Job Description

University of Utah Job Description

Job Summary

Working in conjunction with Body Donor Program Manager and staff, procures, prepares and distributes human anatomic material to educational and research entities in the Intermountain West. Interacts with and disseminates information to potential and at need body donors and their families. Promotes body donation to the public, professional groups, and various media outlets and balances the supply of donors with client demand. Attends to the cremation of and proper disposition of human cremains. Maintains records and supervises program staff, lab staff, and contracted service providers. Orders and maintains operational supplies and equipment and attends to the proper payment of vendors. Monitors the program budget and preserves the program’s financial viability.

Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited college of mortuary science; certification with the National Board of Funeral Service Education; a current Funeral Service Directors license in the State of Utah; AND 6 years of experience handling deceased bodies with three of those years being supervisory in a mortuary or associated donor program. Fundamental knowledge of human anatomy and demonstrated knowledge of human relations and effective communication skills are also required.

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

Disclaimer

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

Essential Functions

1. Promotes body donation to public and professional groups, and various media outlets
2. Takes appropriate share of after hour call duty
3. Schedules, trains and supervises the activities of program staff, lab staff, and contracted service providers
4. Orders and maintains an inventory of operational supplies and equipment and attends to the proper payment of vendors
5. Balances the supply of donors with client demand, assuring donor bodies are placed in the most beneficial environment
6. Preserves the program’s financial viability with sound budgetary and fiscal practices
7. Arranges and supervises labs with commercial clients
8. Develops safer, new chemical mixtures for embalming, wetting agents, etc.
9. Prioritizes program tasks and sets the daily and weekly agenda
10. Assists the Program Manager with planning and goal setting
11. Performs the duties of the Body Donor Program Coordinator as needed
12. Assumes the duties of the Body Donor Program Manager in his/her absence

Problem Solving

The Body Donor Program has written guidelines, and Federal, State, and local mandates that the incumbent must be aware of and follow. A major challenge for the incumbent is resolving unique situations, most of which stem from the survivors lack of understanding about the donor’s wishes and the Body Donor Program’s operation. These problems are generally resolved through mediation, which requires a working knowledge of grief psychology. A clear understanding of the need to balance the number of bodies received with the number of bodies needed to satisfy the requirements of educators, researchers and commercial entities, while assuring the donor bodies are placed in the most beneficial environment. All problems not immediately resolved by the incumbent must be referred to the Manager of the Body Donor Program.

Comments

The incumbent inherently works with a) copious amounts of blood, body fluids and body tissues known to be pathogenic, and b) caustic and corrosive chemicals known to cause injury, disease and death.

Work Environment and Level of Frequency that may be required:

Nearly Continuously: Office environment.

Often: Infectious disease, oils (there is air or skin exposure to oils or other cutting fluids), hazards (includes a variety of physical conditions, such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, moving vehicles, electrical current, working on scaffolding and high places, or exposure to chemicals).

Physical Requirements and Level of Frequency that may be required

Nearly Continuously: Hearing, listening, talking.

Often: Repetitive hand motion (such as typing), walking, standing, sitting. 

Seldom: Bending, reaching overhead.