Consultant – Mosquito Irradiation and Quality Control

Organizational Setting

The Insect Pest Control Section and Laboratory assist Member States with the development, dissemination and transfer of sterile insect and related environmentally friendly technologies for the area-wide integrated suppression, containment or eradication of major insect pests affecting crops, livestock and human health.
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 Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture assists Member States of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the IAEA in using nuclear techniques and related technologies to improve food security, alleviate poverty and promote sustainable agriculture. The Joint Division consists of five Sections, each with an associated laboratory (located in Seibersdorf, 45 km south-east of Vienna), in the areas of\: animal production and health; plant breeding and genetics; insect pest control; soil and water management and crop nutrition; and food and environmental protection.

The Insect Pest Control Section and Laboratory assist Member States with the development, dissemination and transfer of sterile insect and related environmentally friendly technologies for the area-wide integrated suppression, containment or eradication of major insect pests affecting crops, livestock and human health.

Main Purpose

The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a method of insect pest control based on the release of sterile male mosquitoes. Its application relies on the use of sterile males that are sexually competitive with their wild counterparts. Recently, several factors that impact the dose-response in irradiated mosquitoes have been identified, including the developmental stage (pupae vs adults), anoxia, temperature and the dose rate applied. It is now important to use this knowledge to validate protocols that will allow mass-irradiation of mosquitoes without impacting their quality and provided guidelines to member states. The consultant will be working with the SIT to support the Human Disease Vectors (HDV) group at the Insect Pest Control Laboratory (IPCL).

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Design protocols and materials (irradiation containers) allowing mass-irradiation of mosquitoes

• Validate protocols for mass-irradiation of mosquitoes by assessing their impact on the resulting sterility and quality of the sterile males

• Prepare scientific publications on the research results to be submitted to peer-review journals

• Update the IAEA guidelines on mosquito irradiation to include mass-irradiation

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Required 

Core Competencies

Functional

Skills and Expertise

• Insect Pest Control

Assets 

Functional

Skills and Expertise

• Radiation Sterilization

Qualifications and Experience

• Master's Degree - Medical Entomology or a similar field 

• More than five years of experience in mosquito research.

• Solid publication records in peer-reviewed journals as a first author.

• Good communication skills

• Written and oral proficiency in English

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.