Title: International Expert - Validation of Virology Diagnostic Methods (Plant Health)

​​Requisition ID: 5907
Grade: P4 (Specialist)
Country: Home Based
Duty Station: Home Based
Category: International Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: Non-staff WAE
Contract Duration: 10 working days over a period
Application Deadline: 10-Jul-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), headed by a Managing Director, oversees the Organization's development of capacities for industrial development as well as industrial policy advice, statistics and research activities and the Organization's normative contribution to Member States and global development community in achieving the SDGs. The Directorate also ensures the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to Environment, Energy, SMEs, Competitiveness and Job creation, as well as Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute toward effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results and on realizing any potential for scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.

The Directorate houses the technical Divisions of Capacity Development and Industrial Policy Advice (TCS/CAP); Circular Economy and Environmental Protection (TCS/CEP); Decarbonization and Sustainable Energy (TCS/DSE); SMEs, Competitiveness and Job Creation (TCS/SME); and Digital Transformation and AI Strategies (TCS/DAS). The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with relevant entities in the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) and the Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET).

The Division of SME Competitiveness, Quality and Job Creation (TCS/SME) works towards increasing the competitiveness of industries in developing countries and countries in transition, especially emphasizing business development of SMEs engaged in manufacturing and creating jobs therein. It aims at increasing competitiveness among SMEs in two interconnected ways: first, by modernizing businesses through the transfer of advanced technologies adapted to local conditions, product innovation, productivity improvement and upgrading, developing market and value chain readiness as well as improved access to finance; and second, by improving the quality of SME manufactured products and their compliance with market requirements through capacity building for the development of industrial production and trade-related quality infrastructure including for standardization, metrology, accreditation and of conformity assessment service institutions (testing, certification, inspection and calibration) and the strengthening of their capacities.

PROJECT CONTEXT

ID 200309 Global Quality and Standards Programme Albania

The Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP) aims to strengthen the quality and standards compliance capacity for selected Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) priority countries to facilitate market access for SME by working in emblematic sectors per country. The programme will pursue three outcomes, thus responding to the main compliance challenges identified for developing countries:

Outcome 1: Technical competence and sustainability of the National Quality Infrastructure System is enhanced. Institutional strengthening of key institutions and relevant public-private support institutions through capacity building, use of best practices, skills development, and implementation of management systems to ensure quality and international recognition of their services.

Outcome 2: SME compliance with international standards and technical regulations is enhanced. Improving of compliance capacity through specialised training, capacity building and preparation for certification, strengthening of cluster networks and quality consortia as well as relevant support institutions.

Outcome 3: Awareness for quality is enhanced. Advocacy, up-scaling of knowledge dissemination, advice for informed policy decisions on standards compliance and support for policy development.

ISUV, as Albania’s national reference laboratory for plant health, plays a key role in supporting national surveillance and diagnostic activities in line with EU phytosanitary requirements. Although ISUV currently applies diagnostic methods in disciplines such as bacteriology, virology, and entomology, these are not yet accredited. To strengthen compliance with international standards and advance toward accreditation, the GQSP Albania project is supporting capacity building for ISUV personnel, with a focus on the validation of bacteriological diagnostic methods and other key laboratory disciplines. This effort is essential for enhancing the reliability and credibility of national diagnostic services and for supporting Albania’s alignment with EU plant health legislation.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall supervision of the Project Manager and the Country Project Coordinator, the expert is expected to carry out the following tasks:

Main duties

Concrete/ measurable outputs to be achieved

Expected duration

Location

Preparatory Work:

Develop training materials, including presentations, case studies, and practical exercises required for the validation of virology diagnostic methods.

Training material developed

2 Working Days

Remote

Hands-on Training on Validation and Accreditation of Virology Diagnostic Methods

Develop and deliver a hands-on training on laboratory methods for the identification of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (TOBRFV), based on EPPO PM 7/146 (2). The training should include RNA extraction (Foissac et al., 2001), molecular methods such as Conventional RT-PCR (Alkowni et al., 2019) and Real-time RT-PCR (Menzel & Winter, 2021), and interpretation of results

Training delivered

7 Working Days

ISUV premises, Tirana

Support method validation and assist in the preparation of validation protocols and quality control procedures.

Validation protocols prepared

ISUV premises, Tirana

Reporting

Prepare and submit a final training report summarizing key activities, participant progress, and recommendations for follow-up actions.

Training report submitted

1 Working Days

Remote

TOTAL

10 Working Days

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Core Values

WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Key Competencies

WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.

WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.

WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Hold advanced degree in microbiology, plant pathology, or a related field

Technical and Functional Experience: