Criminalist (Drug Analyst)
GRADE: 14
SALARY: $45,604 – $71,292
POSITION TITLE: Criminalist (Drug Analyst)
DEPARTMENT: LABORATORY/IDENTIFICATION
REPORTS TO: LABORATORY MANAGER
Position Summary
In this position perform diversified technical duties involving forensic drug analysis. Examples of duties include: analyzing physical evidence to determine its chemical identity and preparing written case reports describing the evidence examined and the results of the findings; forwarding case reports for administrative and possible technical review; attending pre-trial conferences and testifying in criminal court regarding test results.
FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB
Essential Functions
- Performs assigned laboratory analyses of physical evidence to determine its chemical identity.
- Prepares written case reports describing evidence examined and results of observations and findings, forwards case report for administrative review and possible technical review.
- Performs preventative maintenance on laboratory equipment and work areas, cleans and maintains safety equipment, conducts performance checks on analytical equipment, prepares chemicals needed for analysis and checks chemical reagents against known standards essential to quality control.
- Contacts user agency and legal personnel to make arrangements for information gathering, pre-trial hearings and trial dates as necessary; prepares evidence for court presentation and testifies in criminal court regarding examination results.
- Attends professional meetings and seminars relative to the functions of the crime laboratory program; reviews current literature pertinent to the duties of the position for professional development.
- Assists in crime scene investigations for case development during or after normal working hours, and collects and packages potential evidence.
- Assists in technical and administrative reviews of drug analysis reports.
- Ensures the maintenance of the drug vaults by contacting both the Circuit Attorney and the U.S. Attorney offices on the status of the drug cases. Properly prepares the drug evidence for disposal.
- Prepare reagents for drug analysis, sexual assaults, and experimental procedures.
- Ability to use modern methods and professional techniques for analysis as well as the application of scientific instrumentations.
- Read and write at the required level to successfully prepare oral and written reports.
- Think clearly and logically; use scientific equipment and instrumentation to the optimum benefit of the laboratory.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license while employed by the City of St. Louis.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Data Utilization: Requires the ability to perform basic level of data analysis including the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize and/or reference data, statutes and/or guidelines and/or group, rank, investigate and diagnose. Requires discretion determining and referencing such to established standards to recognize interactive effects and relationships.
- Human Interaction: Requires the ability to provide guidance, assistance and/or interpretation to others, such as coworkers, attorneys, detectives and other interested personnel on how to apply policies, procedures and standards to specific situations
- Equipment, Machinery, Tools and Materials Use: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or provide simple but continuous adjustment on equipment, machinery and tools such as Digital camera, alternate light source, basic computer programs, LIMS tracking system, and basic laboratory equipment. Additionally, for DNA typing duties: extraction robots, quantitation equipment, capillary electrophoresis equipment, and thermocyclers.
- Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a variety of advisory data and information such as lab reports/records, test forms, requisitions, supply inventory, procedure manuals, safety manuals, equipment operating manuals, procedures, guidelines and non-routine correspondence.
- Mathematical Aptitude: City of St. Louis Criminalist January 2023 Page 3 Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; calculate percentages, fractions and decimals; perform mathematical operations involving basic algebra.
- Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems. Ability to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic or schedule form. Ability to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.
- Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.
- Environmental Factors: Tasks may risk exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as odors, toxic/poisonous agents, disease or pathogenic substances.
- Physical Requirements: Requires the ability to lift specimen samples and lab equipment and tools weighing up to twenty (20) pounds.
- Sensory Requirements: Requires the ability to recognize and identify similarities or differences between characteristics of colors, shapes and odors to distinguish bacteria colonies and specimen characteristics. Ability to sustain prolonged visual concentration.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry (for Drugs) with advanced organic and instrumental analysis, biology, physics, or forensic science (for Trace Evidence).
Preferred Qualifications:
- An advanced degree and/or DEA drug Chemist School is highly preferred, OR 6 months of experience in a forensic laboratory.
Working Environment:
- Normal office environment with attending outside functions when required.
Machines, Tools, Equipment and Work Aids:
- Personal Computer
- Telephone
- Cell Phone
- Copier/Fax Machine
- Vehicle
PHYSICAL/VISUAL ACTIVITIES OR DEMANDS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, reach, grasp, talk, and hear.
This position requires clarity of vision at 20 inches or less and the ability to bring objects into sharp focus, while reading from a computer screen.
The job has light physical demand (primarily sedentary) requiring the employee to exert negligible force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects in the normal course of routine office activities.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The job description does not necessarily contain all of the actual or essential duties of this position. All job offers are contingent upon passing a medical evaluation/drug screen and criminal background check.
Certain job functions described herein may be subject to possible modification in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.
“Commonly associated” is not intended to mean always or only. There are different experiences that suggest other ways or circumstances where reasonable changes or accommodations are appropriate.
