Autopsy Supervisor

County of Marathon•Wausau, WI

About The Position

Marathon County, Wisconsin, is seeking a full-time Autopsy Supervisor to join its team. The Autopsy Supervisor serves as the lead Autopsy Technician, directing daily morgue operations and supporting forensic pathologists during postmortem examinations. Core responsibilities include coordinating autopsy schedules; assisting with the development and implementation of operational procedures; managing inventory and supplies; overseeing evidence and specimen chain of custody; and ensuring that morgue facilities, equipment, and work areas remain clean, safe, and compliant with established standards. In addition to managing an independent autopsy caseload, the Autopsy Supervisor provides guidance and training to staff to ensure that postmortem examinations adhere to established protocols.

Requirements

Knowledge of state and federal laws, administrative rules, and current developments for best practice standards applicable to death investigation.
Knowledge of confidentiality practices, including HIPPA laws and Wisconsin open record statue.
Knowledge of forensic investigation techniques, principles, and practices used in the death investigation, including autopsy procedures, additional testing resources, evidence chain of custody and preservation, specimen collection, forensic photography, etc.
Knowledge of medical terminology and human anatomy, especially pertaining to death, disease processes, and varying forms of trauma.
Knowledge of occupational safety requirements and procedures, especially regarding hazardous materials, disinfecting procedures, solvents, tissue preservatives, and bloodborne pathogens.
Proficiency and ability to teach basic and complex postmortem evisceration procedures in a morgue setting that includes complex dissections during post-mortem examinations and toxicology and other postmortem specimen collection techniques.
Ability to provide clear and concise communication to staff, as well as funeral homes, law enforcement agencies, referral county coroner and medical examiner offices, medical offices, grieving families, student observers, and other external partners.
Ability to contribute to a positive work culture that fosters excellent customer service and teamwork.
Ability to lead and develop personnel, including conflict management, provide and receive constructive feedback, and evaluate performance.
Ability to remain emotionally stable in high stress situations.
Ability to attend to details, meet deadlines, prioritize work, and display excellent organizational skills.
An associate degree or equivalent training in funeral science, a health-related discipline, surgical technician, laboratory or forensic science, or a related scientific field is required.
Possession of an unrestricted Wisconsin driver's license and a driving record that meets County standards.
Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays on occasion.
Must be physically capable of assisting with autopsies and post-mortem examinations in the autopsy suite.
At times, assist in the removal of human remains, including remains in tight spaces, stairways, outdoor environments, and less than desirable conditions.
Must be able to lift or move up to 100 pounds at times with assistance.
Must be able to pass respiratory testing and wear an N95 mask or equivalent for prolonged periods of time.

Nice To Haves

Preferred qualifications include two years of experience in a coroner/medical examiner office or healthcare environment, involving a combination of duties related to the collection and retention of various specimens, assisting a pathologist during autopsies or external examinations, and the intake/release of bodies from the morgue, as well as the preparation of bodies for daily examinations.
Experience with leadership or supervision is desired.

Responsibilities

Managing daily morgue operations, including planning and directing daily workflow to effectively utilize available resources while maintaining a flexible, adaptive approach.
Coordinate daily operations to accommodate the priorities of forensic pathologists, even when this requires adjusting workflow plans throughout the day.
Supervise and train morgue staff to ensure compliance with internal policies and consistent service delivery.
Assist in the review and establishment of morgue procedures.
Oversee scheduling and coordinating autopsies with outside referral counties, health care systems, law enforcement agencies, student observers, and others as deemed necessary.
Assist the pathologist by obtaining medical records and various reports for review, in addition to transcribing information as requested.
Participate in implementation of new and existing technologies or practices applied to autopsy examinations.
Participate in NAME accreditation activities as they relate to post-mortem examinations, body handling, morgue capacity, and general morgue operations.
Ensure the morgue, examining rooms, and equipment are cleaned and sterilized regularly to maintain a sanitary environment.
Work as a liaison with funeral homes, law enforcement personnel, referral county coroner and medical examiner offices, and other staff members to coordinate activities, solve mutual problems and/or exchange information.
Provide oversight for documenting, storing, retention and/or disposal of all specimens obtained at time of forensic examination; as identified, coordinate and process all requests by others regarding further testing and/or analysis of retained specimens.
Perform inventory, ordering, maintenance, storage, and restocking of supplies and equipment for morgue operations.
Coordinate facilities work requests, maintenance schedules, and projects in the autopsy area.
Manage and maintain departmental SDS chemical program.
Assist with educational offerings, autopsy observations, facility tours, and job shadows.
Assist the pathologist in autopsy procedures, including preparing the body and station for autopsy; weighing and measuring human remains; incising the body using surgical technique; dissecting and removing organs; taking tissue and fluid samples from the body and forwarding related information and samples to laboratories for further analysis; removing the calvarium using an autopsy saw; restoring organs to the body; and suturing and cleaning the body.
Assist the forensic pathologist in collecting and handling trace, physical, and biological evidence, as well as finger and palm prints.
Operate x-ray equipment to include FOBOS and portable unit; take photographs of human remains; coordinate handling, storage, and transfer of film and photographs; and maintain all related records and files.
Control inventory and chain of custody of personal effects of decedents, forensic evidence collected by forensic investigators, specimens and evidence collected during autopsy, all decedent remains, and evidence submitted to the Medical Examiner.
Oversee intake and release of decedents' remains to funeral homes, crematories, etc.
Assist in field investigations, as needed.