Director, District Attorneys Laboratory of Forensic Services
Sacda - Sacramento
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Overview
Director, District Attorney's Laboratory of Forensic Services Class Title Director, District Attorney's Laboratory of Forensic Services Incumbents in this class direct and manage the operations of the District Attorney's Laboratory of Forensic Services. Definition Incumbents in this class direct and manage the operations of the District Attorney's Laboratory of Forensic Services. Distinguishing Characteristics Director, District Attorney's Laboratory of Forensic Services is a management class. It is distinguished from the class of Supervising Criminalist by its responsibility for the overall planning, organizing, and directing the operations of the District Attorney's Laboratory of Forensic Services. Examples of Duties, Knowledge, and Abilities Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Plans, assigns, reviews, and manages the overall operations and activities of the Laboratory of Forensic Services, including long range planning and special studies to evaluate and develop Laboratory capabilities. 2. Recommends selection, promotion, status changes, performance awards, disciplinary actions, separations, and other personnel actions. 3. Trains, directs, and reviews the work of the Laboratory's analytical, technical, and clerical staff through subordinate supervisory staff. 4. Prepares and manages the Laboratory's budget, grants, and criminal justice projects. 5. Interfaces with law enforcement agencies, courts, members of the legislature, public and private officials, other County departments, schools, and universities in activities relating to the Laboratory and the criminalistics field. 6. Represents the District Attorney's Office in matters involving the Laboratory. 7. Reviews and updates procedures manuals and methods for Laboratory operations. 8. Manages equipment purchases and the maintenance of the Laboratory facilities and equipment and serves as custodian of Laboratory records. 9. Makes presentations to civic groups, schools, and others. 10. Prepares correspondence and reports, including Laboratory activity reports and case-related statistics. EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS Knowledge of: principles and practices of supervision and training, including the management of laboratory casework principles of chemistry, physics, biochemistry, physics, physiology, zoology, botany, statistics, and photography as related to forensic science procedures, scientific equipment, and apparatus used in a modern crime laboratory recent developments, current literature, and sources of information relative to forensic science principles, methods, materials, standards, practices, equipment, and techniques of forensic science common types of evidence, such as narcotics, poisons, trace, firearms, and explosives laws of evidence, criminal procedure, and crimes laboratory safety principles of budget development and administration Ability to: plan, organize, and direct a crime laboratory supervise, train, and evaluate staff resolve analytical problems arising from casework through consultation, review of scientific literature and/or applied research perform a variety of difficult chemical, instrumental, and other complex laboratory analyses interpret federal, state, and local regulations pertaining to physical evidence speak before groups and testify in court as an expert witness develop and maintain good working relationships with those encountered during the course of work promote and enforce safe work practices adhere to established code of ethics prepare and analyze complex reports and correspondence handle exposure to stressful situations as a result of human behavior Minimum Qualifications Two years full-time paid experience as a Supervising Criminalist in Sacramento County service, Or Eleven (11) years full-time paid crime laboratory experience, two of which must have been as a supervisor in a crime laboratory setting And Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in chemistry, biochemistry, physics, pharmacology, biology, microbiology, criminalistics (with emphasis in chemistry), or a closely related field. Coursework must have included successful completion of 8 semester / 12 quarter units of general chemistry and 3 semester / 4.5 quarter units of quantitative analysis. Note: A Master's degree in criminalistics, chemistry, biology, or a closely related scientific field may be substituted for one year of the non-supervisory experience. General Requirements: Some positions in this class may require a valid California Driver (Class C) License prior to appointment. Failure to maintain a valid License may constitute cause for termination from this class in accordance with Civil Service Rule 11.4. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Incumbents appointed to positions whose duties include the analysis of blood alcohol are required to obtain a Forensic Alcohol Analyst / Supervisor License issued by the State of California within one year of appointment date. Note: Failure to obtain and maintain the appropriate valid Forensic Alcohol Analyst / Supervisor License may constitute cause for personnel action, up to and including dismissal from the class, under applicable Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement. Criminal History and Background Investigation: Candidates must pass a criminal history and background check, which may include contact of prior employers and personal references. Candidates will be fingerprinted through the California Department of Justice Live Scan process for purposes of search of local, state, and national fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record. A set of fingerprints is furnished to the California Department of Justice and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: All positions require incumbents to: Stand, walk, and/or sit for long periods of time, such as while conducting analysis in the laboratory or processing a crime scene Move with sufficient personal agility to collect and process evidence at a variety of crime scenes, such as clandestine drug laboratories, automobiles, trash bins, etc. Possess sufficient manual dexterity to manipulate and operate laboratory equipment Lift and transport items weighing up to 50 pounds, such as bags and/or boxes of evidence Visually distinguish color, shape, size, number, and picture resolution quality Withstand exposure to disagreeable elements such as extreme weather conditions, malodorous and/or decomposing samples, blood, bodily fluids, etc. Competency / Proficiency Testing: Incumbents are required to successfully complete competency testing prior to beginning casework in a new core or sub-discipline. Incumbents are required to successfully complete annual Proficiency Testing as required by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors / Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD / LAB). Equipment Used: Incumbents are required to safely operate the following equipment in the performance of duties: County-owned vehicles Laboratory equipment and tools, such as microscopes, centrifuges, gas chromatograph-mass spectrometers, etc. Office equipment, such as telephones, copiers, and fax machines Hours of Work: Incumbents may be required to work irregular hours, holidays, and weekends at various locations as necessary. Probationary Period and Class History Information Twelve (12) months Adopted: 6/17/71 Revised: 8/10/90, 6/9/00, 09/24/04 Retitled: 6/9/00, 09/24/04 Class Code: 27827 Schematic Code: 13631C EEO Code: 01 Rep Unit: 032 #J-18808-Ljbffr