Types of work performed by the staff members in each of the Departments

Overview of Activities and Assignments

OFFICES REPORTING TO THE DIRECTOR GENERAL

Offices reporting to the Director General (ORDG) provide services to the IAEA in the areas of legal advice, policy coordination, support for governing bodies, liaison with Member States and governmental and non-governmental organizations, audit and management consultancy.

TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION

Extending the sustainable benefits of nuclear technologies

The work of the Department of Technical Cooperation (TC) is aimed at helping developing countries improve their scientific and technological capabilities in the peaceful applications of nuclear technology and contributing to sustainable development. Over 100 countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe benefit from this support, which covers areas such as food and agriculture, human health, industry, environment, nuclear power and radiation protection.

TC manages hundreds of collaborative projects with Member States involving the provision of expert services, equipment and training. It also works with Member States to formulate Country Programme Frameworks, a planning tool that serves to establish a dialogue between the IAEA and the relevant national authorities and focus the TC programme on key national priorities.

TC officers provide overall management of the country programmes, in coordination with officers of the IAEA’s technical departments (Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Safety and Security, Nuclear Sciences and Applications) — evaluating the objectives and planning the various phases of the projects in consultation with national authorities.This requires a continuous dialogue with all project stakeholders, including sectoral ministries and other national authorities.

Once the programme is approved for implementation, TC officers manage and monitor project performance to ensure that the expected results are achieved. This includes reporting on project/programme performance to the IAEA Board of Governors.

Project and programme management in TC is a stimulating and challenging responsibility requiring professionals with a university degree, preferably in science or technology, and experience in the management of technical cooperation for development.

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Enlarging the contribution of nuclear energy to global development

The IAEA assists countries in developing or improving their capabilities for applying nuclear energy and related technologies for peaceful purposes.

Professionals of the Division of Nuclear Power assist countries in assessing and implementing projects in the use of nuclear energy for electricity generation and desalination through studies, technical training, meetings, workshops and on-site consultations. The Division´s Professionals give specific advice on nuclear energy, including general energy planning, nuclear programme planning, construction and operation.They also advise on the technical, economic and financial requirements for sound nuclear power projects. They collect and disseminate information and assist in the improvement of power plant performance, operations capabilities, quality assurance and infrastructure development. Also, they are extensively involved in the development of innovative reactor technologies and future design concepts.

Professionals of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology play an important role in the exchange of information for improving the safety, reliability, performance and management of reactor fuel. The Professional staff advise Member States and organizations in Member States on uranium mining and resources, environmental aspects associated with all types of fuel cycle facility, advanced fuels and the management of irradiated fuel from power and research reactors. They also assist in, and advise on, strategies, engineering solutions and technologies for managing various types of radioactive waste from different sources (including decommissioning) in a safe, environmentally sound, cost efficient and sustainable manner.

The Department of Nuclear Energy´s Planning and Economic Studies Section (PESS) offers assistance to Member States, particularly from developing regions, to help them improve their energy planning and analytical capabilities. Assistance includes: transferring modern planning methods, tools and databanks; training for model set-up and application; and interpreting, synthesizing and applying model outputs to policy formulation.

PESS also conducts broader energy–economics–environment (3-E) analyses of nuclear technologies and their competitors, focusing on competitive energy markets, environmental impacts and sustainable energy development. PESS maintains databanks of energy and economic data for all IAEA Member States plus nuclear power projections through 2020, and is developing a system of Indicators for Sustainable Energy Development. As the expert United Nations agency on nuclear energy, the IAEA, through PESS, conducts research and provides input for international negotiations on climate change and sustainable development.

The IAEA distributes scientific and technical information worldwide to decision makers and professionals in the field. The International Nuclear Information System (INIS) Section administers and supports an international network of Member States dedicated to providing access to published information on the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. In addition to its bibliographic database, INIS maintains an extensive collection of non-conventional literature. To ensure quality and efficiency, the INIS Section employs information professionals and graduates in natural science.

Professionals of the IAEA Library provide and develop services in support of the programme activities of the IAEA staff and the staff of the Permanent Missions of the Member States. Information is provided in various formats, including books, documents, technical reports, journals and newspapers from numerous countries. Electronic access is provided to many sources within the Library and within the Vienna International Centre as well as to external information sources.

