About Us

The Inspectorate Division is responsible for the efficient and effective deployment of inspection teams to both military and commercial facilities around the world, as required by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The Division maintains readiness to conduct Challenge Inspections and Investigations of Alleged Use, and to deploy the Rapid Response and Assistance Mission (RRAM) to Member States, as needed, in the event of a chemical incident.

General Information

• Contract Type
  Fixed-term Professional
• Grade
  P3
• Total Estimated monthly remuneration depending on post adjustment and family status: USD
  8.228
• Closing Date
  01/09/2023

Responsibilities

Job Summary

Anticipated starting date: October 2023

We are looking for experienced inspectors to support the vision of the organisation through your involvement in the effective implementation of the verification regime, by conducting inspections to prevent the re-emergence of chemical weapons, as well as by supporting training activities to enhance readiness to respond to and investigate allegations of misuse of chemical as weapons.

Inspections will take place at industrial or military facilities in any of the 193 states parties to the CWC and can last from 48h to 48 days. During inspections, you will perform diverse tasks depending on your specialty and the training received at OCPW. This diversity of activities and training is a great opportunity for personal and professional growth.

This vacancy notice is open to former staff members who have previously been designated as OPCW inspectors.

Main Responsibilities

In your role you will be responsible for:

A) Participate in all relevant types of inspections under Articles IV, V, VI, IX and X of the CWC as well as other NRMs e.g. FFM, TAV, RRAM, etc.).

• Prepare for inspections by reviewing and analysing declarations, relevant technical information related to the inspection site and by conducting additional relevant research;
• Participate in and contribute to pre-inspection briefings site familiarisation;
• Assist the IT in meeting the requirements of the inspection mandate, in accordance with the CWC, Quality System Documentation and mission instructions;
• Participate in sub-teams work and perform roles/assigned tasks by the ITL. In exceptional circumstances, take on the role of Acting ITL;
• Raise any issue that may require further attention during inspections;
• Contribute to inspection reports, ensuring its accuracy;
• Participate in and contribute to mission debriefings;
• Direct Inspection Planning and Preparation;
• Preserve the confidentiality regime of the organisation during mission preparation.
• Conduct all on-site verification activities;
• Provide situation reports on the inspections progress and ad hoc communication with the Inspectorate Division on operational matters and with the Verification Division on verification issues.

B) Contribute Actively to Knowledge Management Initiatives.

• Participate in training of new inspectors and States Parties capacity building programs;
• Through specific activities, support the Inspectorate Division’s knowledge retention and maintenance of relevant expertise;
• Identify and share relevant personal professional experience, especially emphasizing efforts to utilise previous experience of working at the OPCW to the benefit of the Inspectorate Division;
• Prepare detailed, accurate and complete mission assessments to collect lessons learned during inspections, discuss them with individual team members, and document for future reference.

C) Provide Technical Advice and Support to the Inspectorate and Other Units of the Technical Secretariat.

• Direct and conduct lectures and/or practical exercises in support of the Technical Secretariat functions.
• Advise and participate, if necessary, the negotiating teams and working groups in discussions with the state parties on Facility Agreements, and technical and logistic issues related to verification.
• Participate and advise bilateral visits to carry out engineering reviews, assist ISPs with the preparation of destruction plans, declarations, etc. (these may be under an inspection mandate)

D) Undertake any Special Duties and Tasks as Directed by the DG.

• Officiate for other appointments of same or similar grade within other units of the Technical Secretariat.
• Assist the DG/DDG/DOI on technical issues during their visits to a State Party(s).

Qualifications and Experience

Education

Essential:

You should have an advanced university degree in a STEM subject; a relevant first-level university degree in a STEM subject in combination with qualifying experience (minimum 9 years) may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree; certified relevant training together with extensive relevant technical background and a minimum of 13 years’ experience may also be considered.

