Job Reference: 2026/0091 (004941)
Organization
NAPC – Atomic and Molecular Data Unit
Primary Location
Austria – Vienna – Vienna – IAEA Headquarters
Job Posting Details
Closing Date: 24 June 2026, 11:59:00 PM
Duration: 36 Months
Contract Type: Fixed Term – Regular
Probation Period: 1 Year
Full Competitive Recruitment: Yes
This selection exercise may be used to generate a roster of pre-approved candidates to address future staffing needs for similar functions in any 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 marine and terrestrial environments through the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques in sustainable development programmes.
The Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences is responsible for assisting and advising Member States in research and development for nuclear sciences, especially physical and chemical sciences.
The Division provides support in the following fields:
- Production of radioisotopes and radiolabelled products for health care and industry
- Radiation source applications
- Research reactor utilization
- Applications of accelerators and nuclear instrumentation
- Nuclear and atomic data for applications
- Controlled nuclear fusion
- Isotope hydrology and geochemistry
Additionally, nuclear science activities carried out by the Nuclear Data Section and Physics Section under the Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences also fall under Major Programme 1.
The Nuclear Data Section (NDS) is primarily responsible for generating and maintaining a number of high-quality and fundamental nuclear and atomic databases and providing services to users worldwide.
The main means of dissemination is through the NDS website, which provides interactive tools to present required data.
Main Purpose
The Scientific Data Manager is responsible for all computer-scientific aspects of the nuclear and atomic data libraries maintained by the Nuclear Data Section.
This includes:
- Data analysis
- Data formatting
- Data dissemination
The Scientific Data Manager works with Nuclear Data Section staff involved in database processing and dissemination and reports directly to the Section Head.
Additional responsibilities include the setup, maintenance, and updating of Linux/MacOS-based computational and dissemination servers within the Section.
These responsibilities cover operating systems, scientific software, and the Section’s web infrastructure.
In cooperation with the Section’s IT staff and the IAEA MTIT Division, the incumbent must ensure that software and servers comply with Agency security rules and are adequately backed up.
Role
The Scientific Data Manager is:
- A computational scientist providing authoritative advice on nuclear and atomic data software and hardware issues to Member States, external organizations, and NDS staff.
- A technical specialist responsible for atomic and nuclear databases, scientific calculation systems, dissemination networks, and corresponding software required by the Section.
- A technical IT expert providing advice on operating systems for scientific purposes, scientific and atomic/nuclear data analysis and processing software, and management of web infrastructure and Git-based services required by the Section.
- An expert providing advanced atomic and nuclear data processing and dissemination advice and capabilities to Member States and NDS staff.
The role proactively seeks ways to ensure the highest level of support for all nuclear and atomic data hosted on local servers and cloud environments.
Functions / Key Results Expected
- Develop innovative data streaming methods in one or more of the following areas: visualization, atomic and nuclear data processing, software development, and web dissemination.
- Coordinate and monitor Section servers managed by the MTIT Section, including systems providing data services to external nuclear data users and systems used for internal development and computations.
- Maintain and upgrade scientific software required in the Section across all platforms.
- Develop new approaches for atomic and nuclear data dissemination and computational networks, including planning and development of new web pages and dissemination tools.
- Optimize computational servers to improve the speed and performance of atomic and nuclear data calculations.
- Continuously seek ways to improve processes and services and design scientific software applications, databases, and interactive tools to better serve users.
- Guide and assist Member State counterparts and NDS staff in novel dissemination techniques for nuclear structure, nuclear reaction, and atomic data.
- Provide system support to update scientific software and databases running on the Section’s dedicated computer cluster.
- Ensure diagnostics and usage statistics for the Nuclear Data Section are available.
- Ensure the Section can provide scientific software and database support to other Data Centres, particularly through mirror sites and to users in Member States.
- Assist and guide other IAEA staff in the development and maintenance of nuclear and atomic databases and web-based nuclear data services, including software development in Linux environments using Fortran compilers and other programming languages.
Competencies and Expertise
Core Competencies
Planning and Organizing
Plans and organizes work in support of achieving team or Section 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 or Division’s programme. Evaluates results realistically and draws conclusions from lessons learned.
Teamwork
Actively contributes to achieving team results. Supports team decisions.
Functional Competencies
Client Orientation
Helps clients analyse their needs. Seeks to understand service needs from the client’s perspective and ensures client standards are met.
Commitment to Continuous Process Improvement
Plans and executes activities within quality and risk management frameworks and identifies opportunities for improving processes, systems, structures, and current practices.
Technical and Scientific Credibility
Ensures work complies with internationally accepted professional standards and scientific methods. Provides scientifically and technically accepted information that is credible and reliable.
Required Expertise
Information Technology – Computer Operations
In-depth experience with the operation of computer systems and software in scientific or engineering environments, with an emphasis on Linux.
Information Technology – IT Hardware Installation and Maintenance
In-depth experience with the installation and maintenance of computational servers and desktop computers, particularly Linux-based systems.
Information Management – Management of ITDB
In-depth experience managing databases and associated software.
Physics – Nuclear Physics
University-level knowledge of atomic or nuclear physics is desired.
Qualifications, Experience and Language Skills
Master’s Degree
Advanced university degree in Nuclear Physics, Atomic Physics, Nuclear Data Management, or a related field.
- Minimum of seven years of working experience in scientific, commercial, national, or international organizations involving the design and development of complex computational infrastructures for scientific computing and data dissemination.
- Experience with Linux maintenance and web infrastructure.
- Strong knowledge of secure coding techniques and information security.
- Experience in database design and interface development.
- Experience with scientific databases.
- Experience performing scientific computer simulations.
- Experience in scientific formatting and processing is an asset.
- 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 $86,027 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), with a variable post adjustment currently amounting to US $45,680.
Additional benefits include:
- Dependency benefits
- Rental subsidy
- Education grant
- Relocation and repatriation expenses
- 6 weeks annual leave
- Home leave travel
- Pension plan
- Health insurance
More information on employment conditions:
General Information
- The IAEA’s paramount consideration in recruitment is securing employees of the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence, and integrity.
- Staff members shall be selected without unfair treatment or arbitrary distinction based on race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, age, language, social origin, or other similar shared characteristics.
- The IAEA is committed to gender equality and 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.
- The IAEA has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct 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 based on 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
- A competency-based interview
Candidates under serious consideration 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 Professional and higher categories are subject to the IAEA rotation policy, and their maximum tour of service shall normally be seven years.
- The IAEA retains discretion not to make any appointment to this vacancy, appoint at a lower grade or with a different contract type, or make an appointment with a modified job description or shorter duration than indicated above.
For the complete list of our current vacancies, applicant resources, and information on employment with the IAEA, please visit https://iaea.org/employment.