Deputy State Medical Examiner – Eugene

State of Oregon•Springfield, MO

8d•$305,724 - $337,068•Hybrid

About The Position

The Oregon State Police, Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office in Eugene, Oregon is hiring for one (1) Full-Time, Permanent Deputy State Medical Examiner position. This recruitment will remain open until March 10, 2027, or until filled, with application review dates occurring approximately every two weeks beginning September 25, 2026. 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, 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, recent years have seen significant expansion of our program. This growth includes development of a state-of-the-art State Medical Examiner facility in Eugene that is currently underway. The estimated date of completion for this facility is early 2029. This position will be the first one to provide services at the new facility when it is completed. In the interim, the pathologist that fills this position will perform forensic autopsies at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend in Springfield, Oregon. Office space will be provided in a nearby OSP facility. 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 a variety of consultant services on cases of 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 of Osteopathic Medicine, law students, pathology residents, medical legal death investigators, police officers, and healthcare professionals. Forensic pathology fellows are encouraged to apply for this position. Interested fellows will start employment in our main facility in Clackamas. The fellow will first spend time working collaboratively with our program's senior forensic pathologists as they learn how Oregon's system functions and gain the necessary skills to practice independently. Upon demonstration of those skills, the fellow will transition to their permanent assignment. We anticipate that this will encompass the first year of employment but may be shorter depending on the candidate's progress and level of comfort.

Requirements

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.
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.

Nice To Haves

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, medical students, and medicolegal death investigators.
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.

Responsibilities

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.
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.