Senior Technical Advisor

Senior Technical Advisor (SG)(P5) - (2025/0330 (007241))

Organization: SGCP-Division of Concepts and Planning

Primary Location: Austria-Vienna-Vienna-IAEA Headquarters

Job Posting: 2025-06-24, 8:55:01 AM

Closing Date: 2025-07-14, 4:59:00 PM

Duration in Months: 36

Contract Type: Fixed Term - Regular

Probation Period: 1 Year

Full Competitive Recruitment: Yes

Organizational Setting

The Department of Safeguards carries out the IAEA’s duties and responsibilities as the world’s nuclear inspectorate, supporting global efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. The primary role of the Department is to develop and implement IAEA safeguards to ensure that there is no diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful activities and no indications of undeclared nuclear material or activities in a State as a whole.

The Department comprises nuclear safeguards inspectors, responsible for carrying out inspections and verifications of all-safeguards relevant information for nuclear facilities in over 180 States; and technical staff responsible for a wide range of activities including: developing concepts and approaches for implementing safeguards; developing and maintaining safeguards equipment; providing analytical and laboratory services for sample analysis; collecting, evaluating and analysing safeguards-relevant information; providing information and communication technology infrastructure and services; and providing programme coordination support. Within the Office of the Deputy Director General, the Section for Safeguards Programme Coordination (SPC) is the principal advisory body supporting the Department’s management. The Section provides coordination and support in the areas of safeguards implementation, programme and budget, human resources, performance monitoring, effectiveness evaluation, communication, and in formulation and execution of departmental policies and procedures.

Main Purpose

Reporting to the Director, the Senior Technical Advisor provides technical advice and expertise on safeguards issues, particularly with regard to advanced safeguards approaches for new nuclear fuel cycle facilities and advanced concepts for verification at the facility and State level. He/she leads the Division’s efforts to maximize effectiveness and efficiency gains from the better use of modern and emerging verification methods and technologies. He/she provides direct support and technical advice to the Director on advanced safeguards methods applicable to isotope separation plants, and other novel nuclear facilities, as well as the verification methods at the State level. He/she provides strategic input into departmental plans for verification technology development.

Role

The Senior Technical Advisor is: 1) a technical expert with wide knowledge and an expert level understanding of the nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear facilities and international safeguards, as well as emerging verification capabilities and requirements; 2) a focal point for the Department on advanced concepts and technical methods for safeguards verification; 3) a liaison, interacting with internal and external stakeholders on advanced safeguards concepts; and 4) a project coordinator, overseeing special divisional or departmental projects as requested.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Serve as the technical lead for divisional activities related to the research and development of advanced safeguards concepts and approaches.
Analyse both the opportunities and challenges posed by emerging verification technologies and develop reports to support capability development efforts of the Member State Support Programme, as well as senior management decision-making.
Lead divisional efforts on the development of advanced approaches for sensitive fuel cycle facilities, such isotope separation and reprocessing facilities.
Oversee related divisional or departmental projects, in the Department of Safeguards as needed.
Provide strategic input to departmental plans for verification technology development.

Competencies and Expertise

**Core Competencies**(Competency Framework)

**Name**

**Definition**
- Communication
- Communicates orally and in writing in a clear, concise and impartial manner. Takes time to listen to and understand the perspectives of others and proposes solutions.
- Achieving Results
- Takes initiative in defining realistic outputs and clarifying roles, responsibilities and expected results in the context of the Department/Division’s programme. Evaluates his/her results realistically, drawing conclusions from lessons learned.
- Teamwork
- Actively contributes to achieving team results. Supports team decisions.
- Planning and Organizing
- Plans and organizes his/her own work in support of achieving the team or Section’s priorities. Takes into account potential changes and proposes contingency plans.

**Functional Competencies**

**Name**

**Definition**
- Analytical thinking
- Analyses information to identify cause and effect relations