Forensic Technical Officer

Utilise your professional expertise to provide support and advice to the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM)
- Ongoing, Full-Time Opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service
- VPS Grade 3: $73,842 - $89,661 plus superannuation

About the Business Unit
The Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) is an independent statutory authority governed by the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Act 1985. It is part of the Justice portfolio of the Victorian Government.
The work of the VIFM can be described as a cycle of three parts:

- Providing forensic medical & scientific services and tissue banking
- Learning from this work
- Researching and teaching.

The Director of the Institute holds the Chair of the Forensic Medicine at Monash University and the VIFM also operates as the Department of Forensic Medicine at Monash University. VIFM is based at the Coronial Services Centre which also houses the Coroners Court of Victoria.
This position is within the Forensic Services Division, which includes the departments of Forensic Pathology, Forensic Sciences and Clinical Forensic Medicine. Forensic Pathology encompasses Human Identification, Forensic Technical Services and Coronial Admissions and Enquiries. Coronial Admissions and Enquiries (CAE) is the first point of contact with respect to deaths reportable to the coroner and coordinates the initial phase of the coroner's investigation into deaths and fires. Forensic Technical Services provides all services related to the mortuary including the management of admission, storage, medical imaging, medico-legal investigations and release of deceased persons.

About the Role
Reporting to the Assistant Manager, Forensic Technical Services this role will be part of a multidisciplinary team providing 24/7 support for the Coroners and VIFM Pathologists conducting medico-legal death investigations. The role will provide services in the mortuary including the admission, storage, medical imaging, and release of deceased persons.
The role will also include assisting with autopsies, tissue bank retrieval, and maintenance of equipment and stores. This role involves regular exposure to deceased persons including varying state of decomposition and/or trauma, and/or afflicted with infectious diseases and/or paediatric. The person selected for this role will adapt quickly and easily to changing priorities and will be expected to exercise the highest level of professionalism (including confidentiality), commit to providing a high quality service and adhere to VIFM's core values of Respect, Openness, Service, Integrity and Innovation.
- Provide high quality autopsy, ancillary scientific and technical support to pathologists performing autopsies at the Institute.
- Participate in a retrieval service for the Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria in accordance with the TGA approved Work Instructions and Standard Operating Procedures.
- Admit and release bodies from the mortuary, in accordance with mortuary policy and procedures, including the care and custody of deceased persons property.
- Maintain accurate chain of custody documentation of forensic specimens and exhibits. Provision of high-quality medical imaging examinations, including CT scanning/skeletal surveys of deceased persons and digital photography

About You
- Demonstrate resilience, adopting self-care strategies and commitment in managing multiple competing priorities in a complex and challenging work environment.
- Demonstrate ability to learn complex tasks in a timely manner.
- Sound knowledge of OH&S issues related to a scientific or medical field.
- Sound interpersonal and problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively within a team with a diverse range of people.
- Highly committed to providing quality service delivery, with integrity and fairness.
- Ability to be flexible, adaptable and maintain composure under pressure.
- Proven ability to act with respect, professionalism and maintain confidentiality at all times

Desirable Requirements
- Experience in performing autopsies.
- Bachelor's degree in the health science or equivalent is highly desirable.
- Holder of a current driver's licence

Shift / On call / Weekend and other requirements
- Capability to work shift work on a rotating 24/7 roster
- Participation in a rotating on-call roster, and associated travel in accordance with service demands of the role.
- Demonstrated completion (or progress towards) immunisation for COVID-19, Hepatitis B and participation in ongoing vaccination programs.

How to Apply

**FOR INTERNAL VPS EMPLOYEES**:
**IMPORTANT INFORMATION**:
The department is committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its employees consistent with the department's obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic). Therefore, there is a requirement that all DJCS employees be fully vaccinated against