State of Maryland

A Chief Toxicologist Post Mortem is the supervisory level of work directing the Toxicology Laboratory of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. An employee in this classification supervises all Assistant Toxicologists and Serologists and support staff assigned to the Toxicology Laboratory.

An employee in this classification receives managerial supervision from the Chief Medical Examiner. The work is performed in a laboratory setting at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The employee in this classification is required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and the spread of disease.

The Chief Toxicologist is differentiated from the Assistant Toxicologist Post Mortem, Lead in that the Chief Toxicologist has supervisory responsibility for Assistant Toxicologists and Serologists in the Toxicology Laboratory while the Assistant Toxicologist, Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Assistant Toxicologists and Serologists.

Plans, directs and administers all operations of the Toxicology Laboratory in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner;

Establishes the policies and procedures of the Toxicology Laboratory and ensures that these policies and procedures are correctly followed;

Reviews laboratory data and certifies results;

Oversees and manages the personnel assigned to the Toxicology Laboratory;

Provides expert opinions and issues analytical reports on Medical Examiner cases to Medical Examiners and Pathologists;

Provides expert testimony in forensic toxicology in court on Medical Examiner and other State cases;

Performs other related duties.

1. 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.

2. An employee in this classification must be certified American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT) as a fellow of the ABFT in Forensic Toxicology.  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 from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.