Job Title: State Pathologist, Office of the State Pathologist, Department of Justice, Home Affairs & Migration.
Employer: Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
County: Dublin
Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 19th March 2026
About the Employer
The Office of the State Pathologist (OSP) in Ireland was established in 1975 and is an agency under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs & Migration. The Office provides independent expert advice on all matters pertaining to forensic pathology and delivers a nationwide, 24/7 year-round service throughout the Republic of Ireland.
The main activity of the OSP is the performance of post mortem examinations in cases of sudden, unexplained deaths where a criminal or suspicious element is present. In approximately 5-10% of cases, this also involves a scene visit. The number of formal forensic cases, colloquially known as State cases, conducted by the Department ranges between approximately 180 -220 cases annually with 50-60 cases classified as homicides. The forensic pathologists provide a post mortem report to the relevant coroner in such cases and attend at the inquest and at any court proceedings arising out of a Garda (Irish police) investigation to provide their expert opinion.
About the Role
The duties of each State Pathologist include advising An Garda Síochána on all questions pertaining to or involving the science of forensic pathology. The appointee will be required to give evidence to the courts and at inquiries, inquests and investigations concerning their examinations, findings and resulting deductions. The appointee will also be required to express an opinion in their capacity as State Pathologist on any aspect of forensic pathology or any forensic pathological question or issue that may arise.
The Office of the State Pathologist enjoys considerable autonomy in its professional role and each State Pathologist has a duty to respond to any reasonable request for his/her/their services.
The appointee will be required to deputise for the Chief State Pathologist as and when required. This includes staff supervision, research/elective supervision, membership of committees and communication with stakeholders among other responsibilities.
About You
(a) Be a medical practitioner who is registered (otherwise than provisionally or temporarily) in the General/Specialist Register of Medical Practitioners or who is entitled to be so registered;
(b) (i) Have a Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists in Forensic Pathology
(ii) Have a Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists in Histopathology with subsequent relevant forensic qualifications (e.g. Diploma in Medical Jurisprudence (pathology), Diploma in Forensic Pathology)
(iii) Hold a qualification, which would be acceptable to the Public Appointments Service as being at least equivalent to the requirements specified in sub-paragraph (i) or (ii) above
(a) Have had, since becoming entitled to full registration, at least six years’ satisfactory experience in the practice of the medical profession.
(b) Possess the requisite knowledge and ability (including the ability to communicate effectively) and be suitable to discharge the duties of the position.
The Closing Date for this competition is Thursday, 19th of March at 3pm.
We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.
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