Medicolegal Death Investigator

Job Description Summary

Department - Forensic Science Center

Job Description

Job Type: Classified

Job Classification: 5612 - Medicolegal Death Investigator

Salary Grade: 10
 

Pay Range:

Hiring Range: $23.92 - $28.71 Per Hour 

Pay Range: $23.92 - $33.49 Per Hour 

Range Explanation:

Hiring Range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity.

Pay Range is the entire compensation range for the position.

The Medicolegal Death Investigator investigates circumstances surrounding unattended or unnatural deaths, assists Forensic Pathologists, law enforcement personnel, Medicolegal Death Investigation Supervisors, other Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner staff, and funeral homes in the disposition of cases.

Essential Functions:

As defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, this classification may include any of the following tasks, knowledge, skills, and other characteristics. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbents of this class. Work assignments may vary depending on the department’s need and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.

• Conducts death scene investigations, including evidence collection, preservation, scene photography, and related pathological studies;
• Determines legal jurisdiction, investigates circumstances of death, medical history, and identifies next-of-kin;
• Coordinates findings with law enforcement, courts, and other agencies, and may testify in legal proceedings;
• Assists Forensic Pathologists during postmortem examinations, taking notes, photographs, and handling specimens;
• Maintains chain-of-custody and secures evidentiary materials for court presentation or law enforcement release;
• Locates and interviews witnesses, medical personnel, and relatives of deceased individuals;
• Conducts body and clothing inspections, documents personal property, and secures property for release to proper parties;
• Confirms identity of deceased using fingerprints and other methods, and prepares remains for viewing or formal identification;
• Prepares identification bands, paperwork, and logs information into the Medical Examiner’s database;
• Coordinates release of remains to funeral homes, public fiduciary offices, and consular authorities when applicable;
• Acts as liaison for organ and tissue donations with medical institutions and decedent’s next-of-kin;
• Reviews death certificates and toxicology or anthropological reports for accuracy and authorized release;
• Removes deceased from scenes and transports remains, medical specimens, and hazardous materials as needed;
• Performs servicing and maintenance of assigned vehicles and forensic equipment;
• Maintains written investigative reports, evidence records, and duty logs, and may oversee activities of other investigators.

Minimum Qualifications:

Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university in criminal justice/law enforcement, pathology, forensics, social work, public health, biology, microbiology, chemistry, anthropology, physician’s assistant, nursing, pre-med, mortuary science or a closely related field as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment

(Relevant experience and/or education from an accredited college or university may be substituted.)

OR:

One year of experience as a Forensic Technician I, Forensic Autopsy Technician, Law Enforcement Officer, EMT, Investigator, or related position as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment.

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.

Preferred Qualifications: (Be specific in describing your experience in your application. Ensure the descriptions provided illustrate your competencies, specifically addressing the required and preferred qualifications.):

• Minimum one (1) year experience in a medical examiner office setting as a Pathology/Forensic Technician, Diener, Forensic Autopsy Technician, Forensic Evidence Technician/Specialist, Photographer, Field Agent, or Intake Specialist.
• American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigation (ABMDI) Certification.

Selection Procedure:

Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidate from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.