Research Associate — Computer Vision

About this AI Research Associate role at IIT Madras

IIT Madras's Robert Bosch Centre is hiring Research Associates in computer vision—a hands-on junior research role perfect for recent graduates and early-career AI engineers in Chennai. You'll work on cutting-edge projects spanning autonomous driving, medical imaging, and agriculture vision, directly contributing to real-world AI research while building a publication record.

What you'll do

• Develop and optimize computer vision models using PyTorch and OpenCV for autonomous driving, medical imaging, and agriculture applications
• Conduct research, run experiments, and document findings—working toward publishing papers in peer-reviewed venues
• Implement deep learning solutions for image classification, object detection, and segmentation tasks
• Collaborate with graduate students and senior researchers, potentially mentoring junior team members
• For robotics tracks, work with ROS (Robot Operating System) to integrate vision pipelines into robotic systems

Who should apply

This role targets junior researchers with a strong academic foundation: ideally a PhD in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering (or near-completion) with a specialization in computer vision or deep learning, OR an M.Tech degree with 3+ first-author publications. If you're a fresher or early-career AI engineer with a solid CV/DL background and publication record, you're a strong candidate. No prior industry experience is required—your academic work and research output matter most.

Salary & offer in context

IIT Madras offers ₹54,000/month for RA-I positions, scaling up to ₹67,000/month for RA-II and RA-III roles based on your qualifications and publications. For a junior AI Research Associate position in India, this sits in the competitive range, reflecting the prestige of working at a top research institution while building your academic portfolio. This is a 2-year contract, extendable to 5 years.

Path to apply

Direct application—no competitive exam required. Send your CV, research statement, and publication list directly via email to IIT Madras's careers portal. The selection process includes shortlisting, an interview, and a research presentation to showcase your work. The application deadline is 1 June 2026—apply soon to secure your spot.