OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner investigates cases of persons who die within New York City from criminal violence, by accident, by suicide, suddenly when in apparent health, when unattended by a physician, in a correctional facility or in any suspicious or unusual manner or where an application is made pursuant to law for a permit to cremate a body of a person. We exist to provide answers in support of families, victims, and community during times of profound need.

The core values of the OCME are to put the mission of the agency first, to be truly dedicated, and to have integrity in every aspect of our professional life.

Under the Assistant Director of Forensic Operations, oversees the activities of the Forensic Autopsy Services Unit under the auspices of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME); performs related work. Typical tasks include:
- Completes complex and varied tasks required to assist a Medical Examiner in forensic examinations.
- Assists Medical Examiners with all aspects of postmortem examination including evisceration, dissection, and restoration of the body.
- Coordinates with faculty to support the training of Fellows, residents, medical students, and other personnel.
- Works with Medical Examiners and Pathology Coordinator to arrange and assist with specialized examinations (i.e. Neuropathology & Cardiopathology).
- Oversees the work of mortuary staff, and auxiliary staff; holds staff meetings as needed to resolve mortuary issues and develop and implement procedures; evaluates staff performance.
- Coordinate with mortuary offices to support operations and resolve problems; when on site or from a central location, coordinates with mortuary supervisors or other appropriate staff concerning problems requiring immediate resolution
- Performs advanced fingerprint and identification techniques.
- Collects, packages, documents, and stores evidence and property collected during examination.
- Collects, packages, documents, and stores specimens collected during examination.
- Take, log, and archive examination photographs and forensic images.
- Coordinates with senior Pathology and Mortuary staff to resolve issues related to the recovery, transport, storage, and reconciliation of remains, as well as case oversight of check-in/case check-out, resolves problems or issues with CMS; works with funeral directors on release of decedents to their care; works with the Tour Commander to coordinate death scene investigation and with recovery of decedents.
- Requests, reviews, and stores records related to medical examiner cases.
- Perform mortuary equipment maintenance, accountability, and inventory of all supplies related to autopsy services.
- Works with management to develop autopsy and mortuary Standard Operation Procedures.
- Liaises with third party (i.e. H+H and NYC) autopsy services.
- Ensure the autopsy suites and mortuary areas are properly stocked.
- Ensure that autopsy suites are operationally prepared at all times.
- Works with Medical Investigator in-charge or Tour Commander to resolve assignment or case related issues citywide, ensuring smooth and effective operations.
- Assists in signing in/out decedents during “off hours’ at any of our three borough mortuary offices.
- Coordinates City Burial operations as needed.
- Serve as an ME liaison between internal and external stakeholders.
- Handles any administrative issues that arise involving the agency and communicates with leadership as necessary for direction.
- Communicate case status and exam findings to the families as well as appropriate internal and external parties.
- Prepares cases files, stores documents, and completes documents related to the case (ie. death certificates) at the Medical Examiner’s direction.
- Required to operate a motor vehicle.
- Performs other duties as required.

1. A four year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization and one year of full-time satisfactory experience in mortuary and/or autopsy work.

For Assignment to Level II
In addition to meeting the "Qualification Requirements" described above, to be assigned
to Assignment Level II candidates must have one additional year of the experience described above, for a total of two years of experience.

For Assignment to Assignment Level III
In addition to meeting the "Qualification Requirements" described above, to be assigned to Assignment Level III candidates must have three additional years of experience as described above, for a total of four years of experience; two years of the experience must have been in a supervisory capacity.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 1. Selected Candidates will be required to provide a DNA sample by swabbing. 2. This position has been identified as “essential.” During emergency events, “essential” positions require 24-hour availability. 3. A motor vehicle driver license valid in the state of New York is required for this position and must be maintained for the duration of employment. License Requirement: A motor vehicle driver license valid in the state of New York may be required for certain assignments. If required, this license must be maintained for the duration of employment. Preferred Skills: 1. Successful candidates should possess the following: death scene investigations, postmortem care specialist, demonstrated skills in Microsoft Outlook and Word processing and spreadsheet applications ability to provide support to staff when issues arise relating to CMS must be highly organized and possess excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills and have supervisory experience covering multiple disciplines. Please note that only candidates selected for interview will be contacted for this position.

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.