Senior Laboratory Technician (Carbon and Nutrient Management)(G6)
JOB DETAIL
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE: Please note that the closing date for submission of applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.
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. 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 Centre 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 Centre 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 safety and control.
The Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section and Laboratory assist Member States in developing improved soil and water management practices for sustainable intensification of agricultural production systems, the conservation of natural resources and the effective use of external inputs through applied and adaptive research and development activities, technology transfer and capacity building
Main Purpose
Under the supervision of the Head of the Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Laboratory, the Senior Lab Technician assists in the implementation of research activities by collating and processing data on soil organic carbon, nutrient dynamics and management, obtained through field, greenhouse and laboratory studies using isotopic, nuclear and related conventional techniques. The Senior Laboratory Technician also carries out routine and special training for fellows (Technical Cooperation Projects) in sampling, sample preparation and isotope analysis and data interpretation.
Functions / Key Results Expected
Assist in the implementation of research activities supporting coordinated research projects, in particular in the field of carbon and nutrient management by setting up field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments for the testing and adaptation of research protocols and laboratory procedures:
Control and perform special measurements by using isotope and nuclear techniques in field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments.
Calibrate soil organic carbon and nutrient dynamics measurements under field, greenhouse and laboratory conditions.
Archive records of laboratory analysis and field and greenhouse measurements for long-term field and greenhouse trials in the context of soil organic carbon and nutrient management.
Provide input related to protocol development for field, greenhouse and laboratory procedures.
Provide routine and special training to fellows of the Soil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition Subprogramme in the field of isotopic, nuclear and conventional techniques to assess soil organic carbon and nutrient dynamics for improving carbon and nutrient management.
Provide field assistance for the implementation of research protocols for improving soil organic carbon and nutrient management in Member States upon request.
Competencies and Expertise
Core Competencies(Competency Framework)
| Name | Definition |
|---|---|
| Planning and Organizing | Plans and organizes his/her own work in support of achieving the team or Section’s priorities. Takes into account potential changes and proposes contingency plans. |
| Communication | Communicates orally and in writing in a clear, concise and impartial manner. Takes time to listen to and understand the perspectives of others and proposes solutions. |
| Achieving Results | Takes initiative in defining realistic outputs and clarifying roles, responsibilities and expected results in the context of the Department/Division’s programme. Evaluates his/her results realistically, drawing conclusions from lessons learned. |
| Teamwork | Actively contributes to achieving team results. Supports team decisions. |
Functional Competencies
| Name | Definition |
|---|---|
| Analytical thinking | Analyses information to identify cause and effect relationships and correlations. Identifies critical elements and assesses consequences of different courses of action and proposes solutions. |
| Client orientation | Helps clients to analyse their needs. Seeks to understand service needs from the client’s perspective and ensure that the client’s standards are met. |
| Knowledge sharing and learning | Actively seeks learning opportunities and actively shares knowledge and information with others; shares specialized knowledge, skills and learning from experience across different situations and contexts effectively. |
| Technical/scientific credibility | Ensures that work is in compliance with internationally accepted professional standards and scientific methods. Provides scientifically/technically accepted information that is credible and reliable. |
Required Expertise
| Function | Name | Expertise Description |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Support | MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) | Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), applications related to laboratory and field equipment, and basic experimental statistics software. |
Asset Expertise
| Function | Name | Expertise Description |
|---|---|---|
| Soil Science | Soil and Water Management | Expertise in the use of isotopic and nuclear techniques in the field carbon and nutrient management an asset. |
Qualifications, Experience and Language skills
- High School Diploma – Completed secondary education with a major emphasis on chemistry, biology or physics. Diploma or equivalent certification from a technical institute in analytical chemistry or an area related to the duties of the post an asset.
- Minimum of six years of experience in carbon and nutrient management, including application of industrial and laboratory safety, and good experience in provision of operational radiation protection in a laboratory environment.
- Experience with computer applications related to laboratory and field equipment, and basic experimental statistics software.
- Driving license (Austrian or recognized by Austria) is an asset.
- Excellent oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.
Remuneration
The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at EUR 64965 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), 6 weeks’ annual vacation, pension plan and health insurance. More information on the conditions of employment can be found at: https://www.iaea.org/about/employment/general-service-staff
General Information
- The IAEA’s paramount consideration in the recruitment of staff member is to secure employees of the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
- Staff Members shall be selected without any unfair treatment or arbitrary distinction based on a person’s race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, age, language, social origin or other similar shared characteristic or trait.
- The IAEA is committed to gender equality and to promoting a diverse workforce.
- Recruitment will be on a LOCAL BASIS only. Non-local candidates will be considered only when no suitable candidate from the duty station is identified and will be subject to local recruitment. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.
- Applicants should be aware that IAEA staff members are international civil servants and may not accept instructions from any other authority. The IAEA is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. As part of the United Nations common system, the IAEA subscribes to the following core ethical standards (or values): Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for diversity.
- The IAEA has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and the IAEA, including sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.
Evaluation process
- The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the selection criteria stated in the vacancy announcement. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information. Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
- Candidates under serious consideration for selection may be subject to reference and background checks as part of the recruitment process.
Appointment information
- Appointment is subject to a satisfactory medical report.
- Staff members may be assigned to any location.
- The IAEA retains the discretion not to make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade or with a different contract type, or to make an appointment with a modified job description or for shorter duration than indicated above.
