Assistant Medical Examiner

Assistant Medical Examiner

Salary

$359,887.84 - $437,484.32 Annually

Location

San Jose Metropolitan Area, CA

Job Type

Part-Time

Job Number

26-P46-A

Department

Medical Examiner - Coroner

Opening Date

10/30/2026

Closing Date

11/13/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Bargaining Unit

20

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Description

The Office of the Medical Examiner is currently hiring for a part-time Assistant Medical Examiner. Join a fantastic team of doctors, investigators, technicians, and administrative staff in a fully accredited National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) office. You'll work in a modern facility with digital radiology, clean and spacious autopsy stations, and access to Stanford's Department of Pathology, along with academic and teaching opportunities.

For more information regarding the position, please contact Candace Garcia candace.garcia@mec.sccgov.org

Under general direction, responsible for the performance of medical activities in the Office of the Medical Examiner and to develop and coordinate the planning, organization, direction and performance of the medical activities of the Office.

Typical Tasks

The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

• Performs autopsies to render cause and manner of death and responsible for certifying cause and manner of death;
• Plans, organizes and directs the activities of the Autopsy Suite;
• Supervises the autopsy suite staff and provides instruction to residents, students, visitors and interns;
• Assist the Lead Forensic Pathologist and/or Chief Medical Examiner in establishing standards for conducting autopsies and maintaining chain of custody;
• Personally performs autopsies on homicides and other violent or unnatural deaths;
• Interprets Medical Records and Police Reports;
• Confers with medical and investigative staff to determine cause and circumstances of death;
• Confers with District Attorney regarding prosecution details;
• Serves as expert medical witness;
• Provide 24/7 on call support when on call;
• May report to select death scenes with the Medical Examiner Investigator;
• Produces official (autopsy) reports and other records;
• Provide education and training to rotating students, residents and fellows;
• Serve on one or more County Death Review Committees;
• Provide or deny consent for Tissue and Organ donation for the Office of the Medical Examiner jurisdiction cases, when appropriate;
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker (DSW), as required*;
• Performs other related duties, as required.

Employment Standards

Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks, plus the possession and direct application of the following knowledge and abilities:

Training and Experience Note: The required knowledge and abilities are attained through possession of a Doctor of Medicine degree from an approved school of medicine.

and

Possession of the special requirements.

Special Requirements

• Possess a valid California Physicians and Surgeons license and maintain licensure for the duration of employment in the classification.
• Possess a certification as a Forensic Pathologist by meeting one of the following requirements:

1. A physician who is board certified in Forensic Pathology by the American Board of Pathology (ABP);

2. Has completed a training program in Forensic Pathology that is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (or its International equivalent);

3. Has been officially "qualified for examination" in forensic pathology by the ABP.

Strong preference will be given to candidates in possession of a valid board certificate in Forensic Pathology issued by the ABP. For those officially "qualified for examination" by the American Board of Pathology, a candidate will need to successfully complete the Board Certification process within two (2) years of appointment or face the possibility of being released from the position.

• Once certification is obtained, maintain certification for the duration of employment in the classification.
• Ability to travel to alternate locations in the course of work. If driving, possession of a valid California driver's license prior to appointment and the ability to qualify for and maintain a County driver authorization.
• *As a condition of employment, pursuant to California Government Code Sections 3100-3109 and Local Ordinance, all County of Santa Clara employees are designated Disaster Service Workers (DSWs), including extra help. A DSW is required to complete all assigned DSW-related training, and in the event of an emergency, return to work as ordered.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and techniques of pathology;
• Uses of specialized equipment and instruments required in the practice of pathology;
• Legal implications of facts obtained during autopsies and field investigations;
• English usage, style, grammar, punctuation, and spelling;
• Common computer systems and applications.

Ability to:

• Apply the principles and techniques of pathology;
• Use specialized equipment and instruments required during the practice of pathology;
• Plan and direct the work of others;
• Ability to express facts clearly, both orally and in writing;
• Qualify as an expert witness and testify effectively in civil depositions, preliminary hearings, and jury trials;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, at all levels, including colleagues, the public, and representatives of other agencies;
• Use computer systems and applications.

Physical Requirements

• Available to work on an on-call, 24- hour basis, weekends, holidays and odd or irregular hours

The County offers comprehensive first-class medical, dental, and vision benefits plans for County employees and their dependents, including plans with no deductibles, no co-pays, no co-insurance, and no prescription drug co-pays. Learn more here.

The County also offers generous paid time off with significant vacation, sick time, and 13 paid County holidays annually! Details are included in the Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement with the bargaining unit applicable to the job classification.

In addition to the amazing perks above, the County also offers the additional benefits below.

Retirement Benefits

The County offers robust retirement plans including a 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan (similar to the private sector's 401(k) plan) and the CalPERS pension plan. In addition to lifetime retirement income available through the CalPERS pension plan, the 457(b) Deferred Compensation plan provides a great way to save for retirement and supplement the defined benefit pension available to employees. These plans help our employees build a plan for their future and contribute to their family's long-term financial well-being.

