Requirements and Conditions for Appointment
"The paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff and in the determination of the conditions of service shall be to secure employees of the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence, and integrity. Subject to this consideration, due regard shall be paid to the contributions of Member States to the Agency and to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible." - Article VII D. Statute, IAEA
Educational and Technical Qualifications
Candidates interested in employment with the IAEA are expected to have a university degree and appropriate prior work experience in their chosen profession. The required minimum period of experience depends on the grade of the post stated in the vacancy announcement. There are five grades in the Professional category (P-1 at the junior level to P-5 at the senior level) and three in the policy-making category (two in Director grades and the grade of Deputy Director General). Candidates for Professional positions at grades P-3 to P-5 are typically required to have 6–15 years of relevant work experience. For engineering and scientific posts at grades P-4 and above, a doctorate (Ph.D) or an equivalent qualification is generally required.
Personal Qualifications
People wishing to work in a multinational environment need to be tolerant and able to cope with cultural differences and different approaches to problem solving and decision making. Besides having well-balanced personalities and good communications skills, they should enjoy cultural diversity. Prior experience in a cross-cultural work environment is an asset.
Professional staff members of the IAEA should also have demonstrated an ability to analyse problems thoroughly and systematically. Furthermore, they should be articulate, tactful, diplomatic and flexible and should possess sound judgement, integrity and the drive to get results.
Management Skills
Management skills are required of candidates applying for supervisory positions. In particular, the ability to plan and prioritize work (i.e. to set performance expectations), to monitor programmes to run projects and assignments, to motivate individuals and teams, to delegate, to promote teamwork, to appraise people´s skills and expertise, to provide guidance and feedback, to promote the free flow of information and to resolve conflicts is essential.
Professionals with the IAEA may be called upon to work well beyond the established office hours, to meet very short deadlines and to travel extensively — and sometimes to countries with difficult living conditions. They may have to cope with poor technology and other constraints in the field. Nevertheless, they must remain committed and do their job efficiently.
| The IAEA is interested in candidates with expertise in: | |
| Accounting | Languages |
| Administration | Library Science |
| Agriculture | Life Sciences |
| Computer Sciences | Nuclear Engineering |
| Energy Economics | Nuclear Medicine |
| Environmental Specialities | Physical/Chemical Sciences |
| Financial Management | Political Science |
| Human Resource | Project Management |
| Management | Public Affairs |
| International Cooperation | Radiation Protection |
| International Law | Technical Cooperation |
Language and Computer Skills
The "official" languages of the IAEA are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, but the IAEA’s business is conducted in English and a good command of spoken and written English is essential. Good computer skills are also necessary, in particular, knowledge of word processing and spreadsheets and the ability to use databases.
Geographical Distribution of Staff
Subject to the above mentioned considerations, in recruiting staff for Professional positions (other than those requiring special linguistic skills) the IAEA tries to achieve as wide a geographical distribution of staff as possible. In cases of comparable qualifications and suitability, preference is generally given to applicants from developing Member States and from other Member States which are not represented or are under represented within the IAEA.
Representation of Women
The IAEA strongly supports the principle of "equal rights of men and women" enshrined in the first sentence of the United Nations Charter. In 1995, the Director General approved an action plan to improve the representation and status of women within the Secretariat, particularly at senior and decision making levels and especially in scientific and technical posts. Measures which have been taken include the establishment of a "Committee on Improvement in the Advancement of Women" and the adoption of a policy giving preference to well-qualified female applicants in cases of comparable qualifications and suitability.
Other Requirements
Every offer of appointment is subject to the selected candidate being passed by the IAEA’s Medical Officer as fit for employment. Before appointment, therefore, all selected candidates must undergo a medical examination.
Duration of Tour of Service
The IAEA does not offer permanent appointments. In order to keep the collective knowledge of the staff up to date and at a high level, especially in scientific and engineering fields, and to ensure the regular introduction of new ideas from outside, the IAEA generally limits the individual´s overall tour of service to five years. In most cases, an appointment to a regular position is initially made for a period of three years, with the understanding that, if performance meets the required standards during this period and if there is a continuing need for the services of the staff member, he/she may be granted a two year extension, so that the overall tour of service is five years.
An appointment is normally made on the assumption that the selected candidate will, after serving with the IAEA, return to his/her country, where the international experience gained with the IAEA may prove to be of benefit. In fact, the person appointed to an IAEA post is sometimes only on secondment from a ministry, an institution or some other national body in his/her country.
Job Opportunities for Young Professionals
Besides hiring highly qualified and experienced candidates, the IAEA offers some job opportunities for young professionals under a "Junior Professional Officer" (JPO) programme and an ad hoc "Internship Programme."
JPO Programme
The JPO programme is designed for young professionals, from developing countries, particularly women, who should be below the age of 32 years, hold an advanced university degree and preferably have at least two years of professional work experience. The purpose of the programme is not only to give young professionals an opportunity to gain work experience in an international environment, but also to provide the IAEA with additional expertise.
The JPO works as part of a team and under the guidance of a senior Professional officer. The assignment may be in a scientific/technical or an administrative area and lasts one year.
Candidates for a JPO assignment should possess a university degree in one of the following fields: engineering, physics, chemistry, biology, hydrology, agriculture, nutrition, medicine, computer science, information sciences, accounting, finance, human resource management, law, library science and communications.
Selection is based primarily on the candidate´s academic qualifications and on the extent to which their qualifications can be used in an assignment designated by one of the IAEA’s Departments.
Some Member States of the IAEA also offer to their young nationals the possibility of joining the IAEA as a JPO. Although most of the above also applies, in this case the government of the Member State financially supports the assignment and therefore preselects and nominates an individual JPO with appropriate experience of at least two years. As this application process takes place in donor countries, candidates interested in this alternative JPO programme are encouraged to enquire at their Ministry of Foreign Affairs as to whether their country has an agreement with the IAEA on this matter.
Internships
The ad hoc internship programme provides the holder, who is normally between 18 and 32 years old, with the opportunity to gain practical experience in his/her fields of study or work, which will also be of benefit to the IAEA’s programmes. Internships are normally awarded to persons studying towards a degree or just having received a degree. The duration of this programme is normally between one month and one year. Internships are granted on a limited scale since the IAEA’s capability to provide training is limited. This is not a means for subsequently obtaining an employment contract at the IAEA.
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