CSIR-SERC Project Associate-I & II Recruitment 2026 — 16 Posts

About the Recruitment

The CSIR–Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIR-SERC), Chennai has invited applications for the engagement of 16 Project Associate-I and Project Associate-II posts under Notification No. SE-3/2026, dated 14 November 2026. The engagement is purely temporary, with tenure up to March 2027, extendable per position as shown in the vacancy table. Positions are indicative and provisional and may increase or decrease at selection. The posts are at CSIR-SERC, Taramani, Chennai.

Vacancy Details

Post	Code	Seats	Qualification	Pay + HRA	Tenure
Project Associate-II	FBR040405-PAT-II	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil or Mechanical + 2 years R&D experience	Rs. 35,000 / Rs. 28,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Mar 2028)
Project Associate-II	GAP 66-PAT-II	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil or Mechanical + 2 years R&D experience	Rs. 35,000 / Rs. 28,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Jun 2029)
Project Associate-II	IST552601-PAT-II	2	B.E./B.Tech Civil or Mechanical + 2 years R&D experience	Rs. 35,000 / Rs. 28,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Mar 2028)
Project Associate-II	MMP055202-PAT-II	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil or Mechanical + 2 years R&D experience	Rs. 35,000 / Rs. 28,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Mar 2028)
Project Associate-I	SSP 479-PAT-I	1	B.E./B.Tech ECE / EEE / CSE / AI&ML / AI&DS	Rs. 31,000 / Rs. 25,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. mid-Oct 2027)
Project Associate-II	SSP 479-PAT-II	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil + 2 years experience OR M.E./M.Tech/MS Structural Engineering	Rs. 35,000 / Rs. 28,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. mid-Oct 2027)
Project Associate-I	MLP002638-PAT-I	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil	Rs. 31,000 / Rs. 25,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Mar 2028)
Project Associate-II	SSP 482-PAT-II	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil + 2 years experience	Rs. 35,000 / Rs. 28,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Jun 2027)
Project Associate-I	HCP 002601-PAT-I	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil	Rs. 31,000 / Rs. 25,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Mar 2031)
Project Associate-I	HCP 002601-PAT-I	1	B.E./B.Tech CSE	Rs. 31,000 / Rs. 25,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Mar 2031)
Project Associate-I	SSP 458-PAT-I	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil / AI&DS / AI&ML	Rs. 31,000 / Rs. 25,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Feb 2028)
Project Associate-I	NCP 040401-PAT-I	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil / AI&ML / AI&DS	Rs. 31,000 / Rs. 25,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Mar 2028)
Project Associate-I	SSP 466-PAT-I	1	B.E./B.Tech ECE / Instrumentation / EEE	Rs. 31,000 / Rs. 25,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Jan 2028)
Project Associate-I	SSP 466-PAT-I	1	B.E./B.Tech CSE / IT / AI&DS	Rs. 31,000 / Rs. 25,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Jan 2028)
Project Associate-I	FIR040402-PAT-I	1	B.E./B.Tech Civil or Mechanical, with or without GATE score	Rs. 31,000 / Rs. 25,000	Up to Mar 2027 (ext. Mar 2028)

No category-wise break-up is given in the notification.

Eligibility

Project Associate-II needs a B.E. or B.Tech in Civil or Mechanical Engineering with two years of R&D experience; one SSP 479 post also accepts an M.E., M.Tech or MS in Structural Engineering in place of the experience. Project Associate-I needs a B.E. or B.Tech in the discipline shown for the post — Civil, Mechanical, ECE, EEE, CSE, IT, Instrumentation, AI&ML or AI&DS. One FIR040402 post accepts candidates with or without a GATE score.

Pay

Project Associate-II: Rs. 35,000 per month if NET/GATE or national-level-exam qualified, otherwise Rs. 28,000, plus HRA. Project Associate-I: Rs. 31,000 per month if NET/GATE or national-level-exam qualified, otherwise Rs. 25,000, plus HRA. Overall emolument range is Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 35,000 per month plus HRA.

Age Limit

The upper age limit is 35 years as on the date of interview, 26 November 2026. Relaxation of 5 years applies to SC, ST, Women and PwD candidates, and 3 years to OBC candidates. The notice states no minimum age.

Application Fee

No registration fee is prescribed in the notification. Registration on the Online Recruitment Portal is free of charge.

Registration and Walk-in Interview

Registration opens on 16 November 2026 at 10:00 AM and closes on 25 November 2026 at 5:00 PM, through the Online Recruitment Portal link on the SERC website. Only registered candidates may attend the walk-in interview. The walk-in interview is on 26 November 2026 only, from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM at CSIR-SERC, Taramani, Chennai; no entry is allowed after 10:30 AM. Candidates must bring the signed online application form with self-attested copies of certificates and the originals. No hard copies are to be sent in advance.

Selection Process

Candidates are shortlisted first — the criteria may include higher qualification, experience, GATE or NET — followed by the walk-in interview. No written test or exam date is mentioned in the notification.