Health Flexible Spending Account

The Health Flexible Spending Account (HFSA) empowers employees to manage healthcare expenses efficiently with tax-free contributions (up to $3,200 for the 2024 calendar year). Secure tax-free solutions for your healthcare expenses and enjoy the flexibility to manage your healthcare finances effectively with the HFSA.

Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)

The Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) enables employees to utilize tax-free funds for dependent care services, facilitating a convenient and cost-effective approach for managing your dependent care expenses. The County also offers the Employee Childcare Assistance Plan, an employer-funded DCAP, for employees with annual income under $120,000.

Life and AD&D

The County offers life and disability benefits including Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance, Long-Term Disability insurance, California State Disability Insurance, and Integration with Leave. These benefits ensure financial security and income support when you and your family need it most.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The County prioritizes employee mental health and well-being and offers a top-tier Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Concern providing confidential counseling sessions covering stress, anxiety, relationships, grief, as well as financial/legal services, personal coaching, child and elder care referrals, and comprehensive crisis support.

Employee Wellness

The Employee Wellness Program offers free wellness programing, fitness classes and resources; including Elevate My Wellness an all-in-one platform designed to elevate your well-being journey.

Education Reimbursement

A generous Learning and Employee Development program is available, including Education Reimbursement for employees seeking additional training and professional development.

NOTE: Benefit and Retirement information may vary from bargaining unit to bargaining unit. Due to changes in State Law, current pension provisions described in the union contracts are not automatically applied. Specific pension benefits for new hires who start on or after January 1, 2013 may be different than indicated in the union contracts.

Click here to access all Memoranda of Understanding and most recent Summary of Changes.

01

Please answer the following questions. Completion of the following supplemental questions is REQUIRED and is an integral part of the evaluation process. Initially, it will be used to determine minimum qualifications. For those applicants meeting the employment standards, this information will be critical in the subsequent competitive assessment to identify those candidates to be invited to continue in the examination process. Your responses to the questions may also be reviewed and scored in a Competitive Rating evaluation process based on pre-determined rating criteria. Your answers should be as complete as possible, as no additional information will be accepted from applicants once the Competitive Rating evaluation has begun. A response of "see resume" or "see application" will deem your application incomplete.

Include a detailed description of your work experience in the following format for EACH employer referenced, in each answer:

a) Employer Name

b) Job Title

c) Start Month/End Month Dates of Employment

d) Total Hours Worked per Week

e) Detailed Description of Job Duties

Do you understand the requirement to provide complete answers in order to determine relevant experience for each area in question?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you possess a Doctor of Medicine degree?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you possess a valid California Physicians and Surgeons license?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you possess certification as Forensic Pathologist by meeting one of the following requirements? Select which one is applicable. Please attach to your application relevant documentation, as applicable.

• Board Certified in Forensic Pathology by the American Board of Pathology (ABP)
• Completed a training program in Forensic Pathology that is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (or its international equivalent)
• Officially "qualified for examination" in Forensic Pathology by the ABP
• None

05

How many years of experience do you possess performing autopsies?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years of experience

06

Describe your experience performing autopsies. Include employer name, job title, dates of employment, hours worked per week and description of duties performed. If you do not possess this type of experience type, "N/A".

07

How many years of experience do you possess writing autopsy reports?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years of experience

08

Describe your experience writing autopsy reports. Include employer name, job title, dates of employment, hours worked per week and description of duties performed. If you do not possess this type of experience type, "N/A".

09

How many years of experience do you possess testifying in criminal and/or civil depositions, preliminary hearings and/or jury trials?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years of experience

10

Describe your experience testifying in criminal and/or civil depositions, preliminary hearings and/or jury trials. Include employer name, job title, dates of employment, hours worked per week and description of duties performed. If you do not possess this type of experience type, "N/A".

11

How many years of experience do you possess serving on Death Review Committees? (Examples include but are not limited to Childrens Death Review, Domestic Violence Death Review, Trauma Death Review, etc.)

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years of experience

12

Describe your experience serving on Death Review Committees. (Examples include but are not limited to Childrens Death Review, Domestic Violence Death Review, Trauma Death Review, etc.) Include employer name, job title, dates of employment, hours worked per week and description of duties performed. If you do not possess this type of experience type, "N/A".

13

How did you find out/hear about this job?

• In Person Job Fair
• Contacted by County Recruiter
• Email Newsletter
• Virtual Event
• Community Event
• Social Media: Facebook or Instagram
• County of Santa Clara Job Interests Email Notification
• Student Career Center
• Handshake
• Professional Association
• Contacted by an External Staffing Firm
• Hospital Website
• Search Engine (Google, Bing, online search, etc.)
• Governmentjobs.com
• LinkedIn
• Indeed
• Employee Referral: Friends, Families and Coworkers
• County of Santa Clara Career Website
• Other (Specify in the next question)

14

How did you find out about this job? If "Other" is selected: Please describe how you heard about this job.

Required Question

Employer County of Santa Clara

Address 70 W. Hedding Street

8th Floor, East Wing

San Jose, California, 95110

Phone (408) 299-6816

Website http://www.sccjobs.org/