State of Maryland

An Assistant Toxicologist Post Mortem, Lead is the lead level of work conducting tests to identify toxic substances in biological specimens to assist Medical Examiners in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in determining the cause of death.  Employees in this classification provide training to lower-level Assistant Toxicologists, Board Certified and Assistant Toxicologists, Non-Board Certified, and Serologists, Board Certified and Serologists Non-Board Certified, and assigns, reviews, and approves their work.

Employees in this classification receives general supervision from the Chief Toxicologist.  Employees in this classification may be required to work evenings and on the weekends.  The work is performed in a laboratory setting at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and the spread of disease.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Assistant Toxicologist, Lead is differentiated from the Assistant Toxicologist, Certified and Non-Board Certified in that the Assistant Toxicologist, Lead assign, review and approves the work of and trains lower-level Assistant Toxicologists, Certified and Assistant Toxicologists, Non-Board Certified, and Serologists, Board Certified and Non-Board Certified, while the Assistant Toxicologists, Board Certified and Non-Board Certified and Serologist, Board Certified and Non-Board Certified perform a full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.   The Assistant Toxicologist, Lead is differentiated from the Chief Toxicologist Post Mortem in that the Chief Toxicologist has supervisory responsibility supervises all Assistant Toxicologists and Serologists and support staff assigned to the Toxicology Laboratory.

Assigns, reviews and approves work of lower-level Assistant Toxicologists, Board Certified and Assistant Toxicologist Non-Board Certified, and Serologists, Board Certified and Serologist Non-Board Certified;

Trains lower-level Assistant Toxicologists and Serologists in carrying out their assignments;

Provides technical advice and guidance on forensic toxicology procedures to lower-level Assistant Toxicologists and Serologists;

Assists the Chief Toxicologist in administering the daily operations of the Toxicology Laboratory;

Coordinates all quality assurance activities in the Toxicology Laboratory to ensure the accuracy of test results and prepares a monthly Quality Assurance report for the Chief Toxicologist;

Testifies in court on any of the work done in the laboratory;

Develops new analytical techniques for toxic substances under the direction of the Chief Toxicologist;

Analyzes specimens for alkaline extractable drugs by gas chromatography and confirms positive findings by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in accordance with the Toxicology Laboratory's Standard Operating Procedures Manual;

Analyzes specimens for acid/neutral drugs by gas chromatography or color test and confirms positive findings by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry or high performance liquid chromatography in accordance with the Laboratory's Standard Operating Procedures Manual;

Analyzes specimens for morphine by radioimmunoassay and confirms positive findings by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in accordance with the Laboratory's Standard Operating Procedures Manual;

Analyzes specimens for alcohol by gas chromatography and by enzymatic reaction in accordance with the Toxicology Laboratory's Standard Operating Procedures Manual;

Maintains overall cleanliness of the laboratory area;

Performs other related duties.

Specific educational and experience requirements are set by the agency based on the essential job functions assigned to the position. Employees in this classification are hired by the State Postmortem Examiners Commission in accordance with the Health General Article, Section 5-305 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

Employees in this classification must be certified American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT) as a fellow of the ABFT in Forensic Toxicology or a Diplomate in Forensic Toxicology, or become certified within one year of eligibility.  The board may be contacted at 723 N. Weber Street, Suite 103, Colorado Springs, CO. 80903.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.