Professionals of the Department of Nuclear Energy (NE) therefore include nuclear engineers, physicists, waste technology specialists, energy economists and information and library specialists.

NUCLEAR SAFETY AND SECURITY

Safety first around the world

The IAEA is also at the centre of international efforts to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety and security worldwide through the enhancement of national measures and international cooperation. These efforts address the protection of workers, the public and the environment in all nuclear activities from the use of radioactive sources to the prevention of accidents in large nuclear installations. The Department of Nuclear Safety and Security (NS) accomplishes its mission by the preparation of safety standards and by assisting Member States in implementing the standards and managing safety and security knowledge.

A legal and governmental safety infrastructure is essential for the safe use of nuclear energy and nuclear material and therefore the staff promote the establishment of effective regulatory bodies.

In the area of emergency preparedness and response, the staff promote adequate preparedness to respond to nuclear and radiological incidents and emergencies, effective international arrangements and information sharing.

In radiation safety, the staff are involved in contributing to the knowledge of the health effects of radiation. The IAEA promotes an internationally harmonized approach to occupational radiation protection and protection of the public and the environment. It also promotes the optimum protection of patients subjected to radiation for medical purposes and safety in the transport of radioactive material, which are all part of the IAEA´s mission.

In their concern for the safety of radioactive waste, staff promote the safe management practices and control of environmental releases. They are also involved in the safe restoration of sites having radioactive residues from past activities.

In the area of safety of nuclear installations, the staff promote safety in nuclear power plants, research reactors and other nuclear installations. They accomplish this by preparing safety documents and by assisting in performing safety assessments. They also collect and disseminate information on safe operational practices, guide self-assessments and provide international peer reviews of safety practices.

Staff of the Office of Nuclear Security (formerly the Office of Physical Protection and Material Security) provide assistance to States in their efforts to establish the necessary infrastructure to protect nuclear and other radioactive materials against threats such as diversion, illegal possession and smuggling, as well as efforts to protect nuclear installations and transport against sabotage and other malicious acts that can result in radiation exposure of the general public or the environment.

Posts in this Department require specialists in radiation, transport and waste safety; the safe design and operation of nuclear power plants, research reactors and other facilities; physical protection; emergency preparedness and response and nuclear security.

MANAGEMENT

Providing support services essential to the efficient operation of the IAEA

The Department of Management (MT) provides a wide range of supporting services to the IAEA´s other Departments, and the Professionals of this Department carry out challenging activities in very diverse areas.

The Division of Budget and Finance prepares and administers the IAEA´s annual budgets, which determine the allocation of personnel and financial resources to the programme of the IAEA.

The Division of Conference and Document Services is responsible for the editing, printing and worldwide distribution and sale of the IAEA´s publications. The translators and revisers provide translations into Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish of documents drafted within the Secretariat and translations into English of written material received from outside the IAEA.

The Division of Personnel administers the IAEA´s personnel programmes, which involves the formulation and implementation of personnel policies, the recruitment of staff, the operation of a comprehensive remuneration system, career planning, training and the application of job classification standards.

The Division of Information Technology provides direction and coordination for information and communications technology (ICT) and provides for information security. It develops and maintains the IAEA´s common ICT infrastructure and provides related services, including developing and supporting innovative business solutions.

The Division of General Services provides procurement and supplies, technical and engineering services at Headquarters and at the IAEA laboratories, records management, maintenance, communications, transportation, import and export matters and insurance matters as well as other administrative support services.

The Division of Public Information seeks to increase public understanding of the IAEA and support for its work through the dissemination of information regarding the IAEA’s policies and activities.

The skills needed by Professionals in this Department are very specific to the nature of their work. As a minimum, a university degree in a relevant field and several years of experience are required.

NUCLEAR SCIENCES AND APPLICATIONS

Increasing food and animal production, improving health, water resources, and protecting the environment

The IAEA helps Member States in their efforts to improve the quality of life of their populations by the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques in its programmes in food and agriculture, human health, water resources, environment, and physical and chemical resources.

Besides promoting research and applications in these areas, Professionals of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications (NA) provide support to the IAEA´s technical cooperation activities in areas of their expertise.

