Special Operations Training, Exercise & Response Lead

Job Description

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner 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.


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


The Special Operations Training, Exercise, & Response Lead serves as the lead for developing, executing, and maintaining the OCME’s disaster response training and exercise program. This includes shaping training curricula, identifying development opportunities, managing a strategic exercise schedule, creating supporting materials, and maintaining participation records in compliance with agency and city requirements. The Special Operations Training, Exercise, & Response Lead should be a proactive, self-motivated professional who can work cooperatively to represent the unit across technical disciplines and must be available after-hours for complex or disaster response operations and to assist in resolving operational matters, as needed.

This position also functions as the Training Coordinator for the Medical Examiner Special Operations Response Team (MESORT) an interdisciplinary team deployed during mass fatality incidents and complex fatality management scenarios. In this capacity, the Specialist supports the Assistant Director of Special Operations by designing and delivering training programs, evaluating ongoing preparedness, and performing disaster management duties during activations.

The Special Operations Training, Exercise, & Response Lead plays a critical role in supporting the Office of Chief Medical Examiner’s (OCME) emergency response and hazard mitigation initiatives, particularly following a mass fatality incident or other public health emergency. In alignment with established activation criteria, this person is responsible for assessing and characterizing the incident to inform recommendations on whether to activate the Agency Mass Fatality Management (MFM) Plan. This role includes providing strategic guidance on Fatality Management (FM) objectives. Additionally, they will lead the coordination and execution of field operations involving multiple fatalities and potential CBRNe (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, or Explosive) hazards. They ensure the implementation of hazardous materials safety protocols and oversee decontamination procedures to safeguard personnel and maintain the integrity of forensic operations, ensuring OCME remains prepared and resilient in the face of mass fatality incidents and other public health emergencies.

Responsibilities include:

- Participate in and/or direct all aspects of OCME’s disaster response and preparedness to include scene response and processing, disaster morgue operations, family assistance center (FAC) preparedness and deployment, continuity of operations planning (COOP), and operations center management

- Conduct incident assessments to inform activation decisions for the Agency Mass Fatality Management (MFM) Plan and support strategic planning during complex fatality management or COOP scenarios.

- Manage hazardous materials operations, including contaminated decedent handling, forensic autopsy support, and interagency coordination for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) events.

- Enforce and implement hazardous materials safety protocols, including scene control, donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE), and use of respiratory protection systems such as SCBA, APR, PAPR, and supplied air systems.

- Oversee and direct agency logistics, fleet, and transportation services related to preparedness and response, to include maintaining, operating and deploying emergency response equipment, supplies and vehicles

- Develop and deliver targeted training programs to support readiness for MESORT members and agency staff, focusing on mass fatality management, hazmat safety, and incident operations. Operate and train staff on advanced scientific detection tools, including 5-gas meters, PIDs, and radiation meters, and perform field testing of unknown substances on decedents to assess risk to OCME personnel.

- Design and facilitate HSEEP-compliant exercises, including tabletop, functional, and full-scale drills with OCME personnel and interagency partners, aligned with the age