Medicolegal Death Investigator

Want to try something new? Working in public service is a rewarding career by serving your community and making a difference in the lives of our citizens. Find a sense of purpose in your work that is not just rewarding but enriches your life with incredible retirement plans, work life balance and affordable benefits.  Where else can you find paid sabbaticals every five years plus three weeks of paid vacation your first year along with 13 paid sick days and 11 paid holidays?

While we're at it, we'd like to introduce you to our entire suite of benefit offerings, including a comprehensive wellbeing program, retirement plans with a lifetime guarantee and affordable insurance options.  Check it out:

• An Employer that Values Each Employee and Prioritizes a Work Experience that Provides Ample Time for Stress Reduction and Work Life Balance.

• Paid Vacation And Sick Leave

• 15 Vacation Days Accrued Annually Starting Day One

• After Three (3) Years of Service 18 Vacation Days Accrued Annually

• After Five (5) Years of Service 20 Vacation Days Accrued Annually

• Ten Paid Holidays + One Paid Floating Holiday to Use as You Wish

• 13 Sick Leave Days Accrued Annually Starting Day One

• Paid Sabbaticals Every Five (5) Years

• Two Week Sabbatical After Five Years of Continuous Service

• Three Week Sabbatical After Ten Years of Continuous Service

• Four Week Sabbatical After Fifteen Years of Continuous Service

• Four Week Sabbaticals Every Five Years After Fifteen Years of Continuous Service

•   Comprehensive Wellness Program

• Quarterly Wellness Challenges

• Vision Exams and Optometry Events Onsite

• Vaccination Clinics

• Onsite Mammogram and Prostate Screening Events

• Skin Cancer Screening Events Onsite

• Biometrics and Health Screening Events Onsite

• Financial Health and Retirement Planning Events Onsite & Online

• Fitness Resources and Onsite Sessions Like Yoga and Tai Chi

• Retirement Plans with Generous Employer Contributions

- Guaranteed Lifetime Benefit!

• Variety of Top Tier Affordable Medical Plans

• Six Different Medical Plans to Choose From

• Some Medical Plans with Zero Employee Premium Cost

• Dental and Vision Plans

• Tuition Reimbursement Program

• Alternative Work Schedules

• Telehealth

• Qualified Employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program through the Dept of Education

• Employee Assistance Program with Ongoing Training & Development Options

• Civil Service Leave

• VanPool Options

• Short-Term Disability

- Employer Paid

• Basic Life Insurance

- Employer Paid

• Flexible Spending Accounts for Dependent Care and Medical Expenses

• Suite of Voluntary Benefits including additional Life, Accident, Critical Illness & Cancer Insurance

Plus, work with an amazing team of people who are committed to making Pinal County a great place for its citizens and its employees.

Working at Pinal County is an investment in YOU.  Apply today and find out why Pinal County is more than just a job.  Read more about the position and see if it is a good match for you:

JOB SUMMARY

Perform specialized work with the post-mortem examination of deceased human remains, collection of evidence and specimens, identifying and documenting human remains, and maintain records. Provide accurate and professional death investigation services for the citizens of Pinal County and collect evidence at death scenes to assist in determining medical cause of death under general supervision.

Work in this classification requires an individual to be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary classification functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this classification may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in this classification description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this description.

TYPICAL CLASSIFICATION ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Perform professional work of moderate difficulty investigating unattended and unnatural deaths and assist law enforcement agency personnel as requested.

• Document and process evidence for law enforcement agencies.

• Maintain sanitary condition of the facility, equipment, and instruments.

• Properly handle safe disposal of biological and biohazardous materials.

• Take photographs and fingerprints.

• Operates various equipment, including but not limited to, scales, autopsy saw, aspirator, x-ray machine, cameras, and computers.

• Observe the death scene, prepare reports, gather information, and maintain records.

• Collect, preserve, and secure decedent and evidence and document all handling of body and personal property.

• Assist with the identification of evidence at crime scenes, respond to requests for photographs, and photograph death scenes and decedents.

• Interview, solicit statements from, and provide information to witnesses, physicians, police officers, relatives, and persons last in attendance or present at the time of death.

• Identify evidentiary value of items at the death scene and recommend items to be taken into evidence.

• Assist the forensic pathologist or medical examiner with the decedent evaluation and postmortem examination.

• Transport decedent to designated location and document transfer of body and property.

• Obtain or coordinate positive identification of bodies through visual personal identification affidavit, x-ray, dental records, descriptive evidence, and fingerprint records.

• Assist with body transportation, cremation authorization, and other services authorized by Arizona Revised Statutes.

• Administer and supervise the processing of death certificates, property records, and body handling records.

• Prepare necessary reports and document evidence for court proceedings.

• Package, store, and safeguard property and evidence and enter and update data into computer system, log books, and case files.

• Work with other state and regional law enforcement and health services agencies on complex incidents.

• Maintain absolute confidentiality of work-related issues, customer records, and restricted County information.

• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Requirements:

• Associate's degree in Health Sciences, Criminal Justice, or related field.

• One (1) year of work experience in forensic science or investigations.

• Valid Driver's License with Arizona Driver's License within 30 days of hire.

• Certification by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) basic certification board is required within two (2) years of hire.

• Or a combination of experience and/or education may substitute for the minimum requirements.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws and rules for the storage, transfer and disposal of evidence and property, and regulations governing the release of information from public agency records.

• Knowledge of principles and practices of law enforcement records management.

• Knowledge of state laws and statutes governing the rules of evidence.

• Knowledge of geography, roads, and landmarks of County and surrounding areas.

• Knowledge of regional community services and resources available to citizens.

• Skill in collecting, processing, and preserving death scene evidence.

• Skill in determining cause and manner of death.

• Skill in packaging and organizing property and evidence in an orderly fashion for storage and retrieval.

• Skill in interpreting and applying statutes, rules, ordinances, codes, and regulations.

• Ability to deal tactfully and courteously with the public and handle stressful situations and angry people.

• Knowledge of human anatomy and medical terminology.

• Skill in performing precision surgical cutting techniques with surgical instruments and autopsy saw.

• Ability to maintain accurate records, stand for extended periods of time and perform heavy lifting.

Physical Demands:

The work is very heavy work and requires exerting in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.  The work also requires the ability to climb, crawl, crouch, finger, feel, grasp, handle, perform repetitive motion, kneel, lift, pull, push, speak, hear, stand, stoop, walk, operate motor vehicles and/or heavy equipment, and demonstrate visual and mental acuity. Exposure to infectious diseases, deceased bodies, human organs, bloodborne pathogens, human fluids and hazardous chemicals.

Work Environment:

Work is performed in an environment where errors can lead to significant physical or mental consequences.

Notice to Applicants:

We appreciate your interest in our employment opportunities.  At Pinal County, we value professionalism and treating others with respect.  If these values are not demonstrated throughout the application and interview process we reserve the right to remove your candidacy from consideration and may impact your future Pinal County applications.  

The hiring salary for this position is dependent upon experience, qualifications and position funding; starting salaries above the first quartile require additional approval.

Position hours are Nightshift, Weds-Sat, 8pm-6am