CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory Recruitment: Project Associate-II Opening for Vanillin Biosynthesis and Metabolic Engineering

The CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune—a premier research establishment operating under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India—has issued an official recruitment notification for temporary positions under a sponsored research project. Established in 1950, NCL specializes in multi-disciplinary research spanning chemistry, chemical engineering, biotechnology, and catalysis, while actively partnering with academic and industrial sectors to drive technological translation.

Project Overview and Essential Details

Position: Project Associate-II (02 Vacancies)
Project Title: “Precision Re-engineering of Intermediary Metabolism of Vanillin for increased Productivity”
Project Code: GAP003483
Sponsoring Agency: ANRF
Division: Chemical Engg. & Process Development (CEPD)
Upper Age Limit: 35 years (Relaxable up to 5 years for SC/ST/PWD/Women candidates and 3 years for OBC candidates)
Application Deadline: 21 October 2026
Screening Notification Date: 23 October 2026 (Shortlisted candidates notified on website/notice board or via email with online interview links)
Interview Date: 26 October 2026 from 10:00 AM onwards (Conducted online via platforms like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or Cisco WebEx)

Essential Educational Qualifications

Candidates must fulfill one of the following prescribed qualification tracks:

Route (i): Master’s or Integrated Master’s degree in Natural, Agricultural, or Pharmaceutical Sciences, MVSc, Animal Sciences; OR a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Technology, or Medicine from a recognized university; AND two (2) years of research and development experience in industrial, academic, or science and technology organizations.
Route (ii): Master’s or Integrated Master’s degree in Engineering or Technology from a recognized university or equivalent.

Desirable Qualifications and Job Requirements

Preferred Background & Experience: Research experience in microbial metabolic engineering, synthetic biology for high-value chemical or vanillin production, molecular biology techniques (plasmid design, PCR, cloning, vector construction, microbial transformation), CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing, pathway engineering, bioinformatics, microbial cultivation, and HPLC/bioanalytical assays.
Core Responsibilities: Design and validation of microbial strains and expression vectors for vanillin biosynthesis, genetic engineering and metabolic flux redirection, cultivation and medium optimization, product quantification via HPLC, and documentation of progress reports and scientific manuscripts.

Consolidated Monthly Emoluments

Rs. 35,000/- plus HRA: Applicable for candidates who have qualified CSIR-UGC / ICAR / ICMR NET (including lectureship/assistant professorship), GATE, or national-level examinations conducted by central government departments such as DBT, DST, or their equivalent agencies/institutions.
Rs. 28,000/- plus HRA: Applicable for other candidates who do not meet the national-level examination criteria mentioned above.

Application Procedure and Guidelines

Online Application: Eligible candidates must submit their applications online exclusively through the official portal (jobs.ncl.res.in), referencing details under job vacancies at ncl-india.org on or before 21 October 2026.
Document Specifications: Applicants must ensure digital files comply with size limitations, including scanned photographs under 50 KB and signatures under 25 KB in JPG/JPEG format, alongside compiled PDF copies of mark sheets and testimonials.
Selection Process: Shortlisted candidates will be notified on 23 October 2026 and invited for an online interview on 26 October 2026. No separate interview call letters or TA/DA will be issued.