If you hold a master’s degree in ocean or atmospheric sciences, there is a funded research seat waiting in Hyderabad — but the clock is short. The University of Hyderabad (UoH) is hiring two Junior Research Fellows (JRF) / Project Associate-I at its Centre for Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS), School of Physics, for a DRDO-funded project on the North Indian Ocean. The fellowship is ₹37,000 a month plus 30% HRA, the interview is online, and applications close at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, 17 November 2026.
There is no online portal and no application fee. You apply by email, with a filled form, a short CV and your certificates. With only two seats and a three-day window from today, this is one to send the same day you read it.
The fellowship at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Institution | University of Hyderabad (UoH), Gachibowli, Hyderabad |
| Centre | Centre for Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS), School of Physics |
| Post | Junior Research Fellow (JRF) / Project Associate-I — 2 posts |
| Advertisement No. | UH/CEOAS-SoP/SP/CHESS/JRF-02, dated 27 October 2026 |
| Fellowship | ₹37,000 per month + HRA at 30% (₹11,100), about ₹48,100 a month in total |
| Funding agency | CHESS (Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences), DRDO, Hyderabad |
| Last date to apply | Tuesday, 17 November 2026, before 5:00 PM (by email) |
| Selection | Online interview (Google Meet / Zoom) for shortlisted candidates only |
| Age limit | Maximum 32 years (relaxation, if any, as per DST norms) |
| Tenure | Project runs 2 years; post offered initially for 6 months, extended every 6 months on review |
| Application fee | None mentioned in the notification |
What the project is actually about
The project is titled “Understanding and Predicting Marine Atmospheric Optical Turbulence Characteristics in and above Boundary Layer over North Indian Ocean.” In plain language: it studies how turbulence in the air just above the sea surface bends and disturbs light and signals passing through it, over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
That matters because the layer of air sitting on the ocean — the marine atmospheric boundary layer — is where the sea and the sky exchange heat, moisture and momentum. When that layer turns turbulent, optical and communication signals travelling through it degrade. The work is funded by CHESS, the DRDO laboratory for high-energy systems, which is why the project sits at the intersection of ocean science and atmospheric physics rather than in a fisheries laboratory.
The day-to-day work will involve satellite and in-situ ocean and weather data, numerical modelling and a lot of programming. If your M.Sc. or M.Tech. project was on boundary-layer dynamics, air–sea interaction or ocean data analysis, this project will feel familiar from day one.
Who can apply
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Essential qualification | M.Sc. in Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Meteorology or Physical Oceanography, or M.Tech. in Atmospheric / Ocean Sciences |
| Age | Maximum 32 years; relaxation, if any, follows DST norms |
| Other conditions | Candidates must also meet the conditions in DST Office Memorandum No. DST/PCPM/Z-06/2022 dated 26 June 2023, which sets the rules for JRF and Project Associate posts in funded research projects |
| Desirable skills | Marine atmospheric boundary-layer dynamics and atmospheric turbulence; handling satellite and in-situ meteorological or oceanographic data; programming in Python, MATLAB, Fortran or C, and shell scripting; Linux / UNIX; data visualisation tools such as GrADS, NCL, Ferret or CDO |
Note the narrow eligibility. This is not a general life-sciences JRF: a plain M.Sc. in Zoology, Botany or Biotechnology does not fit the essential qualification. The degrees named are ocean and atmospheric sciences, meteorology, physical oceanography, and atmospheric / ocean sciences at M.Tech. level. If your degree is in marine biology or fisheries science without that ocean–atmosphere core, this particular post is not for you — but the routes below are.
What the fellowship pays
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fellowship | ₹37,000 per month |
| HRA at 30% | ₹11,100 per month |
| Total (approx.) | ₹48,100 per month |
The ₹37,000 figure follows the DST fellowship structure for JRFs in funded projects, and the 30% HRA is the rate printed in the advertisement. Whether HRA is paid in full depends on your accommodation: under standard project rules, fellows who take university hostel accommodation generally do not draw HRA. Check the notification for the exact position before you count on the full ₹48,100.
The appointment is purely temporary and co-terminus with the project. It is first offered for six months and extended every six months on the basis of progress and review, up to the two-year life of the project. It gives no claim to a regular post at the university.
How to apply — step by step
- Read the official notification (Advt. No. UH/CEOAS-SoP/SP/CHESS/JRF-02, dated 27 October 2026) on the University of Hyderabad website, uohyd.ac.in. It carries the application form, Form-B.
- Fill in Form-B — personal details, education with marks / CGPA, experience, and the names and contact details of two referees. Paste a recent photograph.
- Scan self-attested copies of all certificates and marks lists.
- Prepare a brief CV of one to two pages. Put your skills on page one: the exact tools you have used (Python, NCL, GrADS, satellite datasets such as ERA5 or MODIS) and your M.Sc. / M.Tech. project title.
- Combine everything into one PDF in this order: Form-B, CV, PG certificate and marks, UG, Class 12, Class 10.
