Senior Safeguards Analyst (Statistical Data)(P5)

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 Safeguards carries out the IAEA’s duties and responsibilities as the world’s nuclear inspectorate, supporting global efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. The primary role of the Department is to develop and implement IAEA safeguards to ensure that there is no diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful activities and no indications of undeclared nuclear material or activities in a State as a whole.

The Department comprises nuclear safeguards inspectors, responsible for carrying out inspections and verifications of all-safeguards relevant information for nuclear facilities in over 180 States; and technical staff responsible for a wide range of activities including: developing concepts and approaches for implementing safeguards; developing and maintaining safeguards equipment; providing analytical and laboratory services for sample analysis; collecting, evaluating and analysing safeguards-relevant information; providing information and communication technology infrastructure and services; and providing programme coordination support.

The Division of Information Management (SGIM) implements state of the art methodologies and techniques for the collection, processing and analysis of a range of safeguards-relevant information, including declarations submitted by States, evaluations resulting from the analysis of samples or measurements collected during infield activities, and information from open sources, including nuclear trade-related data and satellite imagery. Staff perform data validation and complex information analysis and evaluation to support infield activities and provide key input to the State evaluation process.

Main Purpose

Reporting to the Team Leader (Statistical Data), the Senior Safeguards Analyst (Statistical Data) develops and implements statistical methodologies for the analysis of State declared data and verification results on a facility and State level, together with associated information management systems. This provides the basis for verification approaches and the analysis of safeguards data in the drawing of conclusions on States’ compliance with their safeguards obligations.

Role

The Senior Safeguards Analyst (Statistical Data) is: 1) a specialist, providing expert advice on statistical and probabilistic methodologies and analytical tools; 2) a subject matter expert leading statistical and probabilistic studies, as well as non-statistical mathematical studies, and the implementation of analytical methods for the evaluation of safeguards data to ensure the highest standard of quality; 3) a technical adviser to senior management on probabilistic verification approaches, material balance evaluations as well as analytical methods and measurement techniques for safeguards verification; and 4) a mentor providing guidance and training to staff within the Section.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Lead and participate in the development of statistical and probabilistic methodologies (e.g. uncertainty quantification, sampling plans, random inspection schemes) and non-statistical mathematical methods.

Lead the review and continuous improvement of applied statistical approaches and the development and implementation of state-of-the-art methodologies.

Oversee and contribute to the timely production of high quality material balance evaluation reports, and flow and trend analyses for the detection of diversion of nuclear material from declared facilities.

Contribute to State Evaluation Groups (SEGs) and provide input to State Evaluation Reports (SERs).

Lead reviews of the mathematical and probabilistic aspects of safeguards concepts and approaches.

Contribute to the development and implementation of Near Real Time Accountancy (NRTA) systems for large plutonium Bulk Handling Facilities (BHF) as well as the statistical evaluation of their results.

Liaise with SSACs, RSACs, and facility operators regarding their accountancy and measurement systems to monitor the quality thereof and to resolve any arising issues.

Subject to the approval by the Board of Governors, participate in safeguards inspections and complementary accesses and provide support to infield verification activities.

Participate as a lecturer in conferences and training courses for safeguards inspectors and State representatives.

The incumbent may perform his/her work in areas involving exposure to radioactive materials. Therefore, as an Occupationally Exposed Worker, he/she must be medically cleared by VIC Medical Service and is subject to an appropriate radiation and health monitoring programme, in accordance with the IAEA’s Radiation Safety Regulations.

Competencies and Expertise

Core Competencies(Competency Framework)

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.
Commitment to continuous process improvement	Plans and executes activities in the context of quality and risk management and identifies opportunities for process, system and structural improvement, as well as improving current practices. Analyses processes and procedures, and proposes improvements.
Judgement/decision making	Consults 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.
Resilience	Maintains a high level of performance when facing pressure and uncertainty. Able to remain calm and self-controlled, and to respond logically and decisively in difficult situations.
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.

Required Expertise

Function	Name	Expertise Description
Statistics	Advanced Statistical Methods	Extensive expertise in statistical and probabilistic methods applied to nuclear fuel cycle activities, including uncertainty quantification and the design of random verification approaches.
Safeguards	Material Balance Evaluation	Expertise in material balance evaluation for bulk-handling facilities.
Safeguards	Nuclear Fuel Cycle/Nuclear Facilities	Comprehensive knowledge of the nuclear fuel cycle and related processes and nuclear materials with particular emphasis on potential pathways relevant to nuclear proliferation.
Safeguards	Quality Management of Analytical Measurement	Extensive knowledge of analytical methods and techniques applied to nuclear material to establish accountancy values and for safeguards verification purposes.
Safeguards	Safeguards Inspecting	Understanding of inspection activities, including verification, sampling, metrology and nuclear material accounting.

Qualifications, Experience and Language skills

• Master’s Degree – Advanced university degree in statistics, physics, chemistry or nuclear engineering or a related field.
• Bachelor’s Degree – University degree in statistics, physics, chemistry or nuclear engineering or a related field and an additional two years of relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in nuclear fuel cycle analysis and statistical methodologies applied to safeguards.
• In-depth experience in statistical analysis, in particular related to material balance evaluation, sampling methodologies, measurement error propagation, NRTA systems, the determination of the detection probabilities of verification schemes, and the design of random verification approaches.
• Experience in supporting inspection activities such as physical inventory verifications (PIV) and Design Information Verification (DIV), stratification and sampling plans, DA sample taking and NDA measurements.
• 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 $92731 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $ 55453, 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.