CSIR-IIIM Project Associate-I Recruitment 2026

CSIR-IIIM Jammu is hiring 1 Project Associate-I for a Parkinson's disease drug research project. If you have an M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry, M.Pharm/M.S. in Natural Products or Medicinal Chemistry, or a four-year Bachelor's degree, you can apply online. The last date to apply is 18 August 2026. The upper age limit is 50 years, and the stipend is Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 37,000 per month plus HRA.

CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM) Project Associate-I Recruitment 2026 - 1 Post

CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, a premier institute under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology, has released Project Advertisement No. 22/2026 for 1 Project Associate-I post. The position is under the ANRF-funded project GAP-3199 titled "Preclinical evaluation of Isobavachalcone derivatives as a Nurr1 agonist and NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor: A multitarget therapeutic approach for Parkinson's Diseases" — research aimed at finding new therapies for Parkinson's Disease, which is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders affecting the ageing population in India and worldwide. Selection is through an online interview on MS Teams — there is no written exam. Chemistry, pharmacy and natural products graduates interested in drug discovery research should apply before the deadline. CSIR-IIIM, Jammu is one of the leading pharmaceutical and natural products research institutes in India, known for its work on plant-based drug molecules, and this project gives you a chance to work directly on preclinical drug evaluation for a neurological disorder that affects millions of people. The research combines organic chemistry and pharmacology to test how plant-derived Isobavachalcone compounds behave as potential Parkinson's treatments, giving you exposure to both synthetic chemistry and biological evaluation methods.

Who Can Apply?

• Qualification: M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry, or M.Pharm/M.S. in Natural Products, Medicinal Chemistry or Pharmacognosy, or equivalent from a recognized university. A four-year Bachelor's degree is also accepted.
• Desirable: Research experience in extraction and isolation techniques (chromatography purification, HPLC) and characterization techniques (IR, MS, HR-MS, NMR) of natural products.
• Desirable: Related publications, if any.
• There is no minimum work experience requirement — the desirable criteria mentioned above are preferred but not mandatory, so both freshers and experienced candidates can apply.

If you are a chemistry, pharmacy or natural products graduate looking to build hands-on experience in drug discovery research before pursuing a PhD, this project position gives you direct exposure to preclinical evaluation work at a premier CSIR laboratory.

Age Limit

• The upper age limit is 50 years, reckoned as on the last date of receipt of applications.
• Age Relaxation: Available as per Government of India rules for reserved categories.

Since age is counted as on the last date of receipt of applications, make sure you calculate your age carefully before submitting the form.

Salary

• You will get a stipend of Rs. 37,000 per month + HRA if you have qualified CSIR-UGC/ICAR/ICMR NET (including Lectureship/Assistant Professorship) or GATE, or a national-level exam conducted by DBT/DST or similar central government bodies.
• Other eligible candidates will get Rs. 30,000 per month + HRA.
• HRA is paid only if institutional accommodation is not availed or provided.

The engagement will initially be for one year or until the project duration, whichever is earlier, and may be extended or curtailed depending on the project's requirements and your performance. The current project runs till 13 July 2029, but under CSIR rules, your total engagement across all CSIR labs cannot exceed six years.

Selection Process (No Written Exam)

Selection is done in a single stage:

1. Interview: Conducted online through MS Teams. If a large number of candidates apply, the Screening Committee may revisit the screening criteria.

You can interact with the Selection Committee in English or Hindi, whichever you are comfortable with. Keep in mind that the number of positions may change depending on project requirements at the time of the interview, and the Director, CSIR-IIIM reserves the right not to fill any or all of the advertised positions.

How to Apply

1. Go to the online application form at forms.gle/DLBW1Zg41tvxq3eh6.
2. Fill in your personal details, qualifications and experience.
3. Mention your NET/GATE or equivalent national exam qualification, if any, since this decides your stipend slab.
4. Upload your documents as required in the form.
5. Submit before the deadline of 18 August 2026, 5:30 PM.
6. Keep scanned copies of your degree certificates, mark-sheets and any publication proof ready, since these may be verified after selection.

Candidates currently engaged in any project at CSIR-IIIM must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before applying for this vacancy.

Important Dates

• Notification Date: 5 August 2026
• Last Date to Apply: 18 August 2026, 5:30 PM
• Shortlisted Candidates & Interview Date Display: 19 August 2026

Keep checking the CSIR-IIIM website around 19 August 2026 for the shortlist and your interview slot, since no separate individual notification may be sent to every applicant.

• Carry out extraction and isolation of natural product compounds
• Perform chromatography purification and HPLC analysis on samples
• Characterize compounds using IR, MS, HR-MS and NMR techniques
• Support preclinical evaluation experiments for the Parkinson's disease project
• Maintain accurate lab records and experiment data
• Prepare reports and assist in manuscript and publication preparation
• Follow lab safety protocols and institute guidelines