Senior Laboratory Technician (Insect Pest Control Lab)(G6)

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 Division 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 Insect Pest Control Section and Laboratory assist Member States with the development, dissemination and transfer of sterile insect and related environmentally friendly technologies for the area-wide integrated suppression, containment or eradication of major insect pests affecting crops, livestock and human health.

Main Purpose

As a member of a team of the Insect Pest Control Laboratory (IPCL), the Senior Laboratory Technician will work under the supervision of the Molecular Biologist of the Genetics and Molecular Biology Group and is responsible for assisting the implementation of research activities in the field of genetics and molecular biology of plant pests, livestock pests and disease vectors in the context of developing innovative and sustainable pest control technologies, transferring them to Member States, and helping them in the planning and application of area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes incorporating the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and related technologies.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Providing R&D support to the development and validation of methods and protocols related to molecular biology and molecular genetic aspects of the SIT for plant pests, livestock pests and human disease vectors.
• Genotype strains of SIT-targeted plant pests, livestock pests and human disease vectors.
• Monitor the shipping of biological material and equipment to counterparts in FAO and IAEA Member States.
• Collect and tabulate research data.
• Coordinate the support of the other technicians to R&D activities, and assist with the training of fellows.
• Monitor the maintenance and ordering of laboratory equipment and other resources.
• Provide support to visiting scientists and collaborators from national, regional and international research institutes who are hosted at the Insect Pest Control Laboratory to conduct R&D.
• Provide scientific assistance to field projects (e.g. procurement of equipment, consumables) that are implemented in Member States and that are integrating the SIT against fruit flies and/or other major plant pests, livestock pests and human disease vectors.

Competencies and Expertise

Core Competencies

table { border-collapse: collapse; } table, th, td { word-wrap: break-word; valign="top"; } 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.Qualifications, Experience and Language skills

• Completed secondary education. University degree in Biology, Entomology or related field would be an asset.
• Minimum of six years of working experience in applied R&D (molecular biology and molecular genetics) related to the application of the SIT and related techniques as part of area-wide integrated pest management programmes against fruit flies and other major plant pests, livestock pests and human disease vectors.
• Solid knowledge of laboratory practices such as the development of molecular biology and molecular genetics techniques for the SIT.
• Knowledge on insect embryonic microinjections in support of SIT will be an asset.
• Knowledge on insect symbiosis and applications in support of SIT will be an asset.
• Good oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.
• English Language Test (Level 2) at IAEA standard.

Remuneration

The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at EUR 54871 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), 6 weeks' annual vacation, pension plan and health insurance

Appointment is subject to a satisfactory medical report. 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. Outside applicants are required to supply to the IAEA or to authorize it to seek all information relevant to their suitability for employment by the IAEA. Testing may be part of the recruitment process. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------