DEATH INVESTIGATOR

Position Summary

The death investigator, at the request and under the supervision of a justice of the peace or other authorized inquest official, assists in investigating and determining the time, place, cause, and manner of death for cases within the jurisdiction of McLennan County inquests. The death investigator is also required to submit timely reports.

Essential Functions

• Travels throughout the county to respond to death scenes as required
• Responds to death events, evaluates the scene and conducts postmortem investigation including interviews, photographs, etc.
• Assists in determining the time, place, and manner of death for cases within the jurisdiction of McLennan County inquests.
• Assists law enforcement with on scene investigations, interviews, documentation, and to ensure evidence is collected using appropriate medicolegal standards.
• Submit a complete written report of activities, findings, and conclusions to the requesting Justice of the Peace within eight (8) hours after completion of the investigation.
• May testify in court regarding the findings and inquest processing methods.
• Assists Supervising Justice of the Peace to respond to inquiries and requests from department personnel, criminal justice agencies such as County/District Attorneys and City Prosecutors, and the public.
• Communicates with families, funeral homes and law enforcement as needed for cases
• Tracks statute of limitations and legal time frames and assures compliance to regulations
• Regular attendance and timeliness is required

Minimum Requirements

EDUCATION:
Required:

• High School Diploma or GED

• Three (3) years of work experience in a law enforcement agency or investigative capacity, or in a related field such as nursing (RN), physician assistant (PA), emergency medical services (EMT), or funeral home/ mortuary services
• Medicolegal Death Investigators Training Certification within two (2) years of date of hire
• Must possess a valid, unexpired Texas driver’s license with a safe driving record
• Must maintain a personal vehicle in good working condition for use in conducting county business
• Maintains good interpersonal relations (the manner in which the employee responds emotionally and verbally) with the public, other employees, and supervisors. Dealing with distraught, upset or violent family members.
• General skill in operating standard office equipment such as personal computers, calculators, and telephones
• General knowledge of basic hardware and software and uses of a variety of different computer operating systems such as Microsoft Office Work, Excel, Outlook
• Must have the ability to retain detailed information, as well as take notes on how procedures are done
• Keen attention to detail; careful and accurate data entry
• Must be able to work well within a team environment and high stress situations

Supplemental Information

All Employees
o Must be committed to achieving excellence in assigned duties, always in service of the county and community
o Must have ability to earn and keep the trust of fellow employees and the community at large
o Must be approachable and ready to help fellow employees and the general public

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS:Split between indoor activity and outdoor activity. Significant contact with the public, persons accused or convicted of crimes, law enforcement personnel, and courthouse personnel. Contact with death-related environment daily.

PHYSICAL DEMAND REQUIREMENTS:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear
• The employee frequently is required to stand. The employee is occasionally required to walk; sit; use hands to find, handle, or feel objects, reach with hands and arms; stoop and kneel
• Must be able to safely lift 20 lbs.

McLennan County will conduct background checks on new hires that will include a criminal background check related to convictions and deferred adjudications in the past seven years and may include credit reports, motor vehicle records, employment records, and educational attainment. A conviction or deferred adjudication is not an automatic bar to employment. Each case is considered individually.