Overview
Conducts complex investigations in support of OPCW special missions, including fact-finding, identification of perpetrators, and activities related to alleged chemical weapons.
Key Responsibilities
- Plan, design, and conduct complex investigations, including defining scope, methodology, and operational approach.
- Develop investigative strategies, hypotheses, and lines of inquiry.
- Lead multidisciplinary investigative teams.
- Ensure effective coordination of investigative activities across OSM functions.
- Lead or participate in field deployments, including in high-risk or austere environments.
- Conduct and supervise interviews with witnesses and other sources.
- Oversee on-site evidence collection and preliminary analysis.
- Provide real-time operational leadership and decision-making during missions.
- Oversee the collection of evidence from multiple sources.
- Ensure strict adherence to chain-of-custody procedures and evidentiary standards.
- Direct the validation, corroboration, and integration of information from diverse sources.
- Ensure secure handling and storage of sensitive and classified information.
- Guide and review work produced by analysts, investigators and technical experts.
- Ensure the application of structured analytical methodologies and best practices.
- Identify evidentiary gaps, inconsistencies, and areas requiring further investigation.
- Integrate technical, analytical, and legal findings into coherent investigative outcome.
- Ensure that investigations and outputs are aligned with international legal standards and OPCW policies.
- Draft and review sections of investigative reports.
- Contribute to the preparation of high-level reports for OPCW policy-making organs.
- Provide input related to investigations in legal-analytical discussions and review processes.
- Liaise with OPCW divisions, States Parties, and any other external partners as required.
- Represent OSM in technical meetings and briefings, when required.
- Facilitate coordination with international investigative and accountability mechanisms, when required.
- Mentor and supervise junior investigators and analysts, as well as field teams.
- Contribute to the development of investigative methodologies, Standard Operating Procedures, and best practices.
- Support training initiatives within OSM.
Required Experience
- A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience at a senior level in complex investigations in areas such as international or national criminal investigations.
- Experience in investigation activities at the international level.
- Experience in gathering evidence and interviewing techniques for investigation purposes.
- Knowledge and hands-on experience of theories, concepts, and approaches to information and fact collection methodologies.
- Experience with or knowledge of forensics.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently and work in high-risk environments.
- Knowledge and understanding of multilateral disarmament issues, including understanding of the Chemical Weapons Convention and related disarmament/non-proliferation frameworks (desirable).
- Experience in investigations into the use, development, production, or storage of chemical weapons is highly desirable.
- Formal training and/or certification in law enforcement methodologies (desirable).
- Experience with or knowledge of military operations in conflict zones (desirable).
- Knowledge and understanding of multilateral disarmament issues (desirable).
- Experience handling sensitive and potentially distressing material, with demonstrated emotional resilience and the ability to maintain professional objectivity (desirable).
- Familiarity with cognitive disassociation mechanisms and strategies to reduce vulnerability factors (desirable).
Qualifications
- Advanced university degree in Criminal Investigation, Forensic Science, Crime Analysis, Social/Political Science, or other related fields.
- A first level university degree, combined with 9 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- Diploma in advanced criminal investigation from a national police academy or law enforcement agency and/or certifications in investigations (military, police, judicial/prosecutorial, federal/national intelligence agencies) together with significant experience (13 years) may be accepted in lieu of the university degree.
