Deputy State Medical Examiner

Job Description:

Posting Title: Deputy State Medical Examiner—REQ-186839

Salary Range: $25,477 - $28,089 Monthly

Add annual salary: $305,724 - $337,068

(7.5% differential added to base pay with board certification)

Initial Posting Date: 08/28/2025

Application Deadline: 09/16/2026

Agency: Oregon State Police

Location: Clackamas or Central Point, Oregon

The Oregon State Police, Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office is hiring for one (1) Full-Time, Permanent Deputy State Medical Examiner position in either Clackamas or Central Point, Oregon.

This recruitment will remain open until September 16, 2026, or until filled, with application review dates occurring approximately every two weeks beginning September 10, 2025. We may close the announcement at any time after the review date if we have received an adequate number of applications. We cannot guarantee that we will consider applications received after this screening date. We encourage interested applicants not to delay in applying.

If you require an alternate format in order to complete the employment process, or to request a copy of the position description, please contact and reference REQ-186839.

The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution during the application process.

What will you do?

The State Medical Examiner’s Office is the sole provider of forensic pathology services throughout Oregon. Our team closely collaborates with the county medical examiners and medical legal death investigators employed by each county’s death investigation program, providing technical supervision of all medicolegal death investigations.

Deputy State Medical Examiners are stationed in the Portland metro area (Clackamas), Eugene area, and Central Point, Oregon. Forensic pathologists at the State Medical Examiner’s Clackamas location currently perform all medical legal autopsies for Northwestern, Eastern, and Central Oregon; however, a significant expansion of our program and other work facilities is underway. This growth includes development of a State Medical Examiner facility in Eugene. Once the Eugene building is completed, this facility in the Central Willamette Valley will accommodate autopsy services for some of the areas presently covered by the Portland area office.

Our forensic pathologists are supported by a wonderful staff of well-trained autopsy technicians and administrative specialists. Our team also includes a full-time forensic anthropologist who oversees Oregon’s Unidentified Human Remains program and provides consults on skeletal remains. Toxicology testing is performed on-site by an ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) accredited laboratory.

Our office’s work includes a teaching program providing regular lectures on legal medicine and death investigation to many groups, including students from Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and Western University School of Osteopathic Medicine, law students, pathology residents, medical legal death investigators, police officers, and healthcare professionals.

We offer paid licensure renewals, CME, professional memberships, and annual conference attendance, as well as generous relocation expense reimbursement.

We encourage current forensic pathology fellows to apply.

You will:

• Perform autopsies and provide expert medical consultation in appropriate cases.

• Share autopsy responsibilities with the State Medical Examiner and other Deputy State Medical Examiners, rotating weekend, night, holiday, and vacation coverage.

• Write autopsy reports, and other reports as appropriate, relating to death investigations.

• Provide training, as requested, to law enforcement agencies, county medical examiners, district attorneys, and medicolegal death investigators

These positions will split their time between our Clackamas facility and remote work. Current expansion planning includes exploring renovations for our main facility to accommodate more office space as well as renting additional office space in the Clackamas area.

You must be able to provide credible sworn testimony in a criminal or civil proceeding arising from the performance of duties. This includes cogently, accurately, and appropriately qualifying and explaining any results, conclusions, and opinions so their significance is understood.

*Please Note: As a condition of employment and / or to routinely work in any of the Forensic Service and Pathology Division’s laboratories in any capacity, all individuals are required to provide appropriate samples for inclusion into the Confidential Staff DNA Identification Index, as well as maintain a valid Driver’s License.

To learn more about the various Divisions, Programs, Sections or Units within Oregon State Police,

What’s in it for you?

• Work/life balance.

• Paid vacation, sick leave, 11 holidays and up to 24 hours of personal business leave a year.

• Retirement programs through the and optional deferred compensation programs through the .

• Abundant advancement opportunities within the agency and throughout State of Oregon government that carries your seniority and benefits with you.

• Opportunities to expand your technical and professional skills.

• Meaningful work with others who are passionate about public service.

• Make a difference in the lives of Oregonians.

The Oregon State Police is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to and affording all persons an opportunity for employment and advancement on the basis of their knowledge, skills, and abilities. At Oregon State Police, our Mission is to serve the State of Oregon with a diverse workforce dedicated to the protection of people, property and natural resources. Our values are Honor, Loyalty, Dedication, Compassion and Integrity.

Studies have shown that people from underrepresented backgrounds are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet all the qualifications and preferred skills described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job and recognize that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. If you meet key qualifications for the job and believe you would be a good fit, we encourage you to apply; please use your resume and cover letter to address your qualifications and the preferred skills for this position.

Minimum Qualifications (these must be addressed in your resume for full consideration):

Graduation from an approved school of medicine with an MD or DO degree. Board certification or qualification for certification in anatomic or clinical/anatomic pathology from the American Board of Pathology (ABP) at time of hire. Board certification in forensic pathology within two years of hiring. Licensed to practice medicine in Oregon or the ability to obtain one at time of hire.

Note: If you are selected to move forward in the selection process, you must provide official transcripts from all institutions of higher education that were used in the award of your degree.

A salary differential of 7.5% of base pay will be added upon board certification.

Preferred Skills (these must be addressed in your cover letter for full consideration):

• Must be able to work cooperatively, cheerfully, and respectfully with other members of the medical examiner team.

• Must have good communication skills and be able to work effectively with other agencies.

• In addition to carrying an equitable share of the office caseload, it is expected that the successful applicant will assist in teaching pathology residents and medical students.

• Experience crafting and executing policy recommendations and/or participation in quality assurance activities

• On occasion, take part in public outreach in the form of lectures or conference attendance on behalf of the office.

• Must, at all times, exhibit the utmost respect for the decedents entrusted to our care.

Special Qualifications:

• Must possess a valid Driver’s License.

• Must be able to provide credible sworn testimony in a criminal or civil proceeding arising from the performance of duties.

• As a condition of employment and / or to routinely work in any of the Forensic Services and Pathology Division’s laboratories in any capacity, all individuals are required to provide appropriate samples for inclusion into the Confidential Staff DNA Identification Index.