Organizational Setting

The Department of Nuclear Safety and Security (NS) formulates and implements the IAEA’s nuclear safety and security programme, which encompasses the IAEA’s activities to protect people and the environment from radiation exposure, and responds to the needs of its Member States related to nuclear safety and nuclear security.The Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) is part of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security and reports to the Deputy Director General, Head of the Department. The IEC serves as the IAEA’s focal point for preparedness and response to nuclear and radiological incidents and emergencies regardless of their cause, and for strengthening Member States’ preparedness for response.

Main Purpose

Reporting to the Response System Coordinator, the Response and Assistance Officer is the Coordinator’s backup and the IAEA’s focal point for emergency assistance who maintains, develops and strengthens the Response and Assistance Network (RANET) with States Parties and its arrangements; the technical guidance, procedures and publications related to the provision of emergency assistance; the registry of States Parties that join RANET and training for States Parties; leads international Assistance Missions; and in addition liaises with Member States regarding national assistance capabilities and related strategy and policies. In a nuclear or radiological incident or emergency, the Emergency Assistance Officer supports the Emergency Response Manager in arranging the requested international assistance.
As a member of the team led by the Response System Coordinator, the Response and Assistance Officer supports the development and implementation of the Agency’s policy and strategy for enhancing the Agency’s emergency management system for nuclear and radiological incidents and emergencies. This includes strengthening and the testing of the IEC’s preparedness and response capabilities and arrangements, through reviews of the in-house response plan and procedures and support in the preparation and conduct of internal and international EPR response exercises.

Role

The Response and Assistance Officer is: (1) a nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness and response (EPR) technical expert, coordinator and analyst, reviewing, and organizing the delivery of international assistance and working to optimize and implement EPR response arrangements including the delivery of assistance and the preparation and conduct of EPR response exercises; (2) a liaison officer, collecting relevant information from national authorities assigned by their governments to be focal points to RANET and from relevant divisions and departments within the IAEA, as delegated, on matters of EPR assistance and response; (3) a technical expert in nuclear safety, radiation protection, monitoring and detection equipment, ensuring that harmonization of national assistance capabilities and response arrangements are supported by relevant IAEA guidance; and (4) a trainer, preparing and implementing emergency response training and exercise programmes in house, and at national, regional and international levels. (5) An Emergency Response Manager, in case of nuclear or radiological incidents and emergencies.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Assist and back-up the Response System Coordinator in the coordination of response to actual, potential or perceived nuclear or radiological incidents or emergencies, including the provision of international assistance as requested, and implement corrections and improvements identified in actual response activities and EPR exercises.
• Coordinate RANET activities as well as other IAEA activities related to the delivery of emergency assistance to Member States.
• Maintain through review and revision the authoritative IAEA RANET publication (EPR-RANET), focusing on consistency with existing IEC policy and harmonization of assistance capabilities and arrangements.
• Prepare, coordinate, and serve as officer in charge of field missions delivering expert assistance and deploying needed capabilities and equipment.
• Liaise with relevant departments and divisions within the IAEA on matters of emergency assistance and RANET to ensure a coordinated approach.
• Review RANET national assistance capabilities, including thorough preparing for and leading RANET review missions focused on the harmonization of assistance capabilities.
• Maintain the RANET Registry and prepare, conduct and evaluate RANET and EPR workshops and exercises.
• Prepare, conduct and evaluate training for Member States on the implementation of compatibility arrangements to help enhance the harmonization of national assistance capabilities in states providing assistance and the response capabilities in states receiving assistance so that the assistance may be rendered effectively.
• Strengthen internal partnerships and knowledge capabilities to support the IEC objective of building and maintaining in-house preparedness to respond to incidents and emergencies.
• Provide support and relevant expertise for the Incident and Emergency System in the capacity of the on-call officer and participate in associated training and exercises.
• Participate in the IAEAs Incident and Emergency System (IES) as Emergency response Manager, participate in associated training and exercises, and provide technical support as required when the IEC is activated, including as back-up to the Response System Coordinator.

Competencies and Expertise

Core Competencies(Competency Framework)

Functional Competencies

Required Expertise

Asset Expertise

Qualifications, Experience and Language skills

Master’s Degree – Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in nuclear science, physics or engineering or other related field.

Bachelor’s Degree – University degree in nuclear science, physics or engineering or other related field with two years of additional relevant experience may be considered in lieu of advanced university degree.

• Minimum of seven years of work experience in the area of radiation emergency preparedness and response, including a minimum of two years of involvement in international cooperation in radiation emergency response.
• Experience in managing the response to a nuclear and radiological emergency.
• Experience in either providing or receiving international assistance missions is desirable.

Excellent oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.

Remuneration

The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at US $77326 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $ 38431*, dependency benefits, rental subsidy, education grant, relocation and repatriation expenses; Other benefits include 6 weeks’ annual leave, home leave travel, pension plan and health insurance. More information on the conditions of employment can be found at: https://www.iaea.org/about/employment/professional-staff/conditions

General Information

• The IAEA’s paramount consideration in the recruitment of staff member is to secure employees of the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• Staff Members shall be selected without any unfair treatment or arbitrary distinction based on a person’s race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, age, language, social origin or other similar shared characteristic or trait.
• The IAEA is committed to gender equality and to promoting a diverse workforce. Applications from qualified women and candidates from developing countries are strongly encouraged.
• Applicants should be aware that IAEA staff members are international civil servants and may not accept instructions from any other authority. The IAEA is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. As part of the United Nations common system, the IAEA subscribes to the following core ethical standards (or values): Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for diversity.
• The IAEA has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and the IAEA, including sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.

Evaluation process

• The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the selection criteria stated in the vacancy announcement. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information. Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
• Candidates under serious consideration for selection may be subject to reference and background checks as part of the recruitment process.

Appointment information

• Appointment is subject to a satisfactory medical report.
• Staff members may be assigned to any location.
• Candidates appointed to posts in the Professional and higher categories are subject to IAEA rotation policy and their maximum tour of service shall normally be seven years.
• The IAEA retains the discretion not to make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade or with a different contract type, or to make an appointment with a modified job description or for shorter duration than indicated above.