Job Description

Overview

:

Vector Borne Diseases (VBDs) such as malaria, visceral leishmaniasis (VL, also called kala-azar), lymphatic filariasis (LF), dengue, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis remain major public health concerns in India.

India has achieved remarkable reductions in VBD cases and deaths over recent decades. Malaria cases have reduced from 75 million at the time of India’s independence to ~200,00 in , while deaths have reduced from 800,000 to 83 during the same period. For LF, though active transmission and infection rates have declined, the chronic manifestations remain significant. India reported about ~600,00 lymphoedema cases and ~125,000 hydrocele cases caused by filarial worms in 2023. For VL, cases have reduced to ~500 in 2023. The Government of India has committed to the elimination of several VBDs within defined timelines- for example, eliminating malaria by 2030 and lymphatic filariasis and kala-azar ahead of global targets.

Despite these gains, these illnesses continue to contribute substantially to disease burden, morbidity, mortality and disability, particularly among populations living in rural, remote, or otherwise underserved areas. Climate change, urbanization, migration, environmental factors, and gaps in vector control and surveillance continue to challenge disease elimination efforts.

The National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) is the nodal agency under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) responsible for orchestrating the government’s response to VBDs. Its roles include policy formulation, standard setting, strategic planning (including disease elimination timelines), surveillance strengthening, capacity building, coordinating multi-sectoral and inter-governmental efforts, and deploying innovations in vector control, diagnostics, and community engagement.

Project Background:

Vector control is the most effective strategy for reducing vector-borne disease (VBD) transmission in endemic regions. To be successful, it must be guided by comprehensive knowledge of local vector species, their population dynamics, breeding habitats, feeding and resting behaviours, and insecticide resistance. This information should be systematically collected, analysed, and integrated into a robust entomological surveillance program.

To strengthen entomological units across the country, including the National Reference Laboratory, the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) has requested the establishment of an Entomological Support Unit (ESU) within the existing Technical Support Unit (TSU) at NCVBDC. The ESU is envisioned to work in close coordination with key NCVBDC officials and state-level entomological teams to enhance entomological surveillance, with the overarching objective of generating evidence and providing strategic guidance to support vector-borne disease (VBD) programs.

Position Summary:

WJCF is seeking a highly motivated individual with outstanding credentials and demonstrated program management abilities to work within NCVBDC. The Program Officer will provide technical and operational support to colleagues in the Entomology Support Unit for strengthening entomological capacity of NCVBDC. This will include governance of entomological zones, staff training and capacity, monitoring of interventions and guidelines focused on by NCVBDC, data recording and reporting mechanisms etc. The Program Officer will ensure that the agenda of strengthening entomological capacity remains of high importance at the national and state levels, and bureaucratic and other bottlenecks are systematically addressed. The Program Officer will report to the Lead of the VBD TSU.

Responsibilities
  • Assist in drafting government orders, bulletins, advisories, and other communication from NCVBDC to states and districts.
  • Coordinate meetings and events with stakeholders within NCVBDC, MoHFW, and state VBD programs.
  • Support capacity-building initiatives, including training of SPOs, state-level entomologists, and community workers.
  • Facilitate field visits, program reviews, and cross-departmental coordination, ensuring continuous programmatic feedback loops.
  • Support the documentation of program progress through reports, presentations, and templates for effective internal use and dissemination of reports at the state and national levels.
  • Track disease outbreaks, identify high risk areas, and monitor vector populations.
  • Analyze data to understand disease trends, identify risk factors, and inform control strategies.
  • Contribute to implementation and monitoring of vector control measures, such as insecticide treated bed nets and larvicides.
  • Undertake periodic visits to States/UTs and districts to identify challenges and address gaps.
  • Undertake other responsibilities as needed.=
    • Qualifications
  • Master’s degree in zoology, biology, environmental science, public health, life sciences, social work or other related fields with minimum 8 years of professional experience.
  • Professional experience in, inter alia, government program delivery, vector research, life science research, public sector advisory.
  • Previous experience working with the VBD program at the national or state levels, or with national institutes engaged in VBD research will be an advantage.
  • High levels of proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Ability to work independently in high-pressure and unstructured settings, to work closely within and across other teams and to adapt to new environments and challenges.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, problem-solving and strong organizational abilities and detail-oriented approach.
  • Willingness to travel frequently (~30-40% time).

    • Last Date to Apply: 6th February, 2026

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