Quality Assurance Bureau Director

State of Wisconsin; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Healthy benefits package

Retirement program

Well Wisconsin wellness program

Job summary

Wisconsin Department of Justice is seeking a Forensic Science Director to lead the Quality Assurance Program across the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories. The role reports to the Administrator of the Division of Forensic Sciences and advises Lab Directors on policy and accreditation matters.

The position involves formulating rules and procedures, managing accreditation and audits, and addressing complex quality issues, with fiscal oversight for training and instrumentation.

Qualifications

• Experience with ISO/IEC 17025 and ANAB/A2LA accreditation for forensic labs.
• Experience supervising and managing staff, including workflow planning and hiring recommendations.
• Developing, implementing, monitoring, and improving lab quality assurance programs, policies, and procedures.
• Experience handling cases in forensic disciplines (e.g., DNA, toxicology, firearms).

Responsibilities

• Formulation and implementation of rules, policies and procedures for the Division of Forensic Sciences’ Quality Assurance Program.
• Manage accreditation process and preparation for Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories.
• Address non-conformances and proficiency testing; oversee training, instrumentation budgeting.
• Serve as a key policy advisor to the Deputy Division Administrator and Lab Directors.

Skills

Quality assurance leadership

Staff supervision

Laboratory accreditation

Forensic science experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, or forensic science

Job description

Introduction
It is the mission of the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to protect the public and ensure that justice is done. To continue to meet this mission, the principles of equity, inclusion, and employee well-being have become a foundation for all work performed at DOJ, on behalf of Wisconsinites.

Position Summary

This position may be headquartered at one of the three crime laboratory locations:

• Milwaukee Crime Laboratory, located at 9400 West Doyne Ave in Wauwatosa, WI.
• Madison Crime Laboratory, located at 4626 University Ave., Madison, WI
• Wausau Crime Laboratory, located at 7100 Stewart Avenue in Wausau, WI.

This position is responsible for the formulation, determination, and implementation of management policy as it relates to the Division of Forensic Sciences’ Quality Assurance Program. This position reports directly to the Administrator of the Division of Forensic Sciences and is a key policy advisor to the Deputy Division Administrator and all Lab Directors within the Division.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to: formulation of and implementation of rules, policies and procedures; management of the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories’ accreditation process and preparation; and implementation of industry required division audits and training. This position addresses complex division quality issues such as non-conformances and proficiency testing and has fiscal responsibilities related to training, accreditation, proficiency testing and instrumentation.

Salary Information

The Forensic Science Director classification is in pay schedule 81 and range 01. The starting salary for this position will be between $58.00 - $61.08/hr. ($120,640 - $127,046 annually), depending upon experience and qualifications. Pay for former and current state employees will be in accordance with the State of Wisconsin Compensation Plan. A 2-year career executive trial period is required. probation may be required.

Benefits

The State Of Wisconsin Offers Amazing Benefits, Such As

• Generous paid time off, including at least 3 1/2 weeks of vacation/personal time, and nine paid holidays.
• Sick time that rolls over each year with no cap and may be used to pay for healthcare premiums in retirement.
• Affordable health insurance, dental, vision, life, and more.
• A top-notch retirement program and optional tax advantaged 457 retirement savings plan.
• A Well Wisconsin program, offering wellness tools and rewards to employees and spouses.

Job Details

The Department of Justice does not sponsor work visas at the time of hire or anytime during employment. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required Employment Eligibility Form I-9.

An extensive background check, including fingerprints, will be completed on applicants prior to selection.

Qualifications

Please clearly and thoroughly address the following in your resume and/or letter of qualifications.

Minimally qualified applicants must have training, education or experience in all of the following:

• Experience working with and adhering to ISO/IEC 17025 and ANAB or A2LA accreditation requirements for forensic laboratories.
• Experience supervising and managing staff, such as planning and coordination workflow, evaluating performance, making hiring recommendations.
• Developing, implementing, monitoring, and/or improving laboratory quality assurance programs, policies, and procedures.
• Experience (to include previous) working cases in a forensic discipline (e.g., DNA, toxicology, firearms, etc.) thus providing insight into the operational challenges and day-to-day demands of laboratory work.

Well-qualified applicants will have met all of the minimally qualified criterion and a combination of the following:

• Managing a forensic science laboratory or unit, such as supervising, managing, and developing staff, developing operating budgets, resource allocation, and reviewing fiscal statements.
• Conducting, managing, or responding to accreditation assessments or external audits.
• Leading organizational change and collaborating across multiple laboratories or work units.

Preferred Qualifications

In addition to the above listed qualifications and to provide oversight support to DNA Quality-wide programs that follow FBI Quality standards for DNA personnel, it is preferred that the incumbent have the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry or forensic science-related area and shall have successfully completed 12 semester or equivalent credit hours from the following subject areas: biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and statistics or population genetics.

The WI Department of Justice is committed to providing opportunities to all applicants from all backgrounds. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability. If you are a qualified veteran, please visit the Veterans Employment page for application instructions to be considered for the Veterans Non-Competitive Appointment program.

Deadline to Apply

The deadline to apply for this job announcement is November 30th, 2026, at 11:59 PM.