The ITER Organization brings together people from all over the world to be part of a thrilling human adventure in southern France—building the ITER Tokamak. We require the best people in every domain.

We offer challenging full-time assignments in a wide range of areas and encourage applications from candidates with all levels of experience, from recent graduates to experienced professionals. Applications from under-represented ITER Members and from female candidates are strongly encouraged as the ITER Organization supports diversity and gender equality in the workplace.

The ITER Organization (IO) is an Equal Opportunity organization committed to diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace.

As the IO attracts and retains people coming from a vast array of different backgrounds and cultures, bias and exclusion cannot be tolerated. The IO believes it is our diverse perspectives and backgrounds that gives unique strength and value to the ITER mission, regardless of race, member nation, gender, religion, status, sexual orientation, or disability – all are welcome and respected at ITER.

Our working environment is truly multi-cultural, with 29 different nationalities represented among staff. The ITER Organization Code of Conduct gives guidance in matters of professional ethics to all staff and serves as a reference for the public with regards to the standards of conduct that third parties are entitled to expect when dealing with the ITER Organization.

The south of France is blessed with a very privileged living environment and a mild and sunny climate. The ITER Project is based in Saint Paul-lez-Durance, located between the southern Alps and the Mediterranean Sea—an area offering every conceivable sporting, leisure, and cultural opportunity.

To see why ITER is a great place to work, please look at this video

Application Deadline: 14/01/2024

Department: Administration Department

Division: Legal Affairs

Job Family: Project Support

Job Role: Project Officer

Job Grade: P3

Language Requirements: Fluent in English (written & spoken)

Contract Duration: Up to 5 years

As a Legal Officer, you will be provide legal advice on issues facing the ITER Organization (IO) and their related policy implications. In particular, you will be requested to prepare legal instruments and documents, in line with the legal status of the IO as a public international organization and manage matters involving issues of international, public, private and administrative law, including interpretation and application of ITER agreements and other instruments governing IO activities and operations.

Background

Legal Affairs (LGA) sits within the Administration Department and provides advice on all legal issues of the ITER Organization (IO) and the ITER Project. LGA ensures the functioning of the IO is in line with its mandate and in accordance with international law, and with Host State laws and regulations that the IO observes as nuclear operator in France.

LGA provides legal support on all activities of the IO, contributing to the achievement of its goal, including dealing with legal issues concerning cooperation with third parties, contractual relations, negotiation, and advice on intellectual property rights, contractor’s performance, termination, or settlement of disputes as well as international civil servant law.

• Drafts legal documents and instruments which aim to implement the provisions of the ITER Agreements, its Annexes and Related Instruments

(https://www.iter.org/doc/www/content/com/Lists/WebText_2014/Attachments/245/ITERAgreement.pdf),

• Reviews, advises on, and drafts cooperation agreements and other legal documents for the effective functioning of the ITER Organization;
• Reviews draft contracts, contract templates and internal regulations within the procurement field;
• Provides legal advice and support in relation to business law in particular concerning provisions such as force majeure, liquidated damages, bonds and guarantees, termination, liability, insurance, health & safety related matters, confidentiality, privileges and immunities, etc.;
• Provides advice on dispute resolution with contractors and support the project team in prevention of claims;
• Provides advice and assistance to technical staff in the monitoring of contract execution, pre-litigation monitoring and contractual legal risk assessment, or claims management;
• Provides legal advice on a broad range of law applicable to the IO including compliance with labour law, social security law, company law and tax law;
• Prepares legal advice on diverse substantive and procedural questions of the ITER Organization, which may include those related to administration or other operational matters;
• Provides advice on implementation and interpretation of provisions of the ITER Agreement, its annexes and related instruments, including internal rules and regulations;
• Assists in identifying legal risks and issues, provides advice on strategic and governance legal matters, and delivers advice on dispute resolution and litigation;
• Drafts, reviews and finalizes complex legal documents to facilitate the implementation of IO activities;
• Performs extensive legal research & analysis, prepares legal interpretation, opinions, studies, reports, and correspondences in the scope of expertise of Legal Affairs;
• Reviews IO internal regulations as requested or necessary;
• Performs comparative analyses of the legislation and best practices of the different international organizations when required;
• Remains up-to-date on relevant trends and activities in the global compliance profession within the public international organizations;
• May be requested to perform other duties in support of the project schedule;
• May be required to work outside ITER Organization reference working hours, including nights, weekends and public holidays.

