Mortician (Intern)

Role Overview

This position calls for a compassionate and meticulous mortuary professional who will manage the dignified care of deceased persons from the moment of admission until release to family members. Day to day, you will carry out the scientific and administrative tasks of body reception, preservation, and post-mortem assistance, while also providing emotional support to grieving relatives. Your work upholds the hospital's duty of respect, legal compliance, and family-centred care during one of the most difficult times in people's lives.

Key Responsibilities

• Receive and collect bodies from within the hospital and from external locations, following the prescribed intake procedures and maintaining the chain of custody.
• Accurately record and document every body received, including identifying details, time of arrival, and source of referral, ensuring all registers are current and legible.
• Perform washing, embalming, and refrigeration of bodies according to established technical protocols and health standards.
• Scrub and assist qualified personnel during post-mortem examinations, preparing the workspace and instruments and handling specimens as directed.
• Provide grief counseling and emotional support to relatives who come to identify or collect their loved ones, communicating with empathy and clarity.
• Release bodies to relatives or authorised representatives in strict accordance with facility procedures, verifying documentation and identity before handover.
• Maintain the mortuary facilities in a clean, safe, and hygienic condition, including routine disinfection and care of embalming equipment and storage units.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Kenyan citizenship is a mandatory requirement for this role.
• A diploma in mortuary science from a recognised institution is essential.
• KCSE D (plain) minimum qualification, followed by a completed period of apprenticeship and successful passing of the licensing examination.
• Active membership in a registered funeral professional association is required.
• Demonstrated training in both embalming techniques and grief counseling is necessary for this position.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to interact sensitively with bereaved families and work collaboratively with medical staff.
• Excellent command of both English and Swahili, both written and spoken, for documentation and family communication.
• Proficiency in basic computer skills, including data entry and record keeping in digital systems.