Toxicologist III
The County has Immediate Openings in the Medical Examiner’s.
Interviews will take place the week of April 13, 2026. Job offers for selected candidates will be made the week of April 20, 2026.
County employees are subject to the County Promotion Rule for Step Placement in Accordance with Compensation Ordinance 1.3.5.
Future Salary Increases:
** June 2026 – 3.60% increase to base pay (3.5% Across-the-Board + 0.10% Market Adjustment)
** June 2027 – 3.10% increase to base pay (3% Across-the- Board + 0.10% Market Adjustment)
Toxicologist III is the lead level professional class in the Toxicologist series. The ideal candidate will oversee daily operations and serve as a lead worker providing technical guidance, training subordinate toxicologists and conducting the most complex examinations. This class differs from the next higher class, Forensic Toxicology Laboratory Manager, in that the latter is a first line supervisor responsible for the Toxicology Section of the Medical Examiner's department and the overall supervision and evaluation of all toxicologists.
Daily Operational Technical Lead:
Duties include but are not limited to the following: Oversee daily laboratory operations and maintain efficient workflow, assign toxicology testing, prioritize cases, and daily check-ins with staff. Maintain operational documents and implement corrective actions as needed, design training programs for staff, partnering with QA/QC Leads. Operate and troubleshoot advanced instrumentation. Interpret complex data analyses, ensure accurate reporting. Understand the principles and practices of postmortem forensic toxicology pharmacology and analytical chemistry.
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Technical Lead:
Duties include but are not limited to the following: independently review data packets for completeness, adhere to standard operating procedures and accreditation requirements, ensuring technical accuracy. Ensure that results and interpretations are objective, defensible, and unbiased. Manage quality control materials and reference materials, monitor trends and systematic errors, report quality control issues, and collaborate with the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory Manager on process improvements and updates.
Method Development and Validation Technical Lead:
Duties include but are not limited to the following: perform independent method development and validation to ensure that analytical methods used to identify analytes in biological matrices via screening and confirmation are accurate, precise, reliable, and compliant with current scientific standards and accreditation requirements. Collaborate with the Daily Operations and QA/QC Technical Leads to provide seamless integration of newly validated methods.
Click here for the complete job description of Toxicologist III.
The Ideal Candidate will:
- Acts as a lead worker providing technical guidance and training to subordinate toxicologists.
- Assists the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory Manager in scheduling laboratory personnel.
- Handles the most complex examinations and analyses.
- Evaluates all evidence submitted for analysis to determine if the quality and quantity is adequate for scientific testing, performs detailed and complex qualitative and quantitative evaluations of forensic, specimens to include blood, urine, tissue, vitreous and other biologic specimens, or physical evidence.
- Identifies confirms and quantitates levels of drugs and/or chemicals using a variety of laboratory and analytical procedures (e.g., GC, GC/MS, LC/MS, LC/MS/MS, etc.).
- Follow standard forensic toxicology and chemistry analytical procedures consistent with the Laboratory's Standard Operating Procedures.
- Reviews and updates laboratory procedures at the direction of the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory Manager.
- Prepares reports on findings, including analytical calculations, and maintains an accurate and precise record of all work performed.
- Reviews, authorizes reports, and determinations and qualification on physiological specimens in accordance with specified methods and the analysis of testing performed from external reference laboratories.
- May testify in court to report laboratory findings and explain the theory, principles, and methods of analysis to support the laboratory findings and technical details.
HIRING TIMELINE AND DATES
The timeline for this recruitment is outlined below.
- Interviews will begin the week of April 13, 2026
- Job Offer and Background Process begins week of April 20, 2026
- Anticipated Start Date: Start date will be based upon successful completion of medical screening or other mutually agreed upon date
If you are not selected for this interview process, you may have the opportunity to compete for future vacancies.
Education and/or Experience
Must be State of California of Public Health Title 17 proficient as a Forensic Alcohol Analyst within one year of hire, AND have,
- Three (3) years of full-time experience as a Toxicologist II in the County of San Diego; OR,
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency in chemistry, biochemistry, a physical or life science, or a closely related field, AND, five (5) years of professional, full-time experience performing toxicological examinations, two (2) years of which must be at the level of Toxicologist II as defined above.
Note: A master's or doctoral degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency, in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, or related subject may substitute for one year of the required professional experience.
Certification/Registration
Certification as California Forensic Alcohol Analyst or California Forensic Alcohol Analyst within one year of hire.
The Department of Human Resources removes personally identifiable information from all recruitments. This practice, called Blind Applicant Screening, hides a candidate’s personal information that could influence or bias a hiring decision. Personal information includes name, phone number, address, gender, age, and race. This process helps contribute to a fair and equitable selection process leading to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
The most highly qualified candidates, based on the evaluation results, will be referred for an interview. Be sure to include your experience in meeting the minimum requirements in both the Work Experience section and the Supplemental Questionnaire section of the Application.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application Work History and/or supplemental questionnaire.
Condition of Employment
As part of the County of San Diego’s pre-employment process, prospective candidates will undergo a background check (including fingerprinting) and a pre-employment medical screening prior to beginning County employment. Additional types of background investigations may be conducted based on the job-related activities of the position. Current County employees may be excluded from this process.
Evaluation
Qualified applicants will be placed on a six (6) month eligible list based on scores received during the evaluation of information contained in the employment and supplemental questionnaire.
Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you give will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in the initial screening process, your application will be reviewed individually to confirm that the information you provided is accurate and qualifying.
Note: Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.