• Handles all legal questions to mitigate risks for the IO within the defined schedule;
• Develops and reviews legal documents within the defined schedule;
• Provides efficient and relevant legal expertise and analyses upon request and within defined timelines;
• Completes research and studies to solve issues as needed;
• Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner to achieve agreed upon outcomes;
• Exercises judgment, tact and discretion, actively and effectively managing sensitive matters at all times.

• Professional Experience:
  • At least 8 years of experience working in a Public entity, nuclear company or research organization within complex international environments or projects.
• Education:
  • Master’s degree or equivalent in law (international law, private law or public law) or other relevant discipline;
  • The required education degree may be substituted by extensive professional experience involving similar work responsibilities and/or additional training certificates in relevant domains.
• Language requirements:
  • Fluent in English (written and spoken).
• Technical competencies and demonstrated experience in:
  • Critically analyzing factual and legal framework, taking into account the overall organizational and project environment to assess risks and propose options;
  • Blended technical legal background which shows a deep understanding of legal and compliance requirements;
  • Legal innovation: applies novel legal solutions to adapt to the changing needs, developing policies and guidelines in order to ensure best practices in legal domains;
  • Drafting diverse and complex legal documents, taking into account the specificities and context of the Project you’re working for (legal, technical, political, etc.);
  • Participating in establishing guidelines from lessons learned and conducting awareness sessions to inform the population concerned;
  • Research, benchmarking, monitoring, and case management: conducts legal research, benchmarks practices, monitoring practices, and ensures execution of legal actions, decision, and updates to the legal framework.
  • Using IT skills including consistent with a complex project such as SAP ERP.
• Behavioral Competencies:
  • Collaborate: Ability to dialogue with a wide variety of contributors and stakeholders;
  • Communicate Effectively: Ability to adjust communication content and style to deliver messages to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment;
  • Drive results: Ability to persist in the face of challenges to meet deadlines with high standards despite pressure;
  • Manage Complexity: Ability to gather multiple and diverse sources of information to understand problems accurately before moving to proposals; with detailed planning, organization by priorities;
  • Instill trust: Ability to apply high standards of team mindset, trust, excellence, loyalty and integrity.
• Additional Behavioral Competencies:
  • Action oriented: Takes action and moves quickly to resolve problems and challenges when they arise;
  • Being Resilient: Rebounds from setbacks in difficult situations, remains objective and calm when faced with adversity and manages crises and volatile situations effectively;
  • Ensures Accountability: Holds self and others accountable to meet commitments;
  • Manage Ambiguity: Operates effectively in uncertainty or while gathering information, embraces ambiguity and change, helping the workgroup adapt and remain productive;
  • Optimize work processes: Knows and/or develops the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement, modifies work activities and methods to eliminate inefficiencies;
  • Organizational Savvy: Maneuvering comfortably though complex and confidential topics and people related organizational dynamics, recognizing value in different and multi-cultural perspectives.

The following important information shall apply to all jobs at ITER Organization:

• May be requested to perform other duties in support of the project as defined by your line manager, and when relevant upon the request of the matrix manager;
• Maintains a strong commitment to the implementation and perpetuation of the ITER Safety Program, and ITER Values (Trust; Integrity; Excellence; Team mind set; Diversity and Inclusiveness);
• ITER Core Technical Competencies (Knowledge of these competencies may be acquired through on-board training at basic understanding level for all ITER staff members) :

1) Nuclear Safety, Environment, Radioprotection and Pressured Equipment

2) Occupational Health, Safety & Security

3) Quality Control & Quality Assurance Processes

• Implements the technical control of the Protection Important Activities, as well as their propagation to the entire supply chain;
• May be requested to be part of any of the project/construction teams and to perform other duties in support of the project;
• Informs the IO Director-General or Department Head of any important and urgent issues that cannot be handled by line management and that may jeopardize the achievement of the Project’s objectives;
• For staff expected to perform on-call, shift hours, or other work outside ITER Organization reference working hours, including nights, weekends, and public holidays, the possession of a driving license valid in France is required. No commuting vehicle will be provided by the ITER Organization.