Job Opportunity: Post-Doctoral Fellow (PDF) at NISER Bhubaneswar Project Title: Understanding Host-Gut Microbiome Interaction in Insects – An Ecological Perspective Principal Investigator: Dr. Rittik Deb, Assistant Professor, School of Biological Sciences (SBS) Research Focus: The Evolutionary Ecology Lab at NISER is seeking a motivated researcher to investigate the complex relationships between insect hosts and their gut microbiota. The project adopts an ecological lens to explore how these microbial communities influence host fitness, adaptation, and response to environmental shifts. Required Expertise: The ideal candidate should possess a strong background in one or more of the following areas: Microbiology & Environmental Microbiology: Experience in microbial culturing, community analysis, and ecological sampling. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS): Hands-on experience with library preparation and sequencing technologies. Bioinformatics: Proficiency in R (specifically packages like DADA2 or phyloseq) for metagenomics pipelines and complex data visualization. Theoretical Ecology: Understanding of community assembly, symbiotic interactions, and evolutionary drivers of biodiversity. Application Details: Detailed Advertisement: Please refer to the official NISER recruitment PDF for eligibility, fellowship terms, and application procedures: Official Advertisement (PDF) - https://www.niser.ac.in/storage/notices/2026/academic/PDF_Advertisement_SBS_24April2026.pdf Lab Information: To learn more about our ongoing research, students, and publications, visit the Evo-Eco Lab Website. https://sites.google.com/niser.ac.in/evo-eco-lab-niser/home?authuser=0 Inquiries: Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Dr Rittik Deb directly at debrittik@niser.ac.in for informal inquiries regarding the project scope. About the Institution: The National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) is a premier research institution in India, providing a vibrant intellectual environment and state-of-the-art facilities for biological research. -- Rittik Deb Assistant Professor Evolutionary Ecology Lab (EEL) School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research An autonomous institute under DAE email: debrittik@niser.ac.in, debrittik@gmail.com https://sites.google.com/niser.ac.in/evo-eco-lab-niser/home (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to evoldir@evoldir.net)