This position is open until filled, and applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis (at the end of each week).
The King County Medical Examiner's Office (KCMEO) is seeking an Associate Medical Examiner. KCMEO operates under the administrative authority of Public Health - Seattle and King County and has been a National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) accredited office since 1978. The office is located within a facility situated on the campus of Harborview Medical Center near downtown Seattle and was built to KCMEO specifications. KCMEO serves all of King County with a population of 2.27 million and geographical area of 2,131, square miles. King County and Seattle are diverse and culturally vibrant and offer an excellent array of dining, arts, and entertainment venues, and is home to several sports teams, universities, and more. The surrounding region is known for its many outdoor pursuits such as skiing, hiking, white water rafting, diving, boating and so much more.
This Associate Medical Examiner position will be filled by qualified forensic pathologists. We encourage those who began their fellowship year in 2024 to apply, with the expectation that they would take and pass their boards a few months after their fellowship ends. This is a full-time position with vacation leave and full benefits. Under the direction and supervision of the Chief Medical Examiner, there will be a total of six (6) Associate Medical Examiners and two (2) Fellows.
At this moment the office is staffed with seven (7) autopsy technicians, nineteen (19) medicolegal death investigators (the majority are ABMDI diplomats), plus a board-certified forensic anthropologist, administrative support personnel, an epidemiologist, and staff for our real time overdose surveillance program. The medicolegal death investigators respond to death scenes and collect relevant medical and other records and material that the pathologist may need to accurately process a case. The autopsy technicians are highly trained and experienced and work with the pathologists as a team.
In addition to performing complete forensic autopsies and views, pathologists testify in court and depositions, provide consultation for families, law enforcement, and attorneys, and participate in teaching medical students and residents. There is the opportunity for clinical faculty appointment in the University of Washington Department of Pathology, and pathologists are encouraged to conduct scholarly activities. KCMEO has a forensic pathology fellowship program accredited by ACGME and conducts weekly educational conferences that are accredited though the University of Washington School of Medicine for a maximum of 52 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.
Commitment To Equity and Social Justice
Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.
To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx
Work Schedule
Typical work schedule for this position is 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, and on Sunday morning of the weeks on call.
Work Location
The base location for this position is at the Ninth and Jefferson Building, located at 908 Jefferson St., 2nd Floor Seattle, WA 98104.
Under the direction of the Chief Medical Examiner:
- Perform medicolegal investigations and approximately 250 to 325 autopsies equivalents (autopsies plus views) and complete reports according to NAME standards.
- Be on call approximately one week out of every 7 weeks.
- Testify in court, perform depositions, and provide consultation for criminal justice agencies and families.
- Participate in educational activities for fellows, medical students, and residents.
- Supervise fellows on some cases.
- Review and approve disposition authorizations and non-jurisdictional reports.
- Participate and moderate weekly CME conferences.
- Attend twice daily work rounds, weekly staff meetings, and quarterly mass fatality management and quality management meetings, and attend and present at didactic lectures.
Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum):
- Certification in Forensic Pathology by the American Board of Pathology, OR, if you are in your fellowship in 2024-2025, you must attain this certification within 1 year of hire, AND demonstrate a clear plan/timeline of how you will accomplish this.
- Attitude and ability to practice in accordance with the Mission Statement of KCMEO and practice guidelines of National Association of Medical Examiners.
- Current valid Washington State Medical License or ability to obtain prior to hire.
- Current valid Washington State Driver's License or ability to obtain prior to hire.
- Documentation of current BLS CPR certification with AED training required at time of job offer. CPR/AED Heartsaver courses do not meet this requirement.
Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.Guided by our
"True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Who May Apply
This position is open to all qualified applicants. King County is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and we encourage people of color, women, veterans and people with disabilities to apply.
Application Process
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:
- NeoGov Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
- Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
- Cover Letter (Expressing interest in this position)
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.
Necessary Special Requirements
- The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
- The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR.
- The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation and Pre-employment Physical, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
- For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en.
- Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
- Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
- Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
- Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
- When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.
- If you need a disability accommodation in the application or testing process, please call the contact number listed on the job announcement.
Union Membership
This is a non-represented position.
Contact
For questions about this recruitment, please contact Salyse Duckworth, HR Analyst at sduckworth@kingcounty.gov.
