Title: Forensic Support Assistant

State Role Title: Laboratory and Research Tech

Hiring Range: $19.50-23.50

Pay Band: 2

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER-NO

Agency Website: www.vdh.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia Department of Health, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), Northern District, located in Manassas, Virginia, is seeking 3 part time Forensic Support Assistants. The Forensic Support Assistant is responsible for working days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. This is a wage position and averages 15-29 hours per week, not to exceed 1500 hours in a year and is not eligible for benefits. The Forensic Support Assistant it responsible for the receipt and release of decedents at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which includes physically moving dead bodies, processing the evidence/personal belongings, managing paperwork and data entry associated with the transfer, and ensuring the integrity of the evidence recovered and stored at the Medical Examiner’s office, in accordance with policies and procedures. This position provides support to the Forensic Autopsy Services unit in the morgue, including after hours, on weekend and holidays. Providing support to this work unit includes maintaining the cleanliness of the morgue areas, laundering and organization of linens in the morgue, organizing toxicology specimens, restocking supplies, and assisting local medical examiners with external examinations, etc. This position provides administrative support to the Forensic Autopsy Services work Unit by answering telephone calls to the morgue during shift and field questions from hospitals, funeral homes, doctors, families, and police agencies, data entry, filing, faxing, photocopying, and printing of photographs. This position is responsible for surveillance of refrigeration systems of body storage areas and reporting variances in a timely fashion. The Forensic Support Assistant is required to monitor and regulate admittance of all individuals entering the morgue areas while on duty, including law enforcement, funeral home/transport personnel, and organ procurement organizations. This position is required to report unusual or emergency conditions to appropriate personnel and authorities in a timely fashion.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Experience performing administrative duties including data entry, answering the
phone, faxing, filing, and photocopying.
2. Ability to effectively communicate verbally.
3. Ability to follow office policies and procedures without direct supervision.
4. Knowledge of OSHA requirements and regulations related to working with
biohazardous materials and lab safety, security procedures.
5. Reading and writing ability to properly complete chain of custody documents and
reading of surveillance thermometers.
6. Must have experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), with strong
keyboarding skills.
7. Ability to push/pull 100 to 500lbs and lift with assistance.
8. Valid Driver's License required

Additional Considerations

1. Previous experience with human remains in a hospital, morgue, funeral home or
medical examiner’s facility.
2. Experience/training/education on chain of custody and the handling evidence
and/or personal effects.
3. Knowledge of digital photography and the ability to save images on various types
of media (CD, USB, external hard drive, server).

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

VDH accepts only on-line applications. Faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications will not be considered.
Applications are accepted until 11:55 p.m. on the job closing date. Applications and/or resumes should
include relevant work history which indicates your qualifications for this position.
Employment is contingent upon satisfactory results of a state and federal criminal history background check
and the Department of Social Service’s Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check,U.S. HHSIG
Exclusion List check, employment reference check and E-Verify. Other financial, credit, driving, background
checks or completion of Statement of Economic Interests may be required for certain positions.
It is the policy of the Commonwealth and VDH that all aspects of human resource management be
conducted without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type,
and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists); sex; color; national origin; religion; sexual
orientation; gender identity or expression; age; veteran status; political affiliation; disability; genetic
information; and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. VDH employees have a shared Code of
Ethics, which can be found in the bottom banner of our website: www.vdh.virginia.gov.
If you have been affected by DHRM Policy 1.30 layoff and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening
Form (Yellow Card) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Card), you must submit the card before the closing date
for this position. The Card may be submitted with the state application as an attachment.
As a V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) employer VDH Welcomes Veterans to apply!
Supplemental Questions: You may be required to respond to position-specific questions at the end of this
application. This information will help us evaluate your credentials and qualifications for the job. Failure to
respond to any questions may disqualify you from further consideration.

Contact Information

Name: Isis Romero

Phone: (804) 864-7000

Email: isis.romero@vdh.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.