What are the responsibilities and job description for the Fraud Investigator position at State of Washington Employment Security Department?
Description
The Employment Security Department (ESD) is seeking an experienced, analytical leader to serve as a Fraud Investigator within the Imposter Detection Team.
The ideal candidate is a sharp, detail-oriented professional—someone who brings discretion to sensitive situations, communicates with confidence during difficult interviews, and navigates complex legal frameworks with absolute integrity. You are collaborative, highly adaptable, and committed to public service. You build strong cross-agency relationships, approach data with critical curiosity, and possess the tenacity required to uncover intricate financial schemes. You are skilled at balancing rigorous investigative techniques, risk mitigation, and strict compliance while maintaining a high standard of accountability.
Duties
As a Fraud Investigator, you will protect the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance and Paid Leave Trust Fund by preventing and detecting financial losses due to fraud or malfeasance. You will use crossmatch technology, skip-tracing, and public or agency referrals to conduct the most complex, sensitive, and multi-jurisdictional investigations. Your work directly supports ESD’s mission by safeguarding public funds and ensuring resources are distributed equitably and legally. You will be responsible for the full lifecycle of a case, including comprehensive investigations, adjudication, data collection, and partnering with law enforcement to see criminal cases through to prosecution.
The Imposter Detection Team provides a critical line of defense for the agency, identifying sophisticated patterns of practice, criminal rings, identity theft, and vendor fraud. Within this unit, you will play a vital role in analyzing evidential facts, reviewing high-stakes data, and translating complex rules into actionable processes. This position influences agency-wide fraud prevention strategies, coordinates closely with local, state, and federal oversight bodies, and serves as an expert witness for the state. This is a highly specialized role requiring exceptional judgment, strong interviewing skills, and the ability to guide internal staff and employers through evolving legal and fraud landscapes leveraging data to prevent and detect fraud.
Additionally, some of your duties include:
- Investigate complex fraud cases involving identity theft, workers' compensation, incarceration fraud, vendor fraud, and out-of-country issues.
- Conduct sensitive interviews with claimants, victims, and witnesses to gather crucial case facts and insights.
- Manage multi-issue and multi-jurisdictional cases involving multiple claimants, victims, or organized criminal schemes.
- Gather and record evidential facts, perform surveillance, and analyze data to construct comprehensive investigative summary reports.
- Prepare subpoenas and coordinate evidence collection to support ongoing fraud investigations.
- Present findings and partner with federal agencies, local law enforcement, and Assistant Attorney Generals for criminal prosecution.
- Testify as a witness for the state in administrative hearings as well as Superior and District Court criminal cases.
- Review completed investigative reports to ensure absolute accuracy, clarity, and compliance with established policies.
- Develop and deliver training to employers, claimants, and agency staff on state and federal Unemployment Insurance fraud laws and policies.
- Advise and guide ESD claims staff on optimal fraud prevention processes and the referral of cases to the Office of Special Investigations (OSI).
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Qualifications
Qualifying candidates will meet one of the following criteria options:
Option 1: Five years of experience as an investigator with a criminal justice government agency or private organization, or other directly allied field.
- Three years must include field experience.
Option 2: Two years of experience as an Investigator 2.
OR Equivalent education/experience.
Note: Two years of related college-level course work may be substituted for one year of experience.
Required equity competencies:
The ability to take action to learn and grow.
The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
The required experience includes:
- Fraud Detection Expertise: Ability to uncover and document fraudulent activities.
- Investigative Skills: Proficiency in handling complex fraud cases.
- Process Improvement Expertise: Ability to refine investigative methods.
- Analytical Skills: Proficiency in assessing and enhancing investigative efforts.
- Attention to Detail: Proficiency in handling sensitive inquiries discreetly and accurately.
- Adaptability: Ability to perform foundational investigative tasks effectively.
- Initiative: Ability to address unanticipated organizational needs.
- Versatility: Proficiency in adapting to diverse responsibilities effectively.
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
- Must be able to pass Unemployment Insurance (UI) & Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) claim and fraud check.
Please submit only the required documents as noted below and ensure all Personal Identifying Information (PII) such as Social Security numbers etc. are edited out of your materials for privacy.
Additionally, we ask that you not include photographs or external links within your documents. Any documents uploaded through this platform will be securely transmitted electronically to support application review.
Please submit your Cover Letter* and Resume with your Online Application through the "Add Attachments" field. A resume will not substitute for the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields, or supplemental question responses with comments such as "see attachments" may be considered incomplete.
Supplemental Information
Opportunity for All
We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people over 40 years of age, people with religious beliefs, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
The Employment Security Department is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
If you are a person needing assistance in the application process, if you need this job announcement in an alternate format, or if you have general questions about this opportunity, please contact Katie Swanson (360-742-8208), the Talent Acquisition Team, or Washington Relay Service 711 prior to the recruitment closing. If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please contact careershelp@des.wa.gov or (360) 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960, Washington Relay 711.