Forensic Pathology Fellow

Job Summary

This is a series recruitment that will be open until the available positions are filled.

Applicants must complete and submit the online application to be considered for this recruitment.

Are you a pathology resident looking for a career in medicolegal death investigations? Are you a practicing pathologist looking for a career change? Are you interested in finding the causes of sudden unexpected death, playing an active role in a criminal investigation, or determining just "what happened" when a person died?

The Department of the Medical Examiner currently has an open position for a Forensic Pathology Fellow.

Our Forensic Pathology training program is accredited by the ACGME. We are participating in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) (the Match) and will submit our ranking list by the Match deadline of April 16.

San Diego County is a large jurisdiction of approximately 3.3 million people covering approximately 4,300 square miles. Over 9,000 deaths per year are reported to our office, and we take jurisdiction on approximately 4,000 of those cases. The diverse geographic features of the county, including urban, suburban, and rural areas, as well as mountains, deserts, waterways, and an international border, provide fellows with a wide variety of case types.

Daily multidisciplinary meetings are held each morning to discuss new cases and the previous day’s cases. The department has in-house investigations and a full toxicology laboratory. Fellows will have comfortable offices next to the rest of the physician staff. Fellows are valuable members of the team and attend scenes, take call, and accompany staff to court if they do not have the opportunity to testify in their own cases. Fellows are sent to either the AAFS or NAME meetings, spend over a week in the Regional Crime Laboratory, and spend time in forensic anthropology, forensic odontology, and forensic toxicology.

This recruitment has a limited term for the academic year beginning July 1, 2027. Appointments to this job classification are limited to twelve months, or 2080 hours, and are not subject to Civil Service protection. Positions in this job classification are found exclusively in the Medical Examiner's Department.

Applications will be accepted from applicants who:

Possess a State of California license to practice medicine (State of California Business and Professions Code Sec. 2135); AND

(1) Possess board certification in Anatomic Pathology or Anatomic and Clinical Pathology;
OR,
(2) Are eligible to take the Anatomic Pathology examination or Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Board examination by July 01, 2027.

At the time of appointment to the position July 1, 2027, applicants must possess a valid license to practice medicine in the State of California (California Business and Professions Code Section 2135).

Note: Anatomic Pathology training must have been approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

****A copy of your Curriculum Vitae (CV) must be submitted with your application.

Three (3) letters of recommendation must be emailed directly from the sources to Jonathan.Lucas@sdcounty.ca.gov in order to be considered for this position.

The interviews will be conducted virtually for all applicants.

Salary listed reflects that of current fiscal year, 2025-2026.

Click here if you meet the qualifications above and are interested in viewing the complete class specification.

The Department of Human Resources removes personally identifiable information from all recruitments. This practice, called Blind Applicant Screening, hides a candidate’s personal information that could influence or bias a hiring decision. Personal information includes name, phone number, address, gender, age and race. This process helps contribute to a fair and equitable selection process leading to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

The most highly qualified candidates, based on the evaluation results, will be referred for an interview. Be sure to include your experience in meeting the minimum requirements in both the Work Experience section and the Supplemental Questionnaire section of the Application.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application Work History and/or supplemental questionnaire.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:

As part of the County of San Diego’s pre-employment process, prospective candidates will undergo a background check (including fingerprinting) and a pre-employment medical screening prior to beginning County employment. Additional types of background investigations may be conducted based on the job-related activities of the position. Current County employees may be excluded from this process.

IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The County of San Diego desires a candidate that communicates effectively in English, both orally and written; is able to establish effective working relationships with management, employees, employee representatives and the public representing diverse cultures and backgrounds; and an individual who encompasses confidence in one's judgment and ability and willingness to be assertive in order to serve the best interest of the County.

NOTES:

• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.
• Qualified applicants will be placed on a two-year eligible list with a score of 100.
• The County of San Diego now participates in E-Verify. CLICK HERE for additional information.

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