Prospective Faculty

The selection process comprises two stages. In the first stage, candidates deliver a research presentation at the departmental level. In the subsequent stage, shortlisted candidates present a teaching demonstration, deliver a research seminar, and participate in a face-to-face interview with the Director of IIT Hyderabad, all conducted in the presence of a designated selection committee. Further details on the selection process are presented in the following paragraphs.

Round 1

Following the initial screening of applications, shortlisted candidates will be invited to deliver a department-level research presentation, typically lasting between 45 to 60 minutes, followed by a Q&A session. This presentation will typically be attended by faculty members and students of the department.

In the research presentation, candidates are expected to discuss in detail one of their most recent research works, comprehensively covering all technical aspects and explicitly highlighting their original contributions.  Additionally, candidates are expected to outline their current and planned research directions, explicitly articulating the relevance, significance, and potential impact of the research questions they aim to address. Candidates are also encouraged to discuss their strategies or plans for securing research funding, particularly in relation to their ongoing or proposed research agenda.

Evaluation at this stage will focus on several key criteria: clarity of the candidate’s presentation, alignment of their research interests with the strategic objectives of the department, and the relevance of their research topics to contemporary advancements in AI and ML. A critical aspect of the evaluation will be the candidate’s preparedness to mentor students immediately upon appointment; specifically, the committee will assess the nature of research problems the candidate would be able to assign and supervise effectively. Prior mentoring experience acquired during PhD/postdoc will be considered an additional advantage, serving as an indicative basis for this evaluation.

Round 2

Following a careful evaluation in Round 1, select candidates will be invited to participate in Round 2. This round consists of a teaching demonstration, a research presentation, and an in-person interview with the Director.  

In the teaching demonstration, candidates are expected to deliver a lecture of approximately 30 minutes on a topic of their choice, pitched at a level accessible to second-year undergraduate students. The teaching demonstration is typically attended by departmental faculty members and a select group of Masters and PhD students. Candidates may be asked questions designed to assess their fundamental and foundational understanding of the chosen subject. Evaluation criteria for this round include clarity in teaching, the candidate’s readiness to thoroughly engage with the questions and provide comprehensive explanations, and their ability to naturally guide and enrich the discussions based on audience interactions.

Following the teaching demonstration, candidates will be invited to deliver a research presentation, typically lasting between 45 to 60 minutes, followed by a Q&A session. While candidates are encouraged to retain and comprehensively cover the information from their Round 1 presentation, the key difference in this round lies in the expectation that candidates explicitly discuss their teaching interests. They should clearly specify the courses they are comfortable teaching at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD levels, aligned with the department’s curriculum. Additionally, candidates are encouraged to suggest potential new courses they would be willing to develop and offer.  If asked about any subject or course, candidates should be able to identify and elaborate upon specific topics within that course that they are confident to teach effectively. Given that teaching is among the most pressing priorities at IITs, candidates are expected to demonstrate excellence and rigor in teaching standards. Evaluation in this round will primarily focus on the clarity and depth of the research presentation, the candidate’s ability to convincingly justify the scope and significance of their research questions, and their understanding of available funding opportunities relevant to their research domain, along with plans for leveraging such funding to support their work. 

Following the research presentation, candidates will be invited for an in-person interview conducted by the Director, the Head of the Department, and distinguished members of the selection committee. During this interview, after a concise overview of their research directions and interests, candidates may be asked about their willingness to join the institute, as well as their anticipated date of joining, should an offer be extended.

At IIT Hyderabad, all faculty function collaboratively within a culture distinguished by openness, transparency, and minimal hierarchy. In alignment with this ethos, candidates are strongly encouraged to communicate openly and transparently regarding their interests in joining the department/institute, and to disclose any parallel offers they may be considering at the time of the interview. Contrary to the common perception that sharing such information might adversely impact a candidate’s selection prospects, candidness in this regard is highly appreciated. It facilitates the department in efficiently directing its efforts towards recruiting colleagues whose vision and research interests resonate closely with the department’s objectives. We look forward to engaging with candidates who are genuinely enthusiastic about actively contributing to the continued growth and success of IIT Hyderabad.