Scientist (Standards and Scientific Advice on Food and Nutrition)

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The mission of WHO's UHC/Healthier Populations Division is to contribute to reducing health inequalities and reducing preventable disease and injury caused by environmental, social and economic determinants of health. This is achieved through a coordinated inter-sectoral approach aimed at enabling all people to enjoy better health and well-being, in line with the Organization's 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13) and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Department of Nutrition and Food Safety is addressing the burden of disease from physical, chemical and microbial hazards in food and unhealthy diets, maternal and child malnutrition, overweight and obesity. The Department aims to ensure universal access to safe, sufficient nutritious food and effective nutrition actions, through setting science-based international food standards, promoting nutrition action in health systems, fostering sustainable food production and consumption, improving food environments and empowering consumers in all situations, monitoring nutrition status, and managing food safety events at the international level, closely working with Member States, UN partner agencies and non-State actors.

The Standards and Scientific Advice on Food and Nutrition (SSA) Unit is the focal point for WHO's work on international standard setting in food safety and nutrition. The Unit provides science-based food safety risk assessments and related evidence-based guidance on foodborne hazards, nutrient requirements across life stages as well as food safety and nutrition policy recommendations. SSA manages the JECFA, JMPR, JEMRA and JEMNU expert committees for WHO jointly with FAO. Through these committees, WHO develops scientific risk assessments to define safe exposure levels to various chemicals and microorganisms in our food as well as nutrition related standards. Scientific advice from these WHO/FAO committees is the basis for the development of international food safety and quality standards by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, as well as national food safety standard setting in many Member States. The Unit is also managing support for food safety capacity building in Member States through the Codex Trust Fund.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
As WHO Secretary and Manager of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) - Food Contaminants and Food Additives the incumbent will:
• Organize regular JECFA expert meetings in close collaboration with FAO counterparts, and represent the outcome at the respective Codex Alimentarius meeting and other international meetings as required;
• Organize ad-hoc expert meetings as required for updating scientific methodology, exposure assessment and other current or emerging chemical food safety subjects;
• Oversee the publication of the outcome of the expert meetings, and manage regular updates and improvement of databases (JECFA and other data sources) as main NFS food safety information sources;
• Manage the update and harmonization of relevant risk assessment methodologies for chemical food safety issues and exposure assessment;
• Contribute to other cross-cutting work in the unit and the department;
• Serve as unit or department focal point in the collaboration with other Organizations and WHO departments as required;
• Performs all other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education
Essential: Advanced level university degree in life sciences (biology, biochemistry, general medicine…).
Desirable: Specialization in food safety, toxicology or related field

Experience
Essential:
• At least seven years of experience in food safety, food science or human toxicology, of which at least five years at the international level.
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating with multi-disciplinary food safety experts at multi-national level, and in communicating food safety matters to non-experts and policy makers.
• Experience in organization and management of expert meetings with concrete outputs to be represented at international fora.
• Experience in interaction with external partners at high professional and executive level.
• Experience in managing technical reports and scientific publications including drafting, editing and reviewing manuscripts.

• Authored publications in the specific areas of risk assessment of chemical contaminants in food and food additives.
• Proven track record of delivering results.
Desirable: Experience in interagency collaboration.

Skills
• Substantial knowledge in food safety and human health risk assessment of food hazards.
• Profound knowledge on chemical hazards, including of environmental origin.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

WHO Competencies
• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Producing results
• Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Use of Language Skills
Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French.

REMUNERATION
WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 73,516 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 5324 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.