Food and Agriculture

Knowledge resulting from research supported by staff of a joint Division of the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture) is disseminated to help developing countries deal with food production and protection problems. For example, Professionals of this Division support extensive research in the use of nuclear techniques to develop food crop varieties tolerant to adverse environmental conditions such as soil salinity and drought, yielding products of a better quality, and to develop fertilizer application methods leading to increased crop production.

In the field of animal production and health, FAO/IAEA supported scientists are helping to develop more sensitive techniques for the diagnosis of animal diseases and to improve animal diets and breeding strategies.

Other IAEA supported scientists are using insects sterilized by radiation to control or eradicate insect pests affecting humans, crops and animals.

Human Health

Scientists working in the Division of Human Health help Member States to apply nuclear and isotopic techniques in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases, and to assess people’s nutritional status in different environments. The Division is divided into four Sections, which are focused on Nuclear Medicine, Applied Radiation Biology and Radiotherapy, Dosimetry and Medical Physics, and Nutritional and Health related Environmental Studies, respectively.

Physical and Chemical Sciences

Professionals of the Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences are involved in many special fields such as improvement and maintenance of nuclear instrumentation, utilization of research reactors and particle accelerators, promotion of research on nuclear fusion, collection and provision of nuclear and atomic data for nuclear research and technology, and production of high quality medical radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals. These activities aim to help Member States develop the scientific basis for current and future technologies.

Water Resources

The Professional staff also apply nuclear and radiation techniques in the water and environment sectors of Member States. The assessment of water resources and the proper use of geothermal water resources are important areas of activity. Complementary studies on global change, especially past and current climate change, are also pursued.

Marine Environment

Scientists working at the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratory in Monaco provide technical advice and assistance across a wide range of pollution related and oceanographic issues. An important subject of study is the effects of radioactive waste disposal at sea. The Laboratory cooperates closely with many international organizations.

Terrestrial Environment and the Seibersdorf Laboratories

At the Agency´s Laboratories in Seibersdorf the staff provide quality control services, produce reference materials and carry out chemical and radiochemical analyses. They also conduct research and provide on-the-job training for scientists from developing countries on topics such as environmental pollution monitoring, development and maintenance of nuclear instrumentation, radiation dosimetry, the use of nuclear techniques for producing food crops with better agronomic properties and for studying soil–plant systems, developing immunoassay techniques for the diagnosis of animal diseases and the use of radiation sterilized insects to control or eradicate insect pests. In addition, samples of nuclear material submitted for verification of safeguard agreements for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons are analysed for their isotopic and chemical compositions.

The majority of the Professionals in the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications (NA) are physicists, chemists or specialists in the programmatic areas listed above. Substantial experience in the application of nuclear techniques in the above fields may qualify an individual for a position in the Department.

SAFEGUARDS

Safeguarding the world against the spread of nuclear weapons

Safeguards and non-proliferation issues are frequently in the international headlines. The IAEA — through its safeguards (SG) — verifies that States comply with their commitments to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes only and ensures that no nuclear materials are being diverted for military purposes and that no clandestine nuclear activities are being undertaken.

Inspecting nuclear and nuclear related facilities worldwide

In the course of an inspection, a safeguards inspector may verify nuclear fuel records, carry out non-destructive analyses of nuclear material, take material samples for subsequent destructive analyses and verify that surveillance equipment and seals have not been corrupted. Some inspections require an examination of information on the layout, design and purpose of a facility. During such inspections, inspectors may be confronted with unforeseen situations obstructing the accomplishment of an inspector´s tasks. Such situations call for flexibility, strong negotiation and interpersonal skills, the ability to cope with pressure as well as to take the initiative and make appropriate decisions.

Safeguards inspectors may also assist and participate in the negotiation of agreements with facility operators and maintain contact with national authorities and facility operators.

Collection and analysis of information

Pre- and post-inspection activities include the planning of inspections, as well as the drafting of inspection reports and statements. In addition, Safeguards inspectors are expected to significantly contribute to the collection and analysis of complex information about States and their nuclear programmes. More particularly, this involves the analysis and evaluation of information retrieved from, inter alia, facility records, information submitted by States, inspection results, and internal databases and open sources, including commercially available satellite imagery.

These important tasks demand the ability to observe and report concisely and accurately, and require strong analytical skills. In addition, experience of, and demonstrable skills in, writing reports in English are essential.

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