Audit/Investigation Technology Specialist

Organizational Setting

In accordance with its Charter, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) provides oversight of FAO's programmes and operations through internal audit and investigation. The Internal Audit Branch carries out assurance and advisory activities designed to add value and improve the organization's operations by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. The Internal Audit Branch conducts its work in accordance with the International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF), including the Code of Ethics and the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, promulgated by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and adopted by the Internal Audit Services of the United Nations agencies. The Investigations Branch investigates allegations of misconduct involving FAO personnel and allegations of sanctionable actions involving third parties. OIG's investigation mandate covers misconduct such as fraud, corruption, abuse of privileges and immunities; sexual exploitation and abuse; sexual harassment; workplace harassment and abuse of authority; retaliation against whistle blowers; or any other conduct not in conformity with the Standards of Conduct of the International Civil Service.

This call for expressions of interest is for the purpose of identifying suitably qualified candidates for rostering purposes, who may be invited to undertake short-term assignments for OIG’s Internal Audit Branch or Investigation Branch ranging in length from three to a maximum of 11 months.

OIG is looking to hire audit/investigation technology specialist with expertise in Python, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Large Language Models (LLMs), and cloud infrastructure to support the Internal Audit Branch and Investigation Branch in developing, deploying, and maintaining advanced IT solutions.

The audit/investigation technology specialist may be based at the Organization’s headquarters in Rome (Italy) or may undertake home-based assignments.

Reporting Lines

The audit/investigation technology specialist reports to one of the Head of Units either in the Internal Audit Branch or the Investigation Branch.

Technical Focus

Development, implementation, and maintenance of IT solutions using Python, Large Language Models (LLMs), and Azure Cloud infrastructure to support internal audit/investigation efficiency and data-driven insights.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Inspector-General, OIG and the supervision of a Head of Unit, the incumbent, will support audit/investigation innovation projects, according to applicable FAO policies and the deadlines and deliverables set out in their TORs. Their assigned tasks and responsibilities will normally include several of the following elements:
• develop high-quality, maintainable code modules to assist the implementation of IT solutions;
• assist in the implementation of knowledge management solutions using LLM-based architectures (such as RAG) based on architectures and specifications defined by OIG;
• contribute to containerization and deployment activities (e.g., using Docker) on Azure Cloud or local servers;
• support technical documentation for codebase, deployment steps, and preparation of user manuals/trainings for auditors/investigators;
• support the implementation of security and scalability measures for audit/investigation IT solutions tailored for sensitive audit/investigation data; and
• perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree or specific technical specialization in software development, computer engineering, computer science, information systems or any other related field.
• At least one year experience in software development, computer engineering, or AI solution architecture (preferably in internal audit/investigation context).
• Working knowledge of English (level C)

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Selection Criteria

• Limited knowledge (level B) of other FAO official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) is an asset.
• Advanced knowledge of Python and popular AI and development frameworks (LangChain, OpenAI API, FastAPI)
• Proven experience with containerization and application deployment lifecycle
• Demonstrated ability to conduct technical research and evaluate the feasibility of new technologies
• Understanding of IT security (Encryption, SSL, OAuth2) and data privacy in a cloud context
• Demonstrated knowledge of investigation, auditing, business consulting, risk management or information technology
• Ability to identify technical bottlenecks and propose efficient, secure solutions
• Ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical auditors/investigators and stakeholders
• Practical experiences with Azure Cloud infrastructure are desirable
• Practical development experiences with RAG and LLMs are desirable