Hiring: Three Students on Duty

The Center for Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics (CASSA) is recruiting three Students on Duty (SODs) — IUB’s paid on-campus positions for currently enrolled undergraduate students — for the Autumn 2026 semester, 1 August – 30 November 2026: one Outreach Ambassador and two Undergraduate Research Assistants (UGRAs).

Each SOD has a distinct individual role, described below. But the three also share one founding mandate: together, they must establish an “Astronomy and Space Club” at IUB under CASSA — the student club that will carry CASSA’s activities into the wider IUB student body. Over the term, the three SODs will work as a team to organize the club, recruit its founding members, and set up its regular activities in coordination with the Office of the Director.

The three positions

Outreach Ambassador

Open to undergraduate students from every school of IUB, regardless of major. The Outreach Ambassador is responsible for managing CASSA’s outreach events — Astronomy Nights, school programs and campus events — and for liaising with BDOAA (Bangladesh Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics), CASSA’s primary external outreach partner. Prior experience in event organization, teamwork, leadership or science outreach is a strong advantage.

UGRA with Dr Syed Ashraf Uddin

Open to SETS students only. This UGRA joins Dr Syed Ashraf Uddin in supernova cosmology — using Type Ia supernovae as standard candles to measure cosmic distances, chart the expansion of the Universe and probe dark energy and the Hubble tension, with particular attention to how a supernova’s host galaxy biases its brightness. Expect hands-on work with supernova data and Python-based analysis under Dr Uddin’s supervision.

UGRA with Dr Khan Muhammad Bin Asad

Open to SETS students only. This UGRA joins Dr Khan Muhammad Bin Asad in radio astronomy — probing the cosmic dawn and the Epoch of Reionization through the redshifted 21-cm signal with LOFAR, and imaging the diffuse radio halos and mini-halos of galaxy clusters with MeerKAT. Expect hands-on work with radio-interferometric data and Python pipelines under Dr Asad’s supervision.

General responsibilities

• Carry out the duties of your specific role under the supervision of a CASSA Core Member or the Office of the Director.
• Work with the other two SODs to establish the Astronomy and Space Club at IUB under CASSA.
• Work in-person at CASSA.

Terms

• Positions: 3 (one Outreach Ambassador, two Undergraduate Research Assistants).
• Term: 4 months — 1 August to 30 November 2026 (Autumn 2026 semester).
• Eligibility: Currently enrolled IUB undergraduate students. The Outreach Ambassador position is open to every school; the two UGRA positions are open to SETS students only (majors in CSE, EEE, ETE, CEN, CSC, Mathematics or Physics). You must not already hold an SOD position anywhere else at IUB — a student may hold only one SOD post at a time.
• Remuneration: 12,000 BDT per month.
• Referee: One IUB faculty member (Assistant Professor or above) who can comment on your suitability — contacted only if you are shortlisted, so get their permission in advance.
• Deadline: Apply by 20 July 2026, 11:59 pm.

How to apply

Use the Apply now button on this page to open the official application form (sign in with your IUB email). Have your latest transcript ready as a PDF, downloaded from IRAS; the statements on your relevant courses and experience are written directly in the form, within the stated word limits.

Apply for one position per submission — to apply for more than one, submit separately for each. After you submit, we email you a copy of your responses with a private link to review or edit them any time until the form closes.

For inquiries, write to cassa@iub.edu.bd.

CASSA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from diverse backgrounds.