Deputy Commissioner of Forensic Laboratories/Chief of Laboratories at City Of New York

Job description

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) investigates cases of persons who die within New York City from criminal violence, by accident, by suicide, suddenly when in apparent health, when unattended by a physician, in a correctional facility or in any suspicious or unusual manner or where an application is made pursuant to law for a permit to cremate a body of a person. Our core purpose is to protect public health and serve impartial justice through forensic science and medicine. We exist to provide answers in support of families and communities during times of profound need. The core values of CARES guide our work for communities and inform our behavior toward each other and all those we serve. - Commitment: Dedicated to the mission at all times - Accountability: Responsible to each other and the community - Resilience: Adapt in the face of adversity - Excellence: Achieve and maintain the highest quality - Service: Innovate to meet evolving needs OCME seeks an experienced executive leader to serve as Deputy Commissioner of Forensic Laboratories / Chief of Laboratories. Reporting directly to the First Deputy Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner provides executive leadership, administrative oversight, and strategic direction for OCME’s laboratory portfolio. Each laboratory is led by a Laboratory Director responsible for its day-to-day scientific, technical, quality, and operational management. The Deputy Commissioner works across the laboratory leadership team to ensure appropriate coordination, resources, administrative support, and alignment with agency priorities. As a member of OCME’s Executive Leadership Team, the Deputy Commissioner serves as the principal executive responsible for laboratory administration and represents the laboratories in agencywide planning, decision making, and strategic initiatives. The duties and responsibilities of the Deputy Commissioner include, but are not limited to: - Provides executive direction and managerial oversight for departments within the forensic laboratory portfolio, which currently includes Forensic Biology, Forensic Toxicology, Molecular Genetics, Histology, Evidence, and Laboratory Administration, comprising approximately 300 forensic scientists, managers, supervisors, and administrative and support personnel. - Participates in OCME’s Executive Leadership Team, contributing to the agency’s vision, strategic direction, and priorities, and serves as a member of the Executive Tactical Team, representing the day-to-day interests and needs of the forensic laboratories while supporting the First Deputy Commissioner and fellow Executive Tactical Team members in policy development, executive decision making, and the day-to-day management and operations of the agency. - Leads strategic planning, administration, personnel management, and budgetary oversight for the forensic laboratory portfolio, working in close coordination with Laboratory Directors responsible for the day-to-day scientific, technical, quality, and operational management of their respective laboratories. - Provides executive oversight of quality assurance, accreditation, and regulatory compliance across the laboratories, working with the respective Laboratory Directors to ensure adherence to applicable standards and New York State Commission on Forensic Science requirements. - Monitors laboratory performance, turnaround times, workloads, quality measures, and other key performance indicators, working with Laboratory Directors to address trends, backlogs, operational challenges, and areas requiring executive attention. - Directs and supports Laboratory Directors in advancing major laboratory initiatives and long-term planning for operations, equipment, facilities, infrastructure, and capital needs, including equipment maintenance, replacement, procurement, and major capital purchases. - Provides executive oversight and support to Laboratory Directors in the management of laboratory budgets, expenditures, contracts, pr