ASSISTANT MEDICAL EXAMINER chez Washoe County, NV

About the Department

The Assistant Medical Examiner (AME) acts under direction of the Chief Medical Examiner (CME) and must be a licensed physician in the State of Nevada and a pathologist certified by the American Board of Pathology (ABP) in forensic pathology or must be Board eligible in forensic pathology. If board eligible, board certification must be obtained within 3 years of hire. The AME is responsible for conducting postmortem examinations and autopsies and determining and certifying cause and manner of death. In rare cases, this requires visiting the scene of death or the site of discovery of remains. The AME thoroughly documents his/her findings; provides court testimony and consultation regarding case findings; participates in quality assurance programs that satisfy NAME standards and ABP continuous Certification requirements; and may act as an instructor in education programs offered by the WCRMEO. Other duties or interests may be part of professional development of the AME, at the discretion of the AME and CME, including participation in death review teams, hospital morbidity and mortality conferences, faculty appointment at local educational institutions, etc. This is an unclassified, appointed position. 

About The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office

The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office (WCRMEO), serves all Northern Nevada (14 counties) and part of Northern California (4 counties) and operates as an independent agency. The staff relocated to a brand-new, state-of-the-art, modern medical examiner facility in 2017, and continue to enjoy this highly functional and beautiful building. The office operates with a full-time staff of 28 along with additional part-time investigative staff. Full-time Medicolegal Death Investigators are cross-trained in investigations and autopsy, and are ABMDI certified. Autopsies/ examinations are performed by 3 Assistant Medical Examiners, a Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, and a Chief Medical Examiner; Caseload per Medical Examiner is maintained at or below 250 autopsy equivalents per NAME accreditation requirements. During 2024, there were 5,767 deaths reported to the WCRMEO with just over 1,100 examinations performed. The staff enjoys high morale in the workplace and functions with mutual respect and a good sense of humor, in addition to a robust employee wellness/resiliency program. WCRMEO pathologists do not perform autopsies on Sundays, allowing for an improved lifestyle. Additionally, flexible work schedules are available. The office is well supported by the County and many regional partners. The work product of the WCRMEO is highly valued by law enforcement, prosecuting attorneys, and the judiciary in the region. The office is NAME accredited.

To view the full job announcement brochure, please click here [Brochure Coming Soon].

For more information on this position, please see the Job Specification at https://www.washoecounty.gov/humanresources/Careers/jobspecs.php.

Position Duties

A degree from an accredited school of medicine; possession of a current license to practice medicine in the State of Nevada OR fully eligible to obtain a license to practice medicine in the State of Nevada AND completion or active enrollment of an accredited forensic pathology fellowship.   

License or Certificate 

A valid Nevada driver's license is required within thirty days of appointment and must be maintained for continued employment in this classification.

Licensure as a physician to practice medicine in the State of Nevada is required at the time of appointment and must be maintained for continued employment in this classification.

Shall be a pathologist certified by the American Board of Pathology in forensic pathology or Board eligible in forensic pathology.

Successful completion of an accredited fellowship in forensic pathology is required at the time of appointment.

When Board eligible, certification by the American Board of Pathology in forensic pathology must be obtained within three years of appointment. 

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will have excellent, accredited fellowship training and background in Forensic Pathology. This background will include extensive knowledge of the criteria for accepting Medical Examiner/Coroner jurisdiction cases, and knowledge of NAME standards for forensic autopsy performance. Forensic pathologists in fellowship training will be considered and are encouraged to apply. The selected candidate should be an effective communicator with strong writing and interpersonal skills, who is able to effectively transmit his/her findings and opinions in a clear and thorough manner. Individuals with experience in court testimony and individuals with additional subspecialty training in relevant areas (such as neuropathology, cardiac pathology, or pediatric pathology), are preferred. The chosen candidate will be encouraged to establish an academic presence through affiliations with local educational institutions, though this is not required.

Minimum Qualifications

The Assistant Medical Examiner is a Confidential unclassified position and is therefore not covered by a bargaining unit.

Background checks will be conducted on selected applicants through the State of Nevada and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Per the Washoe County Background and Reference Checks Policy, new and rehired employees are required to submit to a fingerprint based background investigation. Effective July 1, 2019, the $40.25 fee associated with this background investigation will be paid by the employee (if applicable) and deducted automatically from the first paycheck. Employment is contingent upon the results of the background check, although a record of conviction will not necessarily bar an applicant from employment.

Washoe County requires its employees to reside in the state of Nevada or neighboring California communities such as Truckee, South Lake Tahoe or Susanville as of their first day of work.

Washoe County hires all new employees at the minimum rate of the salary range and eligible employees may receive an annual merit increase of 5% until they reach the maximum salary for the classification.  Upon promotion, current Washoe County employees are placed at the minimum rate of the salary range for the higher classification of the new position OR a promotional calculation, whichever is greater. 

Other Qualifications

Submit the required application at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washoecounty

In addition to the application, the following documents must be included with the application before the filing deadline in order to be considered: ? 

• Comprehensive CV/resume which includes how the applicant meets the Ideal Candidate criteria 
• Three professional references 

TENTATIVE TIMELINE 

Recruitment is Open Until Filled- Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until the position is filled. 

A Screening Committee will review applications as received to identify candidates whose qualifications demonstrate the strongest potential for success in this position. Selected candidates will be invited to interview. Reference checks will be conducted for top candidates, and any conditional offer of employment will be subject to successful completion of a thorough background investigation.

Questions?
Contact: Jessica Gutierrez 
[email protected]

Washoe County is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce that creates a sense of belonging for all employees and citizens, thereby encouraging persons from all backgrounds and experiences to apply for employment. 

Washoe County will recruit, hire, train and promote into all job levels without regard to race, religion or belief, gender, marital status or domestic partnership, familial status, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, genetic information (GINA), veteran status, political affiliation, membership in an employee association or union or any other protected class under applicable federal or state law.

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