Senior Nuclear Safety Officer (Nuclear Site Safety)(P5)

Contribute to improvements in nuclear safety of installations through site safety assessments.

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IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency

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Application deadline 2 months ago: Thursday 4 Jun 2026 at 21:59 UTC

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Overview

Contribute to improvements in nuclear safety of installations through site safety assessments.

You have:

  • Advanced university degree in engineering, physics, mathematics, or a closely related field.
  • Minimum of ten years of experience, with five years of senior level experience and at least four years at the international level, in site selection, site evaluation and hazard assessment.
  • Experience in applying nuclear safety principles and techniques to international projects related to site evaluation and hazard assessment.
  • Experience organizing and leading Technical Meetings and capacity building missions.
  • Excellent command of English, knowledge of other IAEA languages is an asset.
  • Knowledge of site selection and assessment processes, including data processing.
  • Expertise in project management and leadership capabilities.

This selection exercise may be used to generate a roster of pre-approved candidates to address future staffing needs for similar functions in any of the Departments and Offices of the Organization.

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 Safety and Security (NS) formulates and implements the IAEA's nuclear safety and security programme, which encompasses the Agency's activities to protect people and the environment from radiation exposure, and responds to the needs of its Member States related to nuclear safety and security. The objective of the Division of Nuclear Installation Safety (NSNI) is to achieve and maintain a high level of safety of nuclear installations worldwide that are under design or construction or in operation. The Division does this by establishing standards of safety for the protection of health, including standards for nuclear power plants and other nuclear installations and facilities, and by providing for the application of these standards through, among other things, support for the IAEA's Technical Cooperation programme, the rendering of safety review services, the promotion of education and training, the fostering of information exchange and the coordination of research and development. In addition, the Division helps ensure safety at nuclear installations by supporting international safety instruments such as the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors. NSNI comprises five Sections: •External Events Safety Section •Operational Safety Section •Safety Assessment Section •Regulatory Activities Section •Research Reactor Safety Section

The External Events Safety Section (EESS) aims to strengthen Member States' capabilities to enhance the safety of nuclear installations through the proper selection of sites, assessment of site specific hazards and the utilization of site parameters in the design of the installation. EESS develops and implements safety standards and guides for design and safety assessment, methods and tools for deterministic and probabilistic safety analysis and safety performance evaluation for all external hazards considered in the design of a nuclear facility. The Section coordinates and supports Member States in establishing and implementing the engineering safety of installations and safety assessment and capacity building activities for embarking countries in the area of site and installation design safety, construction and operations.

Main Purpose

Reporting to the Section Head, the Senior Nuclear Safety Officer (Nuclear Site Safety) contributes to programme plans, integrates projects, and coordinates an integrated portfolio of projects to support a wide variety of Divisional programmes and services focussed on hazard assessment and site related regulatory practices aimed at the improvement of the safety of nuclear installations through proper site selection, site qualification and hazard monitoring.

Role

The Senior Nuclear Safety Officer ( Nuclear Site Safety) is: (1) a programme planner and project integrator, planning, developing and implementing activities aimed promoting the Divisional programmatic objectives; (2) a scientific secretary and subject matter expert, planning and leading complex Technical Meetings and consultancies; (3) a mission leader, planning and leading complex technical safety reviews and follow-up missions; and (4) a technical officer, developing evaluation strategies and managing integrated project teams to implement and evaluate large and complex technical cooperation and extra-budgetary operational projects and coordinated research projects.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Organize and lead teams of internal and external experts to strengthen safety standards in the area of site safety, and improve their implementation, including to specify the way that standards are developed, implemented and evaluated. Coordinate IAEA's activities related to site selection, site evaluation and hazard review, collecting the experience of Member States and developing projects, activities and events aimed at strengthening the nuclear safety effectiveness of operating organizations with Member State regulatory bodies and industry associations. Consult with Member States with nuclear power programmes and those planning to embark on such a programme to identify, plan and implement safety peer reviews and other initiatives to improve the safety of their installations through state-of-the-art safety assessment of the hazards, and to assist them to strengthen, develop, maintain and implement their capacity building programs, including education, training and exercises at the national, regional and international levels. Identify evolving information requirements and guide the development and management of nuclear safety information systems such as the Tosma and External Events Notification System. Provide assistance and relevant expertise for the Incident Emergency System (IES); and participate in associated training events and exercises. Participate as an active member and IAEA representative in professional meetings, conferences and projects.

Competencies and Expertise

Core Competencies (Competency Framework)

Name****Definition CommunicationCommunicates 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 ResultsTakes 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. TeamworkActively contributes to achieving team results. Supports team decisions. Planning and OrganizingPlans 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.Functional Competencies

Name****Definition Judgement/decision makingConsults with supervisor/manager and takes decisions in full compliance with the Agency’s regulations and rules. Makes decisions reflecting best practice and professional theories and standards. Partnership buildingIdentifies and builds partnerships. Develops and maintains long lasting partnerships to strengthen relationships. Delivers programmatic outputs and acquires resources in support of Agency goals. Technical/scientific credibilityEnsures 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 Management and Programme AnalysisCurriculum DevelopmentExpertise in drafting and finalizing publication of relevant technical reports guidelines, manuals, publications and other resources. Nuclear SafetyNuclear Installations against External HazardsKnowledge of site selection and assessment process, including site investigation campaign and data processing. Management and Programme AnalysisProject ManagementExpertise in project management and leadership capabilities. Nuclear SafetySafety Assessment of Nuclear FacilitiesKnowledge of the regulatory review process of the Site Assessment and Environmental Impact Reports. Nuclear SafetyStructural Mechanics, Structural Analysis, Civil EngineeringKnowledge of the IAEA documents relevant to site safety assessment.Qualifications, Experience and Language skills

  • Advanced university degree in engineering (e.g. nuclear, structural, electrical, mechanical, chemical), physics, mathematics, or a closely related field. A university degree in engineering (e.g. nuclear, structural, electrical, mechanical, chemical), physics, mathematics, or a closely related field with an additional two years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced university degree.
  • Minimum of ten years of experience, of which five years of senior level experience, and at least four years at the international level, in site selection, site evaluation and hazard assessment for natural and human induced events.
  • Experience in applying nuclear safety principles and state-of-the-art nuclear safety techniques to national and international projects related to site evaluation and hazard assessment for nuclear installations in relation to external events on the basis of national and international standards.
  • Experience in the application of IAEA Safety Standards to siting and safety assessment of nuclear installations.
  • Experience in organizing and leading Technical Meetings, capacity building missions, safety review and other expert and advisory missions.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries and the ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
  • Excellent oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.

Remuneration

The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at US $103165 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $ 54781*, dependency benefits, rental subsidy, education grant, relocation and repatriation expenses; Other benefits include 6 weeks' annual leave, home leave travel, pension plan and health insurance. More information on the conditions of employment can be found at: https://www.iaea.org/about/employment/professional-staff/conditions

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. Applications from qualified women and candidates from developing countries are strongly encouraged.
  • 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.
  • Candidates appointed to posts in the Professional and higher categories are subject to IAEA rotation policy and their maximum tour of service shall normally be seven years.
  • 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.

Potential interview questions

Describe a project where you had to implement nuclear safety principles under pressure. This assesses your ability to apply technical knowledge in challenging situations. Focus on a specific project, detailing your role and how you overcame challenges.
How do you ensure effective communication with stakeholders during a safety review? This evaluates your interpersonal skills and stakeholder management. Pro members can see the explanation.
What strategies do you use for site selection in nuclear installations? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Can you give an example of leading a multi-disciplinary team in a technical meeting? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What challenges have you faced in hazard assessment and how did you address them? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you evaluate the effectiveness of safety training programs? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What is your approach to integrate capacity building in nuclear safety initiatives? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you stay updated with the latest nuclear safety standards? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 4 months ago - Updated 2 months ago - Source: iaea.org