Supervising Criminalist

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION.  The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires:  A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application.  Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

 

APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ONLINE

About The Alameda County Sheriff's Office

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is a full-service law enforcement agency accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and the American Correctional Association (ACA). Additionally, the agency's health care provider, Prison Health Services, has dual accreditation through the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) and the California Medical Association (CMA).  Together these form what is referred to as the "Triple Crown" of accreditation (ACA, NCCHC/CMA and CALEA) awarded by the National Sheriff's Association.  Additionally, the Sheriff's Office Crime Lab is nationally accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB).  The Sheriff's Office Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit has also been awarded national accreditation through the Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board.

The Sheriff's Office has a current adjusted net budget of approximately $185.7 million and has over 1500 authorized positions, including in excess of 1000 sworn personnel. The agency's Chief Executive Officer is Sheriff Gregory J. Ahern, who is assisted in the operation of the agency by Undersheriff Richard T. Lucia, Assistant Sheriffs Brett Keteles and Casey Nice.

The Sheriff of Alameda County is responsible for a vast array of tasks and duties, including the following:

• Providing security to the Consolidated Superior Courts
• Operating the Coroner's Bureau
• Operating a full service criminalistics laboratory
• Performing Civil Process
• Operating a County Jail (Santa Rita)
• Operating the County Office of Emergency Services
• Providing patrol and investigative services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County
• Pursuant to contractual agreements, providing patrol and investigative services to the City of Dublin, Peralta Community College District, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex, Oakland International Airport, Highland County Hospital, Social Services, and to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District.
• Conducting a basic academy pursuant to Police Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) requirements.
• Providing Fish and Game enforcement
• Project Director of the Narcotics Task Force
• Serving as the Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force
• Operating a Marine Patrol Unit in the San Francisco Bay waters.

 For additional information, you may visit the Sheriff's Office website at:  http://www.alamedacountysheriff.org/

 

THE CRIME LABORATORY

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office Crime Laboratory is a full-service crime lab housed in a new, state-of-the-art facility nestled at the base of the Oakland hills. The Sheriff's Office Crime Laboratory is nationally accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board – International (ASCLD/LAB-International). 

 

THE POSITION

Under direction, to assist the Crime Laboratory Director in the supervision of Criminalists and other laboratory personnel involved in the technical laboratory analysis of physical evidence of crimes; to testify in court as an expert witness; and to do related work as required. 

For additional information about the job classification, visit:  Supervising Criminalist (#8526)

 
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES 
Supervising Criminalists are responsible for scheduling, assigning, and evaluating personnel and the work of the crime laboratory. They may personally handle the more complex laboratory problems or advise Criminalists on their difficult work problems. They may act for the Director during the Director’s absence.

 

 IDEAL CANDIDATE 

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will satisfy all requirements of  a DNA Technical Lead as defined by the Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the following critical attributes:

• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Decision Making and Problem Solving
• Quality Orientation
• Planning and Organizing
• Interpersonal Sensitivity
• Leadership Disposition/DNA Technical Lead
• Integrity
• Strong Communication

Either I
Experience:

The equivalent of one year full-time experience in the class of Criminalist III in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

Or II
Education:

Possession of a Bachelor's degree in criminalistics, or in a closely related science such as chemistry, biochemistry, or physics, awarded by an accredited college or university,

AND
Experience:

The equivalent of five years of full-time, paid experience as a criminalist or forensic chemist in crime laboratory or investigation work, one year of which was at a supervisory level.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Methods and techniques used in examining crime scenes.
• Methods and techniques used in laboratory analyses of various types of evidence.
• Principles of forensic, organic, and inorganic chemistry, physiology and forensic identification.
• Photographic techniques and equipment used in police work.
• Quality assurance practices and principles.
• Accreditation program requirements.

Ability to:

• Make definitive analyses of evidence by physical and chemical tests.
• Use a wide variety of scientific equipment including microscopes, incubators, furnaces, micrometers, infrared and ultraviolet spectrophotometers, gas chromatograph and high vacuum equipment.
• Use photographic equipment such as photomicrographic cameras, macrophotographic equipment, video cameras, projectors, and darkroom equipment, and to train or assist other lab personnel in all of the above.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Plan and organize.
• Make decisions.
• Exercise leadership and management control.
• Demonstrate flexibility and interpersonal sensitivity.
• Adapt to stress.

EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF the following steps:

1) A review of candidates' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.

2) A review of candidates’ Supplemental Questionnaires to select the best qualified applicants to continue in the process. 

3) An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises. 

      CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION. 

We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components. Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work. To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance.  The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:  

 TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN: 

 

Deadline for Filing	*5:00pm, Monday, November 27, 2017
Review of Minimum Qualification	*By Thursday, November 30, 2017
Supplemental Questionnaire Review for Best Qualified	*By Friday, December 1, 2017
Oral Interview Exam	Week of December 18, 2017

 * Updated November 20, 2017

     *WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN*  

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statues.  To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website,www.acgov.org/hrs.

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

• Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
• Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
• County Allowance (Employer Credit)
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Group Legal
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

 

Elaine Lemi | Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
(510) 272-6434 | elaine.lemi@acgov.org

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer