FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST (PHYSICIAN SPECIALIST)

Job Description:

FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST (PHYSICIAN SPECIALIST)

Description

Position/Program Information

EXAM NUMBER

P5476B-R

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

We welcome applications from everyone!

WHEN TO APPLY
The application filing period will begin on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. (PT).
We will keep accepting applications until the position is filled. The application window may close unexpectedly once we have enough qualified candidates.

SPECIAL SALARY INFORMATION
$20,968.42 - $28,112.58 monthly

Due to a critical shortage, appointees in the Pathology-Forensic specialty shall be compensated at Step 2, $21,596.82/monthly. Candidates who are board certified in Forensic Pathology will receive an additional bonus equivalent to 5.5% of base monthly salary.

Full time, permanent, physician employees are allowed ten (10) days or eighty (80) hours per calendar year for approved continuing education purposes.

ABOUT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER:
The Department of Medical Examiner investigates and determines the circumstances, manner, and cause of all violent, sudden, or unusual deaths occurring within Los Angeles County.

In 2024, approximately 18,000 deaths were reported to the Department, and we investigated 11,452 of those cases. Each year, we conduct thousands of postmortem examinations, including full autopsies, partial autopsies, and external examinations. This level of activity, along with the complexity and sensitivity of the cases handled-including numerous high-profile investigations-makes the Department one of the largest and most technologically sophisticated medical examiner’s offices in the world. Our work is supported by advanced tools such as postmortem X-ray and CT imaging, which enhance our ability to determine cause and manner of death with accuracy and precision.

Check Out Our Outstanding Benefits!

The County of Los Angeles offers an excellent benefits package that includes a Cafeteria Benefit Plan, Contributory Defined Benefit Retirement Plan, Deferred Compensation & Thrift Plans, and 13 paid Holidays. Click here to see a list of employee benefits.

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WHAT YOU WILL DO!
The incumbent in this position serves as a licensed physician specializing in Forensic Pathology, providing advanced medical and investigative services related to the examination and determination of cause and manner of death. Reporting to a Chief Physician, the incumbent performs comprehensive forensic pathology duties in support of medico-legal death investigations.

Primary responsibilities include conducting autopsies; evaluating evidence of disease, trauma, or injury; determining cause and manner of death; reviewing laboratory, toxicology, and radiological findings; and preparing detailed medical reports and findings. The incumbent also directs and oversees forensic technicians during autopsy procedures to ensure adherence to established protocols, safety standards, and evidentiary procedures.

In addition, the position participates in the training, mentoring, and professional development of physicians assigned to residency and fellowship programs. Incumbents are expected to exercise sound professional judgment, maintain knowledge of departmental policies and procedures, and demonstrate the technical competencies and ethical standards associated with the practice of Forensic Pathology.

Essential Job Functions

• Performs medical work in a specialized medical field, including specialized autopsy procedures within Forensic Pathology specialty.
• Conducts training or assists in the training of resident or fellow physicians.
• Consults with staff physicians regarding medical and diagnostic work performed.
• Provides consultation to other medical services, including specialists in other fields.
• Conducts the more difficult postmortem examinations and may provide training of other physicians engaged in these activities.
• Confers with medical and professional personnel in such related fields as toxicology in order to discover the main and contributing causes of death.
• Certifies as to the cause of death and testifies in court as an expert witness.
• Develops new techniques within the medical specialty, as needed.
• Conducts specialized research, special studies, and services, including preventive and educational strategies, as needed.

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY
Completion of a residency in Anatomic Pathology or Anatomic and Clinical Pathology AND a fellowship * in Forensic Pathology or equivalent training ** approved by the American Board of Pathology.

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT

• A California State Physician and Surgeon's Certificate authorized by the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of California. ***
• Certification by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic Pathology or Anatomic and Clinical Pathology .***

LICENSE
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

PHYSICAL CLASS
3 - Moderate. This class requires that the incumbent stand or walk most of the time with bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, reaching, working on irregular surfaces, occasional lifting of objects weighing over 25 pounds, and frequent lifting of 10-25 pounds.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION

INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE COMPLETION OF FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Applicants who have completed a residency and/or fellowship program approved by the American Specialty Board MUST attach a legible copy of their certificate of completion to the application at the time of filing or email it to [email protected] within seven (7) calendar days of filing online.

* Applicants who will successfully complete their fellowship program approved by an American Specialty Board within six (6) months of filing may compete in this examination. However, their names will be placed on a withhold status on the eligible register. Applicants MUST submit a copy of their recommendation letter from the Residency Program Director confirming good standing and anticipated successful completion date, at the time of filing or email it to [email protected] within seven (7) calendar days of filing online. The recommendation letter must be on a legible letterhead from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization. In the event candidates do not successfully complete their fellowship program, their names will be removed from the eligible register. A copy of the completion of fellowship program certificate must be submitted before appointment.

* * Equivalent training is defined as training which the appropriate American Specialty Board formally recognizes in writing as being equivalent.

*** Applicants who possess the required California State Physician and Surgeon's Certificate authorized by the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of California and Certification by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic Pathology or Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, MUST attach a legible copy of their certificate to the application at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from application submission. If you are unable to attach the required documents, you must email it to [email protected] within seven (7) calendar days of filing online. Please include exam number and exam title.

Applicants who do not possess a California State Physician and Surgeon's Certificate at the time of filing may compete in this examination. However, their names will be withheld from the certification list pending receipt of the required California State Physician and Surgeon's Certificate authorized by the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of California.

The required license/certificate MUST be current and unrestricted; conditional, provisional, probationary or restricted license/certificate will NOT be accepted.

Additional Information

OUR ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Once we have identified that you meet our requirements, this examination will consist of a review and appraisal of qualifications based upon information from Curriculum Vitae*, worth 100%, assessing:

• Cognitive and diagnostic; administrative; and dispositional competencies.
  

*IMPORTANT INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE CURRICULUM VITAE
As part of the application, all applicants must submit a Curriculum Vitae (CV) summarizing their education, experience, and training as it relates to FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST (PHYSICIAN SPECIALIST) (NON-MEGAFLEX).

Each CV must cover the following areas:

• educational degrees obtained
• teaching experience
• research completed (e.g., studies, articles, publications)
• awards received
• academic and professional presentations given

All applicants shall attach their CV to their application at time of filing or email to [email protected] within 7 days of submitting their application. Applications that are missing the CV will be deemed incomplete.

Applicants must meet the requirements and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the assessment to be placed on the eligible register.

Final results will be sent by E-mail. Scores cannot be given over the phone.

SPECIAL INFORMATION
Candidates selected for appointment will be extended an offer of employment that is conditional upon the successful completion of a background investigation which includes a medical screening and a psychological evaluation.

ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:
Applicants who pass the assessment are placed on a register in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months. Applications will be processed as they are received and added to the register accordingly. We will use this register to fill vacancies in the Department of Medical Examiner located at 1104 North Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90033. as they occur.

AVAILABLE SHIFT:

Any

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

• Curriculum Vitae
  
• Statement of Career Goals
  
• Legible copy of certificate of completion of residency training program approved by the American Specialty Board.
  
• Legible copy of California State Physician and Surgeon's Certificate authorized by the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of California.
  

We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates.

Please fill out the application completely.

We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.

We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Note: New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at any time by logging in to governmentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, please include yours when applying.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:

For those who do not have access to a computer or the internet, we provide access to complete an application at public libraries throughout the county.

NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD:

All applicants must file their application online using their OWN user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION ( ARDI):

The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. We are committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

TESTING ACCOMMODATION:

If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be given the opportunity to make a request when completing your application. Please note, you may be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation.

Have any questions about anything listed above? Please contact:

Testing Accommodations Coordinator: [email protected]
Testing Accommodations Phone: (213) 441-3150
Teletype Phone: (800) 899-4099
Alternate Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077
California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922
Department Contact Name: Erika Alcazar
Department Contact Email: [email protected]

For detailed information, please click here