Deputy Chief Medical Examiner

Job Information

Job Title: Deputy Chief Medical Examiner

Job Requisition ID: 51844

Ministry:  Justice

Location:  Calgary, AB

Full or Part-Time:  Full Time

Hours of Work:  36.25

Regular/Temporary:  Temporary (3-year contract)

Scope:  Open Competition

Closing Date:  June 30, 2025

Classification:  Deputy Chief Medical Examiner MDME1

About Us

The Government of Alberta is committed to a diverse and inclusive public service that reflects the population we serve to best meet the needs of Albertans. Consider joining a team where diversity, inclusion and innovation are valued and supported. For more information on diversity and inclusion, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/diversity-inclusion-policy

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is committed to the provision of high-quality services to Albertans. Activities performed enable the OCME to certify the cause and manner of death in accordance with the Fatality Inquiries Act; provide forensic service; assist and educate Albertans in time of grief; and develop and maintain a center of excellence in forensic pathology and toxicology.
 

Alberta’s Death Investigation System is an integral part of the Ministry of Justice, offering a fundamental and unique service to strengthen public safety and security. Our collective goal is to ensure that public safety systems are effective, efficient, robust, accountable, and responsive to the needs of Alberta’s diverse communities. As a public service, we are responsible for and committed to supporting the people of Alberta and their families in their time of need while they deal with profound grief and loss of their loved ones. We strive to improve the health and safety of Albertans as well as support the efforts to prevent future sudden and unexpected deaths in the province. 

For further information, visit the ministry website at https://www.alberta.ca/justice

Role

Reporting to the Chief Medical Examiner, the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner (DCME) is responsible for assisting the Chief Medical Examiner with oversight and management of all investigations conducted into unexplained natural deaths, unnatural deaths, and other deaths reportable to the Medical Examiner’s Office in accordance with the Fatality Inquiries Act for the southern region of the province. You will primarily serve as a Medical Examiner/Forensic Pathologist by conducting death investigations (including provision of expert testimony in court as needed), and will also be responsible for overseeing and managing the proper conduct of death investigations for the whole of the Calgary OCME office investigations. As a seasoned leader, you will inspire a collaborative work environment and guide the OCME in focusing on service excellence in the provision of timely and high quality results that influence the daily operation of the death investigation system.

Your senior level experience and expert forensic pathology skills enable you to mentor, coach and engage your team. Exceptional communication and relationship building skills are critical to developing effective liaisons with criminal justice partners, allied medical professionals and families. You will collaborative with the onsite Manager of Operations and Executive Director to ensure key messaging, HR matters, and staff engagement issues are communicated appropriately and consistently. In addition, this position will be responsible in engaging with Management with a solution focused approach when challenging situations arise. The Deputy Chief Medical Examiner will also be required to act for the Chief Medical Examiner when they are absent.

Travel up to 25% or as required. You will be required to travel long distances within Alberta and to any other Province/Territory in Canada to give evidence in Courts, as required and must have a valid driver’s license.

Qualifications

Your executive level experience includes advanced leadership of a team in forensic pathology, policy, administration, and finance leadership plus five (5) years of Forensic Pathology experience, post Fellowship Training. You bring subspecialist certification in Forensic Pathology, supported by in-depth knowledge of the medical, forensic pathology and toxicological aspects of sudden death investigations. Exceptional communication and relationship building skills are critical to developing effective liaisons with criminal justice partners, allied medical professionals and families. Applicants must be a medical doctor with Board Certification in Anatomical or General Pathology (or equivalent) with an additional Fellowship year of training in Forensic Pathology. Candidates must be licensed or eligible for licensure from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta.

Salary

The Deputy Chief Medical Examiner position is dependent on the years of experience and completion of the Forensic Pathology board certification. Salary is dependent if you opt into benefits and/or pension.

Deputy Chief Medical Examiner: Up to $16,560.64  bi-weekly (Up to $432,232.71/ year)

Notes

This is a 3-year renewable contract position based on performance evaluations and there are also options for pension and medical benefits. Relocation expenses can be negotiated. Other covered expenses include annual registration fee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta and other professional membership fees such as the membership fees of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons up to a maximum of $6,000.00 per year, and other Professional Development Fees. Your liability insurance (similar to Canadian Medical Protection Association fee) is covered by the Government of Alberta Insurance.  You will oversee the provision of educational opportunities by the OCME in death investigation and Forensic Pathology for medical student, residents, Forensic Pathology Fellows, and other health care profession students. You will also support any reasonable research or publication efforts undertaken by staff members of the OCME. The Deputy Chief Medical Examiner will also work with the Chief Medical Examiner to support any reasonable research or publication efforts taken by staff members of the OCME.

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening.  

This competition may be used to fill current and future vacancies within the OCME.

Links and information on what the GoA has to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service – https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
• Pension plans:
• Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) – https://www.mepp.ca
• Leadership and mentorship programs
• Professional learning and development

• Total compensation package: https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca/careers
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca

Please see the attached position profile for more information on position responsibilities: Position Profile.

How to Apply

Click on the “Apply Now” button.  

Candidates are required to apply for a job online. Please visit https://www.alberta.ca/navigating-online-jobs-application.aspx to learn more about creating a candidate profile and other tips for the Government of Alberta’s online application system.

If you are not currently an employee with the Government of Alberta, the first step in applying for a job is creating your candidate profile within our online application system, click here to access the main log in page where you are able to ‘Create an account’, reset your password (‘Forgot your password’) or ‘Sign In’ should you already have an account.

Existing employees should access the Career tile in 1GX to submit their application in order to be recognized as an internal applicant.

Once you have created your candidate profile, visit the Alberta Public Service job site to apply for jobs at https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-jobs.aspx

Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience and relevant examples of required competencies.

Resources for applicants:

https://www.alberta.ca/apply-for-jobs-with-the-alberta-public-service.aspx

https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-hiring-process.aspx

https://alis.alberta.ca/look-for-work/

It is recommended that applicants who have obtained educational credentials from outside of Canada and have not had them previously assessed, obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) https://www.alberta.ca/iqas-overview.aspx. Applicants are encouraged to include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application.

Closing Statement

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level.

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements. Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.

If you require any further information on this job posting or a copy of the role profile, and/or require a disability related accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Executive Search at psc.executivesearchservices@gov.ab.ca.

If this competition is closed as per the closing date noted above, please continue to check https://jobpostings.alberta.ca/go/All-Jobs-GoA/2617217/ for a listing of current career opportunities with the Government of Alberta.