This selection exercise may be used to generate a roster of pre-approved candidates to address future staffing needs for similar functions in any of the Departments and Offices of the Organization.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE: Please note that the closing date for submission of applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant's location.
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. The Division of Technical and Scientific Services ensures the provision of state-of-the-art equipment and related expertise for the accomplishment of the Department of Safeguards activities. Within this mandate, the Division is responsible for procurement, testing, provision, inventory control, performance monitoring and maintenance of safeguards equipment and supplies required by SGO Divisions; management of equipment development and engineering activities to meet quality and safeguards requirements; development and provision of documentation, procedures, instrumentation methods and techniques; provision of specialized technical and scientific support to inspectors and inspection activities in the field and at headquarters; and, radiation contamination monitoring of returned equipment and timely write-off of obsolete or contaminated equipment. The Division also coordinates departmental health and safety activities.
Main Purpose
Reporting to the Team Leader, the Equipment Security Engineer supports the design, evaluation, qualification, and lifecycle management of mechanical systems and materials used in safeguards equipment and provides continuous security assessments. Playing a key role in improving equipment security under diverse operating conditions and contributing to the development of innovative system solutions, the Equipment Security Engineer ensures that deployed safeguards instrumentation systems meet stringent security requirements.
Role
The Equipment Security Engineer is: (1) a technical expert, defining security requirements for new safeguards systems, preparing and reviewing technical specifications, and ensuring compliance with applicable engineering standards; (2) a specialist, assessing vulnerabilities of mechanical assemblies, enclosures, sealing systems, structural supports, and instrument housings to ensure data and equipment protection; (3) an analyst, conducting failure mode analysis, root cause investigations, materials degradation studies, and forensic analysis; and (4) an innovator, championing new technologies and methods to ensure that safeguards systems continuously meet IAEA security requirements.
Functions / Key Results Expected
Review technical developments in safeguards equipment and evaluate mechanical designs to ensure structural integrity, material suitability, manufacturability, and resistance to environmental and operational stress with particular attention to physical protection and tamper resistance requirements.
Conduct security and vulnerability assessments of deployed safeguards equipment, including enclosures, sealing systems, mounting assemblies, radiation-tolerant components, and other mechanical systems, ensuring continued reliability and compliance with safeguards security requirements, including preparation of the relevant technical documentation.
Perform root cause analysis of equipment, component or system failures and propose corrective engineering modifications to improve security performance.
Support the operation and technical activities of the Vulnerability Review Laboratory in collaboration with the Divisional Information Security Officer, including providing forensic engineering and materials analysis to support investigations of equipment anomalies, suspected tampering events or performance irregularities.
Provide technical input on materials selection, qualification and performance for equipment and systems ensuring compatibility with operational environments including radiation exposure, temperature variations and long-term deployment conditions.
Contribute to the development, implementation and continuous improvement of mechanical engineering procedures, materials qualification methodologies and quality assurance protocols supporting equipment design, testing and deployment.
Provide technical guidance, technical briefings, training activities and expert advice to Safeguards staff on mechanical engineering aspects of containment and surveillance systems, including best practices for installation, operation and maintenance.
Conduct policy and technical gap analyses related to equipment security and information security requirements, review audit results and service evaluations, and propose improvements to relevant procedures, policies and engineering practices.
Support procurement and equipment development processes through the technical evaluation of vendor proposals, manufacturing processes, materials selection and compliance with IAEA engineering and security requirements.
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 |
|---|---|
| Judgement/decision making | Consults with supervisor/manager and takes decisions in full compliance with the Agency’s regulations and rules. Makes decisions reflecting best practice and professional theories and standards. |
| Partnership building | Identifies and builds partnerships. Develops and maintains long lasting partnerships to strengthen relationships. Delivers programmatic outputs and acquires resources in support of Agency goals. |
| Technical/scientific credibility | Ensures that work is in compliance with internationally accepted professional standards and scientific methods. Provides scientifically/technically accepted information that is credible and reliable. |
Required Expertise
| Function | Name | Expertise Description |
|---|---|---|
| Management and Programme Analysis | Analysis of Best Practices | Experience in the analysis of best practices, in particular related to technical security policies or nuclear safeguards approaches. |
| Other Technical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering | Expertise in structural mechanics, mechanical design, mechanical qualification testing and finite element analysis. |
| Safeguards | Quality Management | Expertise in technical writing and the production of technical documentation. |
| Information Technology | Systems Engineering | Expertise with complex systems interaction and knowledge of various aspects of systems engineering. |
Asset Expertise
| Function | Name | Expertise Description |
|---|---|---|
| Management and Programme Analysis | Project Management | Demonstrated experience in project management (PM), and the use of PM tools. Familiarity with formal project management principles as described by PRINCE2, PMI or equivalent formal project management methodology required; PM certification an asset. |
Qualifications, Experience and Language skills
Bachelor's Degree - University degree in computer science, engineering or a similar technical area.
Minimum of five years of relevant working experience in mechanical engineer and systems engineering.
Experience in the implementation of nuclear safeguards an asset.
Professional experience at the international level an asset.
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 $71335 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $ 36310, 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.