Medical Examiner

Overview

Every day,
Montana Department of Justice employees are dedicated to ensuring the well-being and rights of the people of our state. The Department of Justice does the right thing for the right reason. If you are looking for an opportunity to be part of a team that builds a culture of character and excellence, demonstrates collaboration and public service, and upholds the law while pursuing public safety, the Department of Justice may have a career for you.

The main role of the Montana Medical Examiner’s Office
, a section in the Montana Department of Justice’s Forensic Science Division, is to support county coroners in the state of Montana with autopsies, consultation, and education.

Although each of the 56 Montana county coroner’s offices is the primary agency responsible for death investigation in their county, handling scene investigation and direct communication with families and involved parties, medical examiners can assume jurisdiction on any death if necessary.

The Forensic Science Division and Montana Medical Examiner’s Office provide statewide support through two locations:
Missoula, MT (main office) and Billings, MT (satellite office). When fully staffed, the office has one Chief Medical Examiner (Billings) and three Deputy Medical Examiners (two in Missoula and one in Billings).

• Salary
  : $291,325 annually
• Comp time earned
  : accumulated for call and overtime, with flexibility in scheduling
• Relocation expense
  : $5,000 to $10,000
• Supplemental salary
  : for work at the Billings office and contracted hospital autopsies (0–4 per year)
• State of Montana benefits
  : paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, health, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and two retirement plan options
• Other benefits
  : reimbursement of licensure and continuing education, including one paid conference per year, and qualification for student loan forgiveness

Living in Missoula notes:
Missoula is a city of ~80,000 with a university, cultural amenities, outdoor recreation, and access to nearby mountains and parks. This section is informational and does not form part of the employment terms.

The Deputy Medical Examiner will perform autopsies as assigned, following the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) guidelines. In 2024, the Chief Medical Examiner performed 299 autopsies, and Deputy Medical Examiners averaged 180 autopsies per year; caseloads can fluctuate. Autopsies are typically not performed on weekends or holidays, with exceptions at the pathologist’s discretion. In addition to autopsies, the Deputy Medical Examiner will provide consultation and education to coroners, assist with accreditation efforts, and present autopsy findings in court (criminal court and coroner inquests).

Assisting personnel include four autopsy assistants and a coroner liaison. The office recently implemented MDILog for case management.

Closing Date: ONGOING, waiting on your resume and cover letter.

• A medical degree from an accredited school and a license to practice medicine in Montana
• Board certification in Anatomic and Forensic Pathology, or acquisition of board certification within two years of hire, with maintenance of certification
• Additional certification or training in a relevant sub-specialty (e.g., neuropathology, pediatric pathology, cardiac pathology) or related forensic field is desirable but not required

Typical forensic pathology work involves exposure to infectious agents, physical hazards, and emotionally challenging circumstances. Handling bodies weighing 300–400+ lbs, variable autopsy workloads, and courtroom commitments are part of the role. The office is NAME-accredited with in-house forensic laboratory support (toxicology, DNA, firearms, latent prints, chemistry). The toxicology lab turnaround is about 30 days or less for 90% of cases; testing can cover over 300 compounds in standard screens and expanded testing for over 1000 compounds when needed.

Travel for testimony or education may require lengthy driving in all weather;
Montana provides vehicles for travel. Rotating on-call…