Senior Investigator, Multiple Disciplines, NCI

NIH Intramural Research Program; Bethesda (MD); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Retirement benefits

Job summary

NIH Intramural Research Program in Frederick, Maryland, seeks a Senior Investigator to lead an independent cancer research group. The role emphasizes scientific leadership, mentoring, and building internationally recognized programs.

The successful candidate will contribute to basic, translational, and clinical sciences, with access to NIH platforms and cross‑institution collaborations. Tenure-track eligibility and on-site presence are expected.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or M.D. required with tenure eligibility criteria.
• Proven record of scientific achievement in cancer research and leadership.
• Mentoring and developing independent research programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead an independent research group in cancer biology.
• Drive high-impact, translational cancer research and collaborations.
• Oversee program development and mentorship of junior investigators.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Strategic planning

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Ph.D.

M.D.

Job description

Senior Investigator, Multiple Disciplines, NCI

Review begins October 26, 2026

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is seeking outstanding, internationally recognized and visionary scientists to lead independent research groups to conduct cutting‑edge cancer research in the NCI Center for Cancer Research (CCR). The specialties relevant to basic and translational cancer research to be considered are molecular immunology, structural biology, computational biology and epigenetics. These positions are part of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) world‑class intramural research program (IRP).

Successful candidates will be eligible to be appointed as an NIH tenured Senior Investigator and are expected to lead internationally recognized research programs, supported by stable resources including access to a range of NCI technology platforms and interdisciplinary collaborations within NCI as well as at NIH and its Clinical Center.

The Center for Cancer Research (CCR) is home to basic and clinical research groups located on two campuses just outside of Washington, D.C. CCR is part of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and makes up the largest component of the research effort at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). CCR scientists pursue the most important and challenging problems in cancer research. We collaborate with academic and commercial partners and advocacy groups across the world in efforts to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. The CCR research portfolio covers the full spectrum of biological and biomedical research. Our work ranges from basic to translational and clinical, and our clinical trials are conducted in the NIH Clinical Center, the world’s largest hospital dedicated to clinical research. The success of CCR is grounded in an exceptionally strong discovery research program that provides the foundation for the seamless translation of insights from bench to bedside. For an overview of CCR, please visit http://ccr.cancer.gov / (external link) .

The ideal candidate must have a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent. Additionally, the successful candidates must possess an exceptional record of scientific achievement in cancer research, demonstrated leadership ability, proven effectiveness in mentoring and must meet the criteria for tenure at the NIH. Positions are in Frederick, Maryland and require significant in‑person on‑site presence.

Salary will be commensurate with experience. A full civil service package of benefits (including health insurance, life insurance, and retirement) is available. Candidates may be U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or eligible for a visa that will enable work in the United States.

Interested candidates should submit the following materials:

• A letter of interest, including a career synopsis
• A forward‑looking statement of research interests (up to three pages)
• A current curriculum vitae and complete bibliography
• A list of your top five (5) publications in the last ten (10) years

Selection for this position will be based solely on merit, with no discrimination for non‑merit reasons such as race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, age, or membership or non‑membership in an employee organization. NIH provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation during any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case‑by‑case basis. This position is subject to a background investigation.

DHHS, NIH, and NCI are Equal Opportunity Employers

This page was last updated on Friday, October 9, 2026