IAEA
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Programme Assistant(G5)
Position details
- Vacancy number: 2026/0243 (080168)
- Organizational unit: NAFA-Insect Pest Control Section
- Contract type: Fixed Term - Extrabudgetary
- Duration: 24 months
- Probation period: 1 Year
- Application deadline: 2026-08-26, 5%5C:59%5C:00 PM
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 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 safety and control.
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
Under the supervision of the Section Head, the Programme Assistant provides administrative support to the organization of a variety of conferences, workshops and meetings, manages the administrative arrangements in the Section in coordination with clerical staff in the Subprogramme, and provides assistance to the Section Head and other professional staff in the Section.
Functions / Key Results Expected
Meetings and logistics
• Assist in the organization of conferences, workshops, seminars and research coordination/consultants' meetings of the Subprogramme by communicating with participants and making all required travel and meeting arrangements.
• Coordinate activities and travel for Section staff members - provide logistical support for the Section's activities, such as making travel arrangements, scheduling appointments and meetings, and assembling background material required for the above activities.
• Review travel requests for accuracy and forwarding to the Administrative Assistant. Prepare quarterly travel plans.
Administrative activities
• Provide administrative support to coordinated research projects by coordinating the yearly renewal of contracts, maintaining the financial plan of research contract funds, and updating the status of expenditures.
• Provide support and follow-up action related to the technical backstopping of in-house Technical Cooperation (TC) projects regarding preparation of procurement requests, expert requests, technical reports and evaluation of expert reports, etc.
• Manage overall administration of the Section's office (procurement, supplies, equipment and furniture requests) and provide support in the preparation of the programme and budget, annual reports, programme performance appraisal and publishing/printing requirements.
• Coordinate office coverage and perform other related duties as required by the Section Head.
Correspondence and Documents Management
• Proofread technical documents and publications checking for spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax, completeness and adherence to established style guidelines. Follow up with publishing staff for finalization.
• Collate information on Subprogramme activities for the semi-annual newsletter and for maintaining the Subprogramme's website.
• Maintain and update the Subprogramme's contact/mailing list and assist in maintaining and further developing databases operated by the Section.
• Receive, review and screen all incoming correspondence and documents and route to the appropriate officer or area for action and/or information, attaching information as needed and maintaining a follow-up system.
• Draft standard and non-routine correspondence, prepare meeting minutes and type reports and documents as required.
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 | Gathers and analyses information, identifying critical relationships and patterns among data and proposes workable solutions. |
| Client orientation | Establishes effective relationships with clients to understand and meet or exceed their needs. Finds ways to ensure client satisfaction. |
| Knowledge sharing and learning | Actively seeks opportunities to learn by formal and informal means; learns from others, adopting and sharing best practice. |
Required Expertise
| Function | Name | Expertise Description |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Support | Discretion and Respect for Confidentiality | Ability to act with tact, diplomacy, discretion and respect for diversity |
| Administrative Support | Guidance and Training | Ability to provide training and guidance to newly recruited office support staff, advising them on the administrative practices and procedures |
| Administrative Support | MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) | Proficiency in MS Office 2010 and the ability to use databases |
Qualifications, Experience and Language skills
Completed secondary education.
Minimum of five years of general office support experience, some of which in an international environment.
Excellent oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.
Administrative skills testing to IAEA standard might be part of the selection process.
Remuneration
The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at EUR 59439 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), 6 weeks' annual vacation, pension plan and health insurance. More information on the conditions of employment can be found at: https://www.iaea.org/about/employment/general-service-staff
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.
- Recruitment will be on a LOCAL BASIS only.
- 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.
- 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.