- Email it to sreenivas83@uohyd.ac.in before 5:00 PM on Tuesday, 17 November 2026. Put the advertisement number in the subject line, for example: Application for JRF – Advt No. UH/CEOAS-SoP/SP/CHESS/JRF-02 – Your Name. The notice says the advertisement number in the subject must not be missed.
- Wait for the interview link. Shortlisted candidates receive the online interview link by email. There is no written test mentioned, and no TA/DA is paid.
Because the deadline is 5 PM on a Tuesday and the application is a single email, send it a day early if you can. An email that lands at 5:05 PM is a missed chance.
How to make your application stand out
Two seats, one email inbox, and a very specific skill list — the professor screening these applications is looking for evidence, not adjectives. Three things move an application to the top of the pile:
- Name the data you have actually handled. ERA5 reanalysis, MODIS or INSAT imagery, buoy or Argo float data, radiosonde profiles — the project lives on satellite and in-situ data, so a CV that names datasets beats one that says “data analysis”.
- Name the code you have actually written. Python or MATLAB for analysis, shell scripting and Linux for handling large files, and any experience with GrADS, NCL, Ferret or CDO for visualisation.
- Lead with your project. If your M.Sc. or M.Tech. dissertation touched boundary-layer dynamics, turbulence, air–sea fluxes or marine meteorology, put its title and one-line finding on page one of the CV.
For the interview, expect questions on boundary-layer basics, turbulence parameters and your own project work. Keep a working internet connection and a quiet room ready — the interview is online, and shortlisted candidates are called on Google Meet or Zoom.
Why this post is worth chasing
Ocean-science JRFs at central universities are rare, and this one has three features that are hard to find together: a DRDO-funded project, a fellowship close to ₹48,000 a month with HRA, and an entirely online selection. There is no travel to Hyderabad for the interview and no written test to prepare for — the selection turns on your degree, your CV and one online conversation.
It is also a genuine research start. A JRF in a two-year ocean–atmosphere project builds the exact profile — satellite data handling, numerical modelling, boundary-layer physics — that national ocean institutes look for in their own Project Associate and Project Scientist recruitments. And a JRF is a portable credential: fellowship holders are the candidates ICAR institutes and fisheries universities admit to PhD programmes, as our guides below explain.
Other live routes for ocean and fisheries graduates
- CSIR NET Dec 2026: ₹37,000 JRF — exam on 19, 22 and 27 December 2026 — the national test that decides who gets a Junior Research Fellowship worth ₹37,000 a month; from this cycle, one sitting of the Life Sciences paper can lead to a CSIR, UGC or DBT fellowship.
- ICAR PhD 2027: ₹31,000 Fellowship, 120 Questions — the AICE-JRF/SRF route into a PhD at ICAR-CIFE and other agricultural universities, with the 2026 cycle’s verified figures while the 2027 dates are still awaited.
- INCOIS Ocean Information & Fishery Oceanography Fellowships 2026 — Project Scientist and Project Associate positions at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad, under O-SMART and the Deep Ocean Mission.
- MBARI Pays $23/Hour to Study the Ocean — Feb 9 — a paid international ocean-research internship for students who want research experience abroad.
Frequently asked questions
How many posts are there?
Two Junior Research Fellow / Project Associate-I positions.
What is the fellowship amount?
₹37,000 per month plus 30% HRA (₹11,100), about ₹48,100 in total. HRA follows the notification and standard project rules.
Who can apply?
Candidates with an M.Sc. in Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Meteorology or Physical Oceanography, or an M.Tech. in Atmospheric / Ocean Sciences, aged up to 32 years.
How do I apply?
Email the filled Form-B, certificates and a brief CV to sreenivas83@uohyd.ac.in, with Advt. No. UH/CEOAS-SoP/SP/CHESS/JRF-02 in the subject line.
What is the last date?
Tuesday, 17 November 2026, before 5:00 PM. Applications after that time are not accepted.
Is the interview offline?
No. It is online through Google Meet or Zoom, for shortlisted candidates only.
Is there an application fee?
None is mentioned in the notification.
Fact-check note (14 November 2026)
Every date, figure and condition in this post was checked on 14 November 2026 against the University of Hyderabad advertisement (Advt. No. UH/CEOAS-SoP/SP/CHESS/JRF-02, dated 27 October 2026) as reported in full and in agreement by three independent job portals — TeluguCareers (published 9 November 2026), FreeJobAlert and FreshersLive (both published 28 October 2026). All three agree on the two posts, the ₹37,000 + 30% HRA fellowship, the 17 November 2026 5:00 PM email deadline, the sreenivas83@uohyd.ac.in address, the online interview, the 32-year age limit and the two-year project tenure. The 17 November 2026 deadline falls on a Tuesday, verified against the calendar, and is still open at the time of publication. The ₹48,100 total is simple arithmetic on the notified figures (₹37,000 + 30% HRA) and is labelled approximate. The official notification is on the University of Hyderabad website — read it in full before applying, because the notification, not this post, is the final authority.
The images in this post are illustrations created for this article.