Chief Forensic Pathologist

THIS IS A REOPENING OF AN EXISTING EXAMINATION.  The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Supplemental Questionnaire:  A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application.  Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Applications and supplemental questionnaires will only be accepted on-line.

ABOUT THE CORONER’S BUREAU
The mission of the Alameda County Sheriff's Office Coroner's Bureau is to serve and protect the interests of the community by determining the cause, circumstances and manner of sudden or unexplained deaths, and by identifying deceased persons and notifying their next of kin, regardless of where they may live in the world, while ensuring the deceased and their property are treated with the utmost respect and dignity. We accomplish our mission through the use of peace officer investigators, forensically trained pathologists and consultants, and other scientific methods of inquiry. We serve as an independent finder of fact in our search for the truth. The Coroner's investigation and conclusions strive to provide a balance to the scales of justice and seek resolution to medical mysteries.

The Coroner’s Bureau is the Regional Mutual Aid Coordinator for California’s Region II whose responsibility includes the coordination of intra- and inter-regional mutual aid in large scale events.  During State and Federal mutual aid requests, the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau will follow the direction of the California Mutual Aid Coordinator, within the office of the Governor.  The Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau is currently seeking accreditation through the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME). The Coroner’s Bureau currently employs several investigators who have been certified Diplomat by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.

For additional information, visit:  Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau

THE POSITION
The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office is seeking a Chief Forensic Pathologist with a proven background in forensic pathology who has demonstrated experience in providing expert testimony in a court of law, has the ability to create and lead teams, can effectively organize and prioritize the work of others, and can build collaborative relationships.  In addition, the Chief Forensic Pathologist will have strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills; should understand the importance of fostering a commitment to the County and the Sheriff’s Office’s mission, values and goals.

The Chief Forensic Pathologist is expected to direct the work of contracted forensic pathologists toward the accomplishment of the Alameda County’s Coroner’s Bureau’s mission statement.  In addition to routinely conducting autopsies, the Chief Forensic Pathologist is expected to interact with medical facilities, mortuaries, law enforcement entities, and other entities within the medical and forensic discipline, in order to determine circumstance and causation of death as prescribed by California State law.

Under general direction, to serve as the primary medical advisor to the Sheriff/Coroner or his/her designee, for cases under the jurisdiction of the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau; to perform professional level, forensic medical evaluation and analysis involved with determining the cause, manner and circumstances of death and injuries sustained by deceased persons; to develop forensic evidence for use in legal proceedings; to testify and serve as an expert witness in concerning findings; to administer and manage the operations in the morgue; and organize, manage and coordinate all forensic medical activities at the Coroner's Bureau.  The Chief Forensic Pathologist is licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy in the State of California and is certified by the American Board of Pathology to practice forensic pathology.

For more detailed information about the job classification, visit:  Chief Forensic Pathologist (#5149)

For more detailed information about the position, including compensation and benefits: Chief Forensic Pathologist Brochure

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications listed below the ideal candidate will exhibit the above qualities as well as possess the following critical attributes:

• A successful team builder - Uses appropriate interpersonal styles to help build a cohesive team and accomplish the team’s goals.
• Effectively maximizes personnel resources - Allocates tasks and responsibilities to maximize the individuals’ and organization’s effectiveness.
• Commits to one’s work - Demonstrates a willingness to commit one’s time and best efforts to accomplishing organizational goals.
• Approaches change positively - Maintains effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment.
• Operates with integrity - Interacts with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization.
• Maintains focus under pressure - Exhibits stable performance under stress or opposition.
• Maintains an exceptional level of quality - Accomplishing tasks by considering all areas involved, accurately checks processes and tasks.
• Excels in technical knowledge and skill - keeps up with current developments and trends
  in the field of forensic pathology.
• Communicates effectively - Clearly conveys information and ideas.
   

ABOUT THE ALAMEDA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is a full service law enforcement agency accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) for its law enforcement services, its Regional Training Center,  and its Dispatch Unit; the American Correctional Association (ACA) for its Detentions and Corrections Division; the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board for its Crime Lab; the Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board for its Explosive Ordinance Unit.  Additionally, the agency's health care provider, Well Path, has experience working with the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC).

The Sheriff's Office has a current adjusted net budget of approximately $440 million and has over 1600 authorized positions, including in excess of 1000 sworn personnel. The agency's Chief Executive Officer is Sheriff / Coroner Gregory J. Ahern, who is assisted in the operation of the agency by Undersheriff Richard T. Lucia, Assistant Sheriff's Casey Nice and Dennis Houghtelling.

The Sheriff of Alameda County is responsible for a vast array of tasks and duties, including the following:

• Providing security to the Consolidated Superior Courts
• Operating the Coroner's Bureau
• Operating a full-service Criminalistics Laboratory
• Performing Civil Process
• Operating County Jails (Santa Rita)
• Operating the County Office of Emergency Services
• Providing patrol and investigative services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County
• Provide law enforcements under several contractual agreements to include patrol and investigative services to the City of Dublin, the Peralta Community College District, the Oakland International Airport, Highland Hospital, Children's Hospital, Social Services, and to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
• Conducting a basic academy pursuant to Police Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) requirements. [Sheriff's Academy Web Site]
• Providing Fish and Game enforcement
• Project Director of the Narcotics Task Force
• Serving as the Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force
• Operating a Marine Patrol Unit in the San Francisco Bay waters.

For more detailed information about the agency, visit:  Alameda County Sheriff's Office

Education:

Possession of an M.D. or D.O. degree conferred by an accredited medical school.

AND

Experience:

The equivalent of two years' full-time post forensic residency/fellowship work experience in forensic pathology.

Certification:

Completion of a recognized residency program leading to board certification in forensic pathology and possession of board certification in forensic pathology and possession of board certification in forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology.

License:

Possession of a license to practice medicine or osteopathy in the State of California.

Special Requirements:

• Duties require twenty-four hour on-call availability to respond to scenes of sudden death or injury, or to respond to hospitals to facility organ donor requests.
• Duties require exposure to accidental, physical or biological health hazards and disagreeable situations.

NOTE:  The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• State law applicable to the practice of forensic pathology.
• Investigative procedures and the medico-legal techniques required to determine the circumstances, cause and manner of death as required by law.
• Procedures and techniques utilized in forensic medicine, including medico-legal autopsy, interpretation of forensic toxicology results and interpretation of histology and clinical chemistry results associated with a cause and time of death.
• Principles of public administration, supervision, and training.

Ability to:

• Examine decedents for evidence and signs of injuries.
• Document injuries, collect biological and physical evidence of injuries and interpret them.
• Perform medico-legal autopsies in accordance with the standards of the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau and the National Association of Medical Examiners.
• Effectively communicate interpretations of scene reconstruction, medico-legal autopsy, investigative and observational findings verbally and in writing.
• Testify clearly, concisely and effectively at public hearings, in courts of law and before the Grand Jury.
• Learn, and effectively execute, the policies and procedures of the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau.
• Plan, direct and coordinate the work of others.
• Establish and maintain effective and diplomatic work relationships with members of the legal profession, public, staff, and other government agencies.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

1) A review of candidates' applications and supplemental questionnaire to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.

2) An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score.  The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

For more information on the Civil Service Selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website:  www.acgov.org/hrs  

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Employee Mortgage Loan Program
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions, please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Elaine Lemi | Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
(510) 272-6434 | elaine.lemi@acgov.org

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer