Consultant – Laboratory Exercises for Nuclear Instrumentation Training

Organizational Setting

The Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications implements the IAEA's Major Programme 2, "Nuclear Techniques for Development and Environmental Protection". This Major Programme comprises individual programmes on food and agriculture, human health, water resources, environment and radiation technologies. These programmes are supported by laboratories in Seibersdorf, Monaco and Vienna. The Major Programme's objective is to enhance the capacity of Member States to meet basic human needs and to assess and manage the marine and terrestrial environments through the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques in sustainable development programmes.

The Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences is responsible for assisting and advising Member States in research and development for the nuclear sciences, especially the physical and chemical sciences. Specifically, the Division provides support to Member States in the following fields\: production of radioisotopes and radiolabelled products for applications in health care and industry; radiation source applications; research reactor utilization; applications of accelerators and nuclear instrumentation; nuclear and atomic data for applications; controlled nuclear fusion and isotope hydrology and geochemistry.

Additionally, the nuclear science activities carried out by the Nuclear Data Section and Physics Section in the Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications fall under Major Programme 1.

The Physics Section is responsible for planning and implementing activities in the areas of (i) effective utilization of research reactors, (ii) fostering relevant research and development and applications using particle accelerators and related instrumentation, and (iii) plasma physics and fusion, in order to enable Member States to avail themselves of the benefits of nuclear sciences and technologies. It operates the Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, located at the Agency's Laboratories in Seibersdorf, which assists laboratories in Member States to improve the effective utilization of nuclear spectrometry and related instrumentation by providing technical advice, training, calibration services, assistance with the modification and development of nuclear instruments and with new applications of nuclear spectrometry techniques in various fields, including energy related applications, environmental monitoring, industry, and the study of cultural heritage objects.

Main Purpose

The main objective of this consultancy is consolidation and finalization of laboratory exercises in radiation detectors and nuclear instrumentation, relevant to hands-on-training. The laboratory experiments will be focused on utilization of different radiation detectors and application of nuclear instrumentation, especially based on scintillation and semiconductor technologies\: gamma spectroscopy, alpha/beta counting, liquid scintillation, alpha spectroscopy, neutron detection and some other individual experiments from nuclear physics.

All experiments and procedures need to be well documented and prepared as practical exercise manuals. Some draft documentation is already available from previously implemented courses.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Selection and testing of radiation detectors and associated electronics for training purposes;
• Preparation, testing and optimization of ready to use experimental set-ups for training in nuclear instrumentation, primarily based on radiation detectors and nuclear instrumentation modules;
• Preparation of laboratory exercise concepts as introduction to nuclear instrumentation and basic physics experiments;
• Compiling and documenting laboratory experiments, including measurement results and finalization of experimental procedure manuals for training purposes.

 Qualifications and Experience

• Advances degree in Nuclear Physics, Chemistry, Engineering or related field
• Solid knowledge and practical experience in use of nuclear instrumentation, with emphasis on radiation detectors for applications or educational purposes;
• Minimum two years post-graduate experience in experimental work using or developing radiation detectors;
• Excellent oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset;
• Experience in teaching is an asset.

Remuneration

The remuneration for this consultancy is a daily fee of up to a maximum of € 150, based on qualifications and experience. In case duty travel is required within the assignment, a daily subsistence allowance (DSA) and travel costs are provided. Health coverage and pension fund are the responsibility of the incumbent.