Consultant – Food Safety

Consultant – Food Safety – (TAL-NAFA20251007-002)

Organization

: NAFA-Food Safety and Control Section

Primary Location

: Austria-Vienna-Vienna-IAEA Headquarters

Job Posting

: 2025-10-10, 7:51:47 AM

Closing Date

: 2025-10-24, 9:59:00 PM

Duration in Months: 6

Contract Type: Special Service Agreement – SSA

Full Competitive Recruitment: No

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 and environmental protection.

The Food Safety and Control Section and Laboratory assist Member States in ensuring the safety and quality of food and agricultural commodities through the development of analytical techniques and application of food irradiation, focusing on the use of nuclear and related technologies in the management of food and environmental hazards and on strengthening capacities for nuclear emergency preparedness and response in agriculture.

Main Purpose

The consultant will provide technical expertise to the Head of the Food Safety and Control Section on the delivery of the subprogramme for “Improvement of Food Safety and Food Control Systems”, including providing technical advice to staff in the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre and to Member States’ personnel on the application of nuclear analytical methods for research and contaminant control.

She/He will contribute to a results-based programme in response to Member States’ priorities in the application of nuclear and related technologies to meet their food security goals as related to the control of chemical residues and contaminants in foods, within the general context of improving food quality and safety and facilitating international trade in foods.

This will contribute to the programmatic objectives “To improve Member States’ laboratory capabilities, practices and methodologies to enhance food safety and quality”.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Follow-up the implementation of the technical cooperation projects with close collaboration with technical cooperation programme and the counterparts through the evaluation of relevant project requests and activities under the guidance of the section head.
• Provide technical input in the implementation of expert assignments, training and purchase of equipment for assigned technical cooperation projects.
• Prepare and review guidance documents on relevant topics to food safety and control including analytical methodology with the consultation of FAO references and other stakeholders.
• Maintain and update the databases.
• Provide technical input to the planning and organization of scientific, technical and advisory meetings.
• Prepare and present training materials, including eLearning materials.
• Prepare of technical reports and scientific manuscripts for publication.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Food Safety

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced university degree (masters) in Chemistry, Food Science, Food Safety, Agricultural Science or related field.
• Minimum five years of experience in the field of food safety and control as project management.
• Experience in teaching or training in the area of food safety and control an advantage.
• Experience in the technical area related to establishment of food safety and control programme.
• Experience and demonstrated proficiency (through publications) in technical writing.
• Excellent oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian) is an asset.

Remuneration

The remuneration for this consultancy is a daily fee of up to a maximum of € 250, based on qualifications and experience. In case duty travel is required within the assignment, a daily subsistence allowance (DSA) and travel costs are provided. Health coverage and pension fund are the responsibility of the incumbent.

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