Job Abstract

• A general salary increase of 3.5% effective December 22, 2024.
• Educational Incentive - An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate's degree, 3.5% for completion of a bachelor's degree, OR 5% for completion of a graduate's degree.
• Bilingual Incentive - Proficiency levels by exam are $.69 per hour (Level I), $1.00 per hour (Level II), or $1.32 per hour (Level III).
• Vacation Accrual – New regular, full-time employees shall accrue approximately 14 days of vacation a year for the first 10,400 hours or 5 years of service; vacation accruals increase at 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 20 years of service topping out at 26 days a year and 400 hours of vacation hours banked.
• Vacation Leave Redemption – After 14,560 hours of continuous service an employee may elected to "cash in" or redeem up to 80 hours of vacation accrued in the same year after using 80 hours of vacation in the preceding 12 months.
• Sick Leave - Full time regular employees accrue 3.08 hours of sick leave per pay period with an advance at hire of 40.04 hours which will be balanced at the completion of 13 bi-weekly pay periods.
• Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions.
• Health Plans – Full time employees are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans: Tier one for employee only is $502 per biweekly pay period, tier two for employee plus one is $730 per biweekly pay period and tier three for employee plus family is $905 per biweekly pay period.
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Choice of participation in the Flexible Spending Accounts which increase spending power through reimbursement of pre-tax dollars for IRS approved dependent care and health care expenses.
• Pension Plan - Both the County and employees contribute to the County's Retirement Plan and to Social Security. If eligible, reciprocity may be established with other public retirement systems, such as PERS.
• Holidays - 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Learns to assist at the Trainee level and at the Technician level assists the board-certified forensic pathologists in the performance of medico-legal autopsies and Ventura County Medical Center pathologists with hospital autopsies;
• At the Trainee level is trained to and at the Technical level is responsible to identify, release and move deceased persons from refrigeration storage; and prepare deceased persons for autopsy exam and final disposition;
• Learns to assist at the Trainee level and at the Technician level assists in the collection of evidence, including clothing, and processes that evidence personally collected for additional testing;
• Learns to assist at the Trainee level and at the Technician level assists in the collection of blood, body fluids and tissue specimens for forensic toxicology; packages and prepares specimens for storage or transports in a legal chain of custody those specimens necessary for toxicology testing;
• Prepares autopsy facility for work, and keeps autopsy room clean, sanitary and in an orderly manner; cleans and or sterilizes equipment; orders and maintains autopsy equipment and supplies;
• Learns to assist at the Trainee level and at the Technician level assists the forensic pathologist in the autopsy of suspected or unknown contagious cases, including the collection of specimens for laboratory testing and decontamination of equipment and facilities;
• At the Trainee level is trained to and at the Technician level is responsible to performs x-rays on deceased persons as directed by the forensic pathologist;
• Learns to assist at the Trainee level and at the Technician level assists with photographs of evidence and injuries under the forensic pathologists’ direction;
• At the Technician level trains others (Trainee and Extra Help Forensic Pathology Technicians) in specialized procedures, equipment and techniques related to job functions;
• Learns to assist at the Trainee level and at the Technician level assists the forensic pathologist in tissue cutting for histological examination;
• Learns to assist at the Trainee level and at the Technician level assists in specialized identification on badly decomposed bodies; obtains fingerprints on all cases;
• Under the direction of the forensic pathologists, removes plaster casts or other medical appliances, preserving reusable material;
• At the Trainee level is trained to and at the Technician level is responsible to preserve, store, and discard evidence, clothing, and specimens as directed or according to established procedures;
• Keeps up to date log books and performs routine clerical filing, record keeping and data entry into the county computer system;
• May assist in on-scene investigations by collecting and preserving evidence under direct supervision and at the Technician level may serve as a witness in medical examiner cases;
• Assists in general office functions, such as assisting the public, answering phones, and clerical duties, as needed;
• Performs other related duties as required.

These are entrance requirements to the exam process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE
Forensic Pathology Trainee
Any training and/or experience in medically oriented fields leading to some knowledge of principles of forensics, biology, chemistry, and/or criminalistics.

Forensic Pathology Technician
Any training and/or experience in medically oriented fields leading to some knowledge of principles of forensics, biology, chemistry, and/or criminalistics.
AND
At least six (6) months experience assisting pathologists in the performance of forensic autopsies including the handling of dead bodies.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Possession of and ability to maintain a California driver license.
Ability to:

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with others
• Comprehend, follow and convey written and oral instructions effectively.
• Work around unpleasant odors, and decomposed and dismembered bodies
• Lift and move bodies safely and with dignity, using or requesting assistance as needed
• Stand for long periods of time
• Serve as a witness in medical examiner cases as needed
• Work some evenings, holidays, weekends, and on call as necessary
• Must be in possession of a current, valid driver license issued by the State of California at the time of hire

• Bachelor's degree in Forensics, Biology, Chemistry, Criminology, or a related field
• Experience effectively communicating with grieving families in a compassionate and professional manner
• Bilingual in English and Spanish

FINAL FILING DATE: Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

To apply on-line refer to web site: www.ventura.org/jobs. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 S. Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here (Download PDF reader) for additional information.

NOTE: Sufficient information must be provided under the Education/Work experience portion of the application and supplemental questionnaire, if applicable, to thoroughly and accurately demonstrate your qualifications in order to determine eligibility. A resume may be attached to supplement the information in the above sections; however, it may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

APPLICATION EVALUATION – qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine if the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE – qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

TRAINING and EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining the better qualified candidates among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the Department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.

NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an oral examination, which may be preceded by or replaced with, the score from a T&E, contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questionnaire within the application is completed with care and diligence.

ORAL EXAMINATION – 100%: All qualifying applicants, or those selected for further examination if there is a high number of qualified applicants, will be invited to an oral examination. Those applicants invited to the oral examination may be required to bring their law school transcripts and a writing sample showing their ability to research, analyze and apply the law. A panel of three persons will conduct the oral examination to evaluate and compare participating candidates' knowledge, skills and abilities in relation to those factors determined to be essential for successful performance of the job.

ELIGIBILITY LIST: Candidates who score seventy percent (70%) or higher on the oral examination will be placed on an eligible list for one (1) year. If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an oral examination will not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each applicant, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list. The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill existing and future regular, temporary, fixed-term, intermittent and extra-help positions within the Medical Examiner's Office only. There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post-offer background investigation, which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information and driving record, may be required for this position.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Lorin Calderon by email to Lorin.Calderon@ventura.org or phone (805) 654-2959.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.