NII Senior Project Associate Recruitment 2026 — 1 Post, Apply by 19 Aug (Delhi)

National Institute of Immunology (NII), an autonomous institute under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, has released NII Senior Project Associate Recruitment 2026 for 1 post under its SAHAJ (Shared Access to Advanced Facilities) infrastructure programme. This is a central government research job for candidates with a background in Life Sciences who want hands-on experience in high-containment laboratory environments. The post is attached to a DBT-funded project on establishing and augmenting BSL-3 (Biosafety Level 3) facilities at NII for research and diagnostics of existing and emerging bacterial and viral pathogens, a project tenable until April 2030. Eligible candidates are those holding an M.Sc in any branch of Life Sciences with four years of R&D experience, or a PhD in any branch of Life Sciences. The selected Senior Project Associate will work directly within NII's BSL-3 and ABSL-3 (Animal Biosafety Level 3) facilities, handling bacterial and viral pathogens as well as laboratory animals, and will support external SAHAJ users conducting experiments in these high-containment environments. There is no written examination for this post; selection is based on an interview, which may be conducted offline or online at NII's discretion. The consolidated salary for NII Senior Project Associate 2026 is ₹42,000 per month plus 27% HRA, bringing the total to roughly ₹53,340 per month, governed by the Department of Science and Technology's standard fellowship pay structure for project staff. The NII Senior Project Associate 2026 application is not submitted through an online portal; candidates must apply strictly in the prescribed format via email to the Project Coordinator, Dr. Devinder Sehgal, at sahaj.coordinator@nii.ac.in. The last date to apply for NII Senior Project Associate Recruitment 2026 is 19 August 2026. Application fee is ₹100 for General/OBC candidates (via demand draft or UPI/digital payment), while Women and SC/ST/PH candidates are exempted. Candidates must read the complete official NII SAHAJ Senior Project Associate 2026 notification PDF before applying, and clearly write "Application for SAHAJ project" along with the post name in the subject line of their email. The selected Senior Project Associate will support research activities under the SAHAJ project at NII. The selection process for this recruitment consists of an Interview. The post carries a monthly salary of ₹42,000 plus 27% HRA, on a contractual basis. The NII 2026 application must be submitted via email, with the post applied for clearly mentioned in the subject line, to the official email address specified in the notification. The last date to apply is 19 August 2026. Application fee is ₹100 for General/OBC, exempted for SC/ST and Women candidates. Candidates must be up to 40 years of age and should read the complete official NII notification before applying.

M.Sc in any branch of Life Sciences with four years of R&D experience, OR a PhD in any branch of Life Sciences. Desirable (not mandatory): prior hands-on experience working in Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) and/or Animal Biosafety Level 3 (ABSL-3) laboratories, and practical experience with bacterial and viral pathogens, mammalian and bacterial cell culture, molecular biology techniques, flow cytometry, and immunological assays. No minimum percentage is specified in the official notification for either the M.Sc or PhD route. This is a project-specific, time-bound position under NII's SAHAJ infrastructure programme, funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and candidates should confirm equivalence of any foreign degree directly with NII before applying.

• Upper age limit: 40 years
• Age relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PH candidates as per Government of India norms, subject to submission of documentary proof

• M.Sc in any branch of Life Sciences with a minimum of four years of R&D experience, OR a PhD in any branch of Life Sciences (either route is acceptable)
• Desirable: prior experience working in BSL-3 and/or ABSL-3 laboratories
• Desirable: hands-on experience with bacterial and viral pathogens, mammalian and bacterial cell culture, molecular biology techniques, flow cytometry, and immunological assays
• Upper age limit is 40 years, with relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PH candidates as per Government of India norms
• This is a project-based, contractual position tied to a DBT-funded grant tenable till April 2030 — the appointment is for one year at a time or the duration of the project, whichever is shorter, and does not carry the continuation guarantees of a permanent post
• No hostel or housing facility is provided to the selected candidate
• Candidates must submit a complete Curriculum Vitae listing experimental expertise and publications, along with the names of three referees
• No TA/DA is paid for attending the interview if called

• General/OBC: ₹100/- (Demand Draft on Canara Bank or Indian Bank in favour of "Director, NII", payable at Delhi/New Delhi, or via UPI/Paytm/PhonePe to the NII bank account)
• Women and SC/ST/PH candidates: Exempted from fee, subject to documentary proof at the time of interview

• Consolidated emoluments of ₹42,000 per month plus 27% HRA (as per DST OM SR/S9/Z-05/2019 dated 10 July 2020)
• Approximate total: ₹53,340 per month
• Contract position: one year at a time, or duration of the project, whichever is shorter
• No hostel or housing facility is provided

1. Read the complete official NII SAHAJ Senior Project Associate 2026 notification PDF carefully before applying
2. Prepare your application strictly in the prescribed format specified in the notification, covering full name, father's/mother's name, date of birth, gender, category, address, contact details, past experience, and academic qualifications
3. Attach a complete Curriculum Vitae detailing your experimental expertise, list of publications, and names of three referees
4. Pay the application fee of ₹100 via demand draft (Canara Bank/Indian Bank, in favour of "Director, NII", payable at Delhi/New Delhi) or via UPI/Paytm/PhonePe to the NII bank account — Women and SC/ST/PH candidates are exempted
5. Clearly write "Application for SAHAJ project" and the name of the post applied for (Senior Project Associate) in the subject line of your email
6. Send the completed application, CV, and referee details via email to the Project Coordinator, Dr. Devinder Sehgal, at sahaj.coordinator@nii.ac.in
7. Ensure your application reaches NII on or before the last date, 19 August 2026
8. Retain a copy of your submitted application and all attachments for your own records, since there is no online acknowledgment system for this post
9. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview, which may be held offline or online
10. If called for interview, carry attested copies of all educational and category certificates; no TA/DA will be paid for attending