Consultancy - Food Safety Technical Expertise

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. Theseprogrammes are supported by laboratories in Seibersdorf, Monaco and Vienna. The Major Programme's objective is to enhance the capacity of Member States to meetbasic human needs and to assess and manage the marine and terrestrial environments through the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques in sustainable developmentprogrammes.

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 Divisionconsists 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; plantbreeding and genetics; insect pest control; soil and water management and crop nutrition; and food and environmental protection.

The Food and Environmental Protection Section and Laboratory assist Member States in ensuring the safety and quality of food and agricultural commodities through thedevelopment of analytical techniques and application of food irradiation, focusing on the use of nuclear and related technologies in the management of food andenvironmental hazards and on strengthening capacities for nuclear emergency preparedness and response in agriculture.

Main Purpose

The consultancy will contribute, under the supervision of the Head of the Food Safety and Control Section, to the delivery of the subprogramme for "Improvement of Food Safety and Food Control Systems", mainly through projects "Traceability for food safety, quality and to enhance international trade" and "Cost−effective nuclear techniques for responding to food contamination during emergency". She/he will provide technical expertise on nuclear analytical methodology and regulatory programmes for the control of chemical contaminants in food, including advice to technical officers in the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre and to Member State personnel on the application of nuclear analytical methods for research and contaminant control. This will include input to the development of the programme of the International Symposium on Food Safety and Control, to be held in Vienna, 27-31 May 2024. This will contribute to the programmatic objectives "To improve Member States laboratory capabilities, practices and methodologies to enhance food safety and quality" and "To equip Member States with analytical tools to allow rapid response to food contamination events or disruption to food control systems caused by emergencies, enabling food safety standards to be maintained".

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Assess novel approaches using nuclear and complimentary techniques for application through the technical cooperation programme in Member States to contribute to food safety;
• Provide technical input on the design of food control systems for chemical residues and contaminants, including pesticides and persistent organic pollutants, in food;
• Provide technical expertise for the implementation of training activities at Seibersdorf and in Member States, review training and provide recommendations on follow-up;
• Write technical reports and scientific papers in the subject matter for publication;
• Lead technical input to the design of sessions of the International Symposium on Food Safety and Control relevant to the control of pesticides and persistent organic pollutants;
• Evaluate relevant abstracts submitted for presentation at the symposium

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Required Skills and Expertise 

•    Food and Environmental Contaminant Detection

•    Food Safety

•    Analytical Techniques

Asset Skills and Expertise

•    Project Management

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced University Degree in Chemistry, Food Science, Food Safety, Agricultural Science or a related field.

• At least five years practical experience in the analysis of residues and contaminants, including pesticides and persistent organic pollutants, in food using advance analytical instrumentation;

• Experience and demonstrated proficiency (through publications) in technical writing;

• Knowledge and understanding of food safety testing and its implications;

• Fluency in spoken and written technical English.

Remuneration

The remuneration for this consultancy is a daily fee of up to a maximum of € 300, 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.