Consultant for Food Safety and Control Section

Job Posting Organization:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy and aims to prevent its use for military purposes. Established in 1957, the IAEA has a mission to enhance global peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security through the promotion of nuclear science and technology. The agency operates in over 170 countries and has a workforce of approximately 2,500 employees. The IAEA's Major Programme 2 focuses on Nuclear Techniques for Development and Environmental Protection, which includes various programs aimed at improving food security, human health, and environmental management.

Job Overview:
The consultant will play a crucial role in providing technical expertise to the Head of the Food Safety and Control Section, specifically focusing on the subprogramme for 'Improvement of Food Safety and Food Control Systems'. This position is primarily related to the project on 'Food Irradiation Applications using Novel Radiation Technologies'. The consultant will be responsible for offering technical advice to staff within the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre and to Member States regarding the application of food irradiation techniques. This includes low energy beam treatments aimed at enhancing food quality and safety, pest control, and ultimately enabling international trade while ensuring food security resilience. The consultant's contributions will directly support the programmatic objectives of improving Member States' capabilities in developing and implementing food irradiation applications.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be tasked with providing scientific advice on planned activities related to food irradiation applications, particularly in enhancing capabilities in Member States for the development and implementation of these applications. Key responsibilities include:

• Offering technical expertise in the follow-up of technical cooperation projects, evaluating project requests, activities, expert assignments, training, and equipment purchases.
• Supporting the organization of a Technical Meeting on Modelling Applications for Food Irradiation and two Consultancy Meetings related to coordinated research projects on innovative radiation processing of food and novel irradiation technology for phytosanitary treatment.
• Evaluating research coordinated project contracts and related publications, providing technical input for panels, symposia, training courses, and scientific missions.
• Preparing and maintaining information on food irradiation, including updates to relevant web-based resources and databases.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (master's) in Chemistry, Food Science, Food Safety, Agricultural Science, or a related field. Additionally, a minimum of five years of working experience in the technical area related to food irradiation applications is required. Candidates should have solid experience in project management, teaching, or training within the field of food irradiation. Proven proficiency in technical writing, demonstrated through publications, is essential. Excellent oral and written command of English is mandatory, while knowledge of other official IAEA languages such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, or Russian is considered an asset.

Educational Background:
The position requires an advanced university degree (master's level) in a relevant field such as Chemistry, Food Science, Food Safety, Agricultural Science, or a closely related discipline. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of food irradiation and its applications in enhancing food safety and quality.

Experience:
The consultant must have a minimum of five years of relevant working experience specifically in the area of food irradiation applications. This experience should encompass technical project management, teaching, or training roles that demonstrate a solid understanding of food irradiation technologies and their implementation.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position, both in oral and written forms. Knowledge of additional official IAEA languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, or Russian, is advantageous and may enhance the candidate's profile.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy offers a daily fee of up to a maximum of €300, which is determined based on the candidate's qualifications and experience. If duty travel is required as part of the assignment, a daily subsistence allowance (DSA) and travel costs will be covered. It is important to note that health coverage and pension fund responsibilities lie with the consultant.