Chemical Weapons-Munition Specialist (CW-MS): relevant degree would include chemical engineering, chemistry, engineering or closely related field; experience (CBRN, EOD) is deemed to be more relevant than educational qualifications; certified training would include e.g. military, police HAZMAT response together with an extensive technical background in the field of toxic chemicals, chemical weapons and/or munitions.
Chemical Production Technologist (CPT): relevant degree would include chemical engineering or chemistry or closely related field.
Analytical Chemist (AC): relevant degree would include chemistry.
Health and Safety (H): relevant degree would include health sciences or closely related field.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential:

• With an advanced degree: at least 7 years relevant experience
• With a university degree in a relevant field: at least 9 years relevant experience
• With certified relevant training: at least 13 years relevant experience
• A minimum of six years’ experience as former inspector in the Inspectorate Division (INS) or designated inspector in other TS divisions

Desirable:

• CW-MS: knowledge and experience with explosive safety, explosive ordnance disposal, explosive ordnance reconnaissance, chemical munitions design and improvised explosive device and HAZMAT response
• AC: knowledge and experience of analysing chemical warfare agents
• H&S: knowledge and experience with operating procedures in hazardous chemical and biological environments (in particular, chemical warfare agents)
• Experience in Knowledge Management and designing distance learning curricula

Skills and Competencies

To succeed in this role you will need the following skills and competencies:

• Ability to plan and organise complex activities to achieve established goals
• Ability to analyse data and develop conclusions for implementation
• Team leadership skills
• Align work and priorities with broader team/organisational goals
• Ability to deal with complex inspection issues and interpret procedures and guidelines in order to adapt them to cover complex inspections
• Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing with specific reference to the outcome of inspections and the required reporting
• Ability to deliver training as necessary and to prepare documents of a technical nature
• Ability to work in diverse inspection environments
• Demonstrable ability to work in a multi-cultural inspection environment
• Conflict management skills and well-developed negotiation experience

Language Requirements:

Fluency in verbal and written English is essential, including ability to lecture at training courses and prepare documents requiring technical accuracy and high quality.

Good working knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.

Additional Information

This fixed-term appointment is for a duration of two years with a six-month probationary period, and is subject to the relevant OPCW Staff Regulations, Interim Staff Rules and other internal legislation as applicable, and is in accordance with the decision C-24/DEC.10 of the Conference of States Parties.

This vacancy notice is open to former staff members who have previously been designated as OPCW inspectors.

Candidates should, by the anticipated starting date as indicated on the Vacancy Notice, have had at least six (6) years of previous experience as an inspector in the Inspectorate Division.

Candidates must have had a break in service from the OPCW on the date of the commencement of their new contract as a rehired inspector.

Candidates must be fully fit to execute the duties of the post and will be fully cleared by the Health & Safety Branch in accordance with normal practice for inspectors.

Candidates must be able to serve as a rehired inspector for three years and must not stand to reach the OPCW’s mandatory age of retirement during this time.

The total term of service of a rehired inspector, under the Rehire Decision, shall be no more than three years irrespective of their previous length of service with the OPCW.

The Director-General retains the discretion to not make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description. Several vacancies may be filled.

Only fully completed applications submitted before the closing date and through OPCW CandidateSpace will be considered. Only applicants under serious consideration for a post will be contacted.

Applications from qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged.

OPCW General Terms and Conditions

Important notice for applicants who are currently insured under the Dutch Social Security system

Although headquartered in the Netherlands, the OPCW is not a regular Dutch employer but a public international organisation with its own special status. Please be advised that if you are currently insured under the Dutch Social Security system, you will be excluded from this system as a staff member of the OPCW. You will consequently be insured under the organisation’s system. The above also applies to your dependents unless they are employed by a regular Dutch employer, they are self-employed in the Netherlands, or are receiving Dutch social security payments.

Please refer to the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment for more information about the possible consequences for you and your dependents, such as exclusion from ‘AWBZ’ and ‘Zorgverzekeringswet’ coverage: ‘Werken bij een internationale organisatie’.