Unit Head (Assessment %26 Mgnt of Environ Releases Unit)(P5)

This is a re-opening of the vacancy. Candidates who already applied do not need to re-submit an application.

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 Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety (NSRW) develops and maintains standards for radiation protection, radioactive waste safety, and safety in the transport of radioactive material that enable the beneficial uses of radiation to be used while ensuring appropriate protection of workers, the public and patients. It also assists Member States in the implementation of these standards and provides related services.

The Waste and Environmental Safety Section is responsible for the delineation of a global waste safety framework based upon the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, and the development and application of safety standards for the management of radioactive waste, decommissioning, remediation and environmental releases. The Assessment and Management of Releases Unit of the Waste and Environmental Safety Section is concerned with protection of the public and the environment from releases of radioactive material from present and past practices. The Unit's main function is to establish safety standards for the control of radioactive releases to the environment (atmospheric, terrestrial and aquatic) and to provide for the application of these standards in Member States. The Unit is also engaged in providing advice and guidance on procedures and methods for environmental assessment, modelling and monitoring, including through the organization of safety assessment intercomparison projects. It maintains databases of worldwide discharges of radionuclides to the environment and an inventory of past waste disposals at sea. It is also the focal point in the Agency's interactions with international conventions and treaties concerned with radioactive waste and the environment.

Main Purpose

As a team leader reporting to the Section Head, the Unit Head develops the IAEA's policy and programme on the assessment and management of radioactive releases to the environment and leads the Unit's activities to ensure the efficacy of the IAEA's programme on a global level.

Role

The Unit Head has several roles\: (a) policy developer and coordinator in a multilateral environment with diverse views on the issues, finding workable solutions and presenting arguments that can achieve results; (b) manager and team leader, ensuring that programmes and tasks are implemented effectively; (c) facilitator of inter-organizational cooperation in environmental radiation protection; and (d) adviser to the Section Head and Division Director on specialist issues.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Lead the development of the IAEA's safety standards and guidance material on releases of radioactive waste to the environment, based on the most recent knowledge and experience in this area, in order to promote an improved level of radiation protection for the public and the environment.
• Promote exchange of information among specialists on an international level regarding the latest developments in the area, e.g. through the organization of safety assessment intercomparison projects on technical topics related to releases of radioactive waste to the environment, and maintenance of a database of the radionuclide inventory arising from past waste disposals at sea.
• Lead the IAEA's interactions in connection with international conventions and treaties concerned with radioactive waste and the environment, such as the 1972 London Convention (Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter), the OSPAR Convention (Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic), the Helsinki Convention (Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area) and UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).
• Organize interregional and regional training courses and provide technical support to technical cooperation projects on the subject area, with the aim of establishing a wide outreach and practical implementation of the IAEA's safety standards in Member States.
• Plan and coordinate the work of the Unit to ensure delivery of the programme objectives, and supervise the staff.

Competencies and Expertise

Core Competencies

Functional Competencies

Asset Expertise

Qualifications, Experience and Language skills

• Advanced University Degree in environmental-related fields (chemistry, hydrology, environmental sciences or engineering, etc.)
• At least 10 years' experience in the field of radiation protection, in particular in the area of public and environmental radiation protection, of which at least 7 years should have been concerned with some aspects of the control or assessment of radioactive releases to the environment. At least 5 years' managerial experience.
• Experience in the development of international guidance on the subject and in the implementation of relevant international conventions.
• 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 $84721 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $ 29991, dependency benefits, rental subsidy, education grant, relocation and repatriation expenses; 6 weeks' annual vacation, home leave, pension plan and health insurance

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Applications from qualified women and candidates from developing countries are 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. Staff members may be assigned to any location. 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. Testing may be part of the recruitment process
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