Project Scientist-I (Non-medical)
Number of Positions: 2 [Chennai-1; Guwahati-1]
Term of Employment: 2 years extendable up to 6 months as per the project requirements.
Likely Date of Joining: 20th Feb 2026 – 1st March 2026
Work Locations: Cancer Institute (WIA) Chennai, TamilNadu & Dr. B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati Assam
Employing Organization: Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC), New Delhi, is a not-for-profit research organization of health professionals and social scientists engaged in knowledge generation and knowledge translation for the prevention and control of non-communicable (chronic) diseases in varied settings of the developing countries. CCDC has been recognized as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (SIRO) by Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. CCDC also holds recognition as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Surveillance, Capacity Building and Translational Research in Cardio-metabolic diseases and as an ICMR Collaborating Centre for Health Research.
Study site: Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, is a non-profit; public charitable voluntary institute for cancer treatment and research, established in 1954. In 1974, it became a regional cancer centre with a mission to provide state of art treatment to every needy patient. It is a leading cancer research and care center of National and International importance. As a comprehensive cancer center comprised of a 565-bedded hospital, a research division, and an academic institution of super-specialty oncology training, it also houses hospital- and population-based cancer registries and conducts broad range of research projects from molecular to preventive oncology.
Study site: Dr. B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati, was established in 1973 and recognized as Regional Cancer Centre by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India in the year 1980. BBCI is a premier Institution involved in quality medical research and healthcare. The Institute was formally taken over by Department of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India in 2017 as a unit of Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. It is a 259-bedded Hospital at present and is involved in several research projects. The Institute has Population and Hospital Based Cancer Registry under National Cancer Registry Programme of Indian Council of Medical Research. A DBT Centre for Molecular Biology and Cancer Research was started in February 2010. BBCI constantly works at providing excellent care to those who are disadvantaged and marginalized.
Project Brief: The project titled “Evaluating diet, essential minerals, oral bacteria, and body fat for head and neck cancer treatment: A prospective study in two large cancer centres in India” is a 3-year project funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR, New Delhi). The study sites are Cancer Institute (WIA) at Chennai & BBCI at Guwahati. This is a prospective research study among head and neck cancer patients from diagnosis to treatment and post-treatment, i.e., recruiting at diagnosis with up to 6-months post diagnosis follow-up. We aim to investigate how diet, essential minerals, body fat and oral bacteria together (termed as diet exposome) may influence the response to treatment and quality-of-life among head and neck cancer patients, while accounting for several other lifestyle and environmental factors. This project will employ participatory approach involving multistakeholder participation. Head and neck cancers are a major public health concern in India and globally and are high-nutritional risk cancers. The study findings will provide important information relevant for regional and global population to help guide dietary interventions to improve head and neck cancer outcomes regionally and globally.
Job Description
The Project Scientist will contribute to the implementation of the study in the following manner:
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Responsibilities and Requirements
Essential: Master’s degree in life sciences (anatomy, physiology, anthropology, medical sciences, epidemiology, biochemistry, clinical research, genetics, biotechnology, medical lab technology, public health).
Experience of field data collection by interacting with study participants.
Desirable:
- Good knowledge about the respective study locations.
- Data collection, and monitoring experience using data management software
- Quantitative data management and analytic skills
Willingness to travel within and across the study sites, laboratory facilities and CCDC office if required.
Experience: 2 years of experience in health research studies
Competencies:
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and the regional language (Tamil/Assamese)
- Working knowledge in Hindi
- Good computer skills including Microsoft word, PowerPoint, Excel, data management software.
- Good interpersonal skills
- Ability to work in cross-cultural teams
- Ability to plan, conceptualize and organize
- Ability to manage the team’s performance
- Ability to make logical decisions and ensure transparency
- Ability to execute exactly as decided in group meetings and ensure a high-level work transparency
- Experience of field data collection efforts in health surveys
- Experience of coordination between field activities and laboratory analysis
- Experience of coordination across the partners within multi-centre studies
Emoluments: Commensurate with ICMR guidelines.
Application Process Information
Please send detailed CV along with a cover letter to jobs@ccdcindia.org with the title “Project Scientist-I – ICMR Cancer Study” in the subject line. Post submitting the details please fill this form link . Last date for sending your application is 5th February 2026. Only shortlisted candidates who have shared their details and filled the form will be contacted for the interview.
