EMBALMER

Updated: over 1 year ago
Location: Seattle, WASHINGTON
Deadline: 03 Nov 2022

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The UW Department of Biological Structure has an excellent opportunity for an Embalmer. The Embalmer performs a variety of duties related the operations of the Willed Body Program  (WBP) at the University of Washington, including the handling/embalming/preservation/storage/cremation/burial of donated human remains for dissection.

S/he is responsible for record-keeping and tracking pursuant to Washington State Law/Administrative Code and the rules of the University of Washington concerning the handling of donor human remains. S/he works with program staff and teaching faculty to set up and maintain teaching laboratories for health science professionals, and assists in teaching health science personnel in the proper handling of donor remains.

The Embalmer works with faculty and administrative staff in the proper care and handling of donated human tissue. S/he will participate in defining financial needs of the WBP with respect to donor transport, preparation for teaching and research needs, advance planning for future academic needs, and cremation and burial of donors. The Embalmer must be a licensed Funeral Director and contributes directly to the development, management and allocation of the WBP. S/he is expected to be familiar and to apply Washington State Law/Administrative Code regulations to WBP operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Preserve, disinfect, and store human remains using up-to-date anatomical methods of embalming and applying standard principles of sterile technique concerning biohazards.
• Cremate remains according to state law, to include completing all required paperwork.
• Operate, maintain, and oversee a crematorium, including regulatory requirements such as opacity meter reporting. May be asked to participate in University reviews of the crematorium
• Prepare fresh tissue specimens for use in teaching and/or research.
• Safe operation of equipment, including but not limited to a perfusion apparatus, band saw, steam spray cleaning equipment, forklift, and various hand/dissection tools.
• Maintain/order, review expenditures of supplies, service, and chemicals, including maintenance of records pertaining to such purchases. Store chemicals safely; be aware of EH&S protocols and standard operating procedures for all chemicals.
• Provide basic maintenance and cleaning of WBP morgue facility.
• Maintenance of all records including but not limited to operations, tissue logs, donation files, death certificates, computer and paper records of utilization, cremation records.
• Log donated human remains received by the WBP, and track all donations through cremation and burial.
• Assist in decision making regarding acceptability of potential donor remains per established program guidelines.
• Participate in the development of processes and procedures related to the handling of donated human remains.
• Assist faculty and students in teaching and research activities involving human cadavers as needed.
• Prepare cremains for burial or other disposition according to instructions from next-of-kin and per revised code of Washington State. Includes wrapping and mailing of human cremains.
• Assist with projections for academic planning.
• Assist the faculty Director of the WBP as needed.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS



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