Crime Laboratory Manager (Exempt)

City of Oakland • Oakland, CA

11h • Onsite

About The Position

The City of Oakland is currently recruiting to fill one Crime Laboratory Manager vacancy within the Oakland Police Department. Under administrative direction in the Oakland Police Department, incumbents use operational decision making in the direction and coordination of work in the Criminalistics Division; provide overall technical and administrative management of the Crime Laboratory in the examination and analysis of physical evidence; ensure laboratory results meet the established standards of quality; plan, organize, manage and direct the review and implementation of the City’s major Crime Laboratory projects; train and supervise assigned staff; and perform related work as required. Crime Laboratory Manager is a single-incumbent, management level classification, responsible for providing oversight and direction to the Crime Laboratory in the Oakland Police Department. It is distinguished from classifications in the Criminalist series and the Latent Print Examiner series by the level of overall responsibility, complexity of work, the duty to manage all professional personnel performing forensic laboratory examinations and to oversee the training and supervision of all laboratory staff.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master’s or higher degree in Criminalistics or a closely related physical or natural science which must include the successful completion of a minimum of 17 semester (or equivalent quarter) units of chemistry course work. Chemistry coursework must include laboratory and cover general chemistry and organic chemistry.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible work experience comparable to City of Oakland Criminalist II and/or Criminalist III including two (2) years in a supervisory or lead capacity, OR seven (7) years of progressively responsible work experience comparable to Criminalist II and/or Criminalist III with demonstrated casework competency in a minimum of three forensic disciplines over the course of the candidate’s forensic career.

Nice To Haves

• Holds certifications from organizations like American Board of Criminalistics.
• Holds a PhD in Forensic Science, Chemistry, Biology or related field.
• Experience testifying in court.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing forensic operations to ensure analyses are conducted accurately and completed in a timely manner, while maintaining high standards of scientific rigor and operational efficiency.
• Managing staff and building effective teams, including criminalists, latent print examiners, and support personnel, while fostering a professional culture that emphasizes adherence to procedures and scientific integrity.
• Ensuring quality assurance and accreditation compliance with applicable standards and governing bodies, maintaining protocols that meet regulatory and professional requirements.
• Overseeing budgeting and resource management for the crime laboratory, allocating resources effectively to support operational needs and organizational priorities.
• Managing case flow and addressing backlogs through strategic work assignment to ensure timely processing while maintaining quality and accountability.
• Coordinating with investigators and legal teams as a key liaison between the laboratory, law enforcement, and attorneys, prioritizing cases, communicating forensic findings, and ensuring evidence meets legal standards for court proceedings.

Benefits

• 37.5-hour work weeks
• 15 paid holidays
• Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
• Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages.
• The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
• Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans
• Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Sick leave: Employees accrue 12 days per year
• Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness Program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager