 dated 21 April 2026, and the last date for online application submission is 05 May 2026.
This opening is suitable for candidates from Chemistry or Materials Science backgrounds who are interested in computational and experimental materials research. The role involves work connected with Density Functional Theory, molecular dynamics, experimental validation, data analysis, and collaboration on research outputs.
Candidates should apply only through the official IIT Madras ICSR recruitment portal and should check the advertisement number carefully before submitting the form. The position is contractual, initially for six months, and may be extended depending on performance and project requirements.
IIT Madras Project Associate Recruitment 2026 Overview
IIT Madras ICSR has announced one temporary Project Associate vacancy in the Department of Civil Engineering. The position is connected with computational materials research and is described in the official notification as a Computational Materials Scientist role.
The selected candidate will work on computational simulations, experimental validation, interpretation of materials data, and research collaboration. Since this is a project-based appointment, candidates should understand that the post is not a regular permanent IIT Madras position.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Advertisement | ICSR/PR/Advt. 62/2026 |
| Post | Project Associate |
| Vacancy | 1 |
| Department | Civil Engineering |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Last Date | 05.05.2026 |
Important Dates for IIT Madras Project Associate Recruitment
Candidates should complete the online application before the closing date because the official notification states that the application cannot be edited or reverted once submitted.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Advertisement date | 21 April 2026 |
| Last date for online application | 05 May 2026 |
| Test or interview date | To be communicated to shortlisted candidates |
Applicants should monitor the official IIT Madras ICSR recruitment portal for any corrigendum, clarification, or further update related to this advertisement.
Vacancy Details and Department
The recruitment is for one Project Associate post in the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras. The project coordinator mentioned in the notification is Prof. Aslam Kunhi Mohamed from the Department of Civil Engineering.
| Post Name | Department | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| Project Associate | Department of Civil Engineering | 1 |
The job role is research-focused and relates to materials at the atomic scale, especially through computational methods and experimental validation.
Eligibility Criteria and Qualification
The minimum qualification mentioned for the Project Associate post is a 4 Year Bachelor’s degree in the specialization of Chemistry or Materials Science. The notification also mentions that candidates with a bachelor’s or master’s background in Chemistry or Materials Science may be relevant for the role.
- Required qualification: 4 Year Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or Materials Science.
- Preferred experience: DFT and/or classical molecular dynamics simulations.
- Expected skills: analytical ability, interdisciplinary teamwork, and comfort with computational and experimental research work.
Candidates should rely on the official advertisement while checking qualification wording, because the prescribed qualification is the minimum condition for consideration.
Preferred Skills for the Project Associate Role
The post is not a general administrative opening. It is aimed at candidates who can support computational materials research. Experience in Density Functional Theory and classical molecular dynamics simulations is specifically preferred.
- Understanding of Chemistry or Materials Science concepts.
- Exposure to Density Functional Theory.
- Exposure to molecular dynamics simulations.
- Ability to analyse and interpret simulation and experimental data.
- Ability to work with an interdisciplinary research team.
- Interest in research publications and technical presentations.
Candidates who have project, internship, thesis, or research exposure in computational materials science should describe that experience clearly in the application.
Job Description and Responsibilities
The Project Associate will work as part of a research team dealing with materials behaviour at the atomic level. The role combines computational simulations and experimental work.
- Conduct computational simulations including DFT and molecular dynamics.
- Study materials behaviour at the atomic scale.
- Design and perform experiments to validate computational predictions.
- Analyse simulation and experimental data.
- Provide insights into material properties.
- Collaborate on research publications and presentations.
Applicants should read the job description carefully before applying, especially if their background is more general and they do not have computational materials exposure.
Pay, Contract Duration and Nature of Appointment
The pay for the IIT Madras Project Associate post is Rs. 23,000 to Rs. 28,000 per month. The exact pay within this range may depend on the project norms, candidate profile, and selection decision.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Pay | Rs. 23,000 to Rs. 28,000 per month |
| Appointment type | Purely contractual |
| Initial duration | Six months |
| Extension | Extendable based on performance |
The notification clearly states that completion of the contract period does not create any right to extension, regularisation, or permanency at the Institute.
How to Apply Online for IIT Madras Project Associate Recruitment
Eligible candidates must apply online through the IIT Madras ICSR project recruitment portal. Hard copy of the application is not required to be sent to the Institute.
- Visit the official IIT Madras ICSR project recruitment portal.
- Open the current openings section.
- Find Advertisement No. ICSR/PR/Advt. 62/2026 for the Project Associate post.
- Register or log in using a valid email ID.
- Fill the online application form with correct personal, academic, and experience details.
- Upload or provide documents as required by the portal.
- Review all entered details carefully before final submission.
- Submit the application before 05.05.2026.
- Take a printout of the submitted application for future use during test, interview, or document verification.
Candidates should use an active email ID because IIT Madras will communicate recruitment-related updates through email.
Selection Process and Shortlisting
The official notification states that candidates may be shortlisted for test or interview based on the information submitted in the online application. IIT Madras reserves the right to restrict the number of candidates for written test, skill test, or interview based on qualification, experience, relevance of experience, and academic achievements.
- Initial screening of online applications.
- Shortlisting based on eligibility and relevant experience.
- Test, interview, or other screening method as decided by the Institute.
- Document verification for shortlisted or selected candidates.
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Calling a candidate for test or interview does not guarantee final selection.
Important Instructions for Applicants
Candidates should read the official advertisement carefully before applying because several application conditions are clearly mentioned by IIT Madras ICSR.
- Only online applications are accepted.
- Separate applications must be submitted for separate posts, wherever applicable.
- The application cannot be edited or reverted after submission.
- Candidates should not submit multiple applications for the same post.
- The eligibility cut-off date is the closing date of online application submission.
- False information or unsupported claims may lead to rejection of candidature.
- Applicants already working in an IIT Madras project may need to apply through proper channel or produce a No-Objection Certificate when required.
- Canvassing in any form will be treated as disqualification.
Applicants should preserve a copy of the final submitted application and supporting documents for the next stage of selection.
Official Notification and Application Links
Candidates should use only the official IIT Madras ICSR links for applying and checking updates. The notification PDF contains the detailed eligibility, job description, pay, application instructions, and general recruitment rules.
| Link | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Official notification PDF | Read Advertisement No. ICSR/PR/Advt. 62/2026 |
| Current openings portal | Check the advertisement and apply online |
| ICSR recruitment login | Register, log in, and submit application |
For technical issues related to application submission, the notification mentions the recruitment email IDs and contact number available in the official PDF.
Official Links
Frequently Asked Questions
The last date to submit the online application is 05 May 2026.
There is one Project Associate vacancy under Advertisement No. ICSR/PR/Advt. 62/2026.
The required qualification is a 4 Year Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or Materials Science.
The notification says candidates with experience in DFT and/or classical molecular dynamics simulations will be given preference.
The pay is Rs. 23,000 to Rs. 28,000 per month.
No. The post is purely contractual and initially for six months, with extension based on performance.
Candidates must apply online through the official IIT Madras ICSR project recruitment portal.
The official notification does not clearly mention an application fee for this Project Associate advertisement.