Job Description

Medical Examiner Investigator Trainee

The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness, and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

The Department of Medical Examiner is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Medical Examiner Investigator Trainee vacancies related to the homelessness crisis. Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.

Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%. Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Medical Examiner Investigator Trainee.

Essential Job Functions

Receives instruction and on the job training by performing the following duties:

• Plans and conducts the investigation into the circumstances of death at the scene to determine the jurisdiction of the Department of Medical Examiner.
• Examines the body of the decedent and the surroundings at the death scene and performs required tests for air, water and body temperature, livor mortis, and degree of rigor mortis.
• Takes custody of any money, valuables or miscellaneous items or documents; lists and records clothing within reports and personal property on appropriate receipts; arranges for or makes the removal of bodies to the Forensic Science Center or other location.
• Responsible for recognizing, collecting and preserving physical evidence, including gunshot residue, sexual assault evidence, appliances, ligatures, garrotes, drugs, narcotics and paraphernalia, and trace evidence.
• Notifies and coordinates evidence handling and collection with departmental criminalist or criminalist of other agencies. Interviews witnesses, friends, and relatives to obtain information about the decedent and circumstances of death and related matters.
• Receives initial notice of death from public or government agencies, initiates investigations, determines Medical Examiner's jurisdiction, and notifies and exchanges information with other public agencies when necessary.
• Notifies and coordinates with representatives of other criminal justice agencies when necessary. Writes reports of investigations, including all pertinent data and evidence relevant to the circumstances of death.
• Enters data into computerized records system as required. Provides information regarding State laws and codes, County ordinances, and Departmental policy and procedures in response to inquiries from members of the medical profession, law enforcement and other government agencies, mortuaries, cemeteries, and the general public.
• Testifies in court or under deposition regarding the findings of an investigation of the circumstances of death.
• Records information in logs and ledgers regarding Departmental activities; fingerprinting bodies in accordance with Departmental standards.
• Uses field photography equipment as required.
• Enters information in sections of death certificates in conformance with regulations of the State Registrar of Vital Statistics.
• May be required to drive personal vehicle when performing County business.
• May be required to drive a County vehicle to locations throughout the County to transport bodies from death scenes to the Medical Examiner's facility.
• May be required to travel by aircraft, boat, or other vehicles, or travel in heavy equipment to conduct investigations and remove decedents and to perform duties in areas of difficult accessibility, limited visibility and mobility, or adverse weather or disaster conditions.

Requirements

Minimum requirements include:

• Option I: Two year's field investigative experience* with a law enforcement or governmental regulatory agency
• Option II: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college with specialization in administration of justice, health/physical sciences or nursing
• Option III: An Associate of Arts degree from an accredited college with specialization in administration of justice and one year's field investigative experience* with a law enforcement or governmental regulatory agency
• Option IV: A current California certificate to practice as a Paramedic and three years experience working in paramedic services with no more than a one year lapse in service before applying for the Medical Examiner Investigator Trainee position
• Option V: A current California license as a Registered Nurse or a certificate to practice as a Physician's Assistant issued by the California Board of Medical Quality Assurance and three years experience working in trauma/emergency services or forensic nursing.

Out of class experience will not be accepted for this examination. Physical class 4 - Arduous: Involves frequent and heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working on irregular surfaces; and occasionally requires extraordinary physical activity. Applicants must be in good general physical fitness and free from any medical conditions that would interfere with the satisfactory performance of the position of Medical Examiner Investigator Trainee.

Appointees must be willing to:

• Perform a variety of physically demanding activities, such as frequent lifting and moving of decedents and heavy equipment, climbing down rocky cliffs, carrying a piece of equipment up steep hills, or removing corpses from the ocean.
• Work any shift, including nights, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Work overtime in order to meet the legal requirements and/or departmental needs associated with death investigations.
• Drive 75-100 miles one-way using a County vehicle or personal vehicle to various death scenes throughout the County of Los Angeles (mileage reimbursement is provided by the County).
• Assist in death investigations that include the examination of corpses and conducting tests to determine body temperature and degree of rigor mortis and handle bodies that may be fragmented, burned and/or in advanced stages of decomposition.
• Assist in infant and child death investigations.
• Notify family members of the death of a relative, have them identify the deceased, and provide them with information, empathy, support, and resources.
• Work in highly stressful situations.
• Develop and apply effective coping and self-care skills that maintain physical, mental, emotional well-being, a healthy perspective, and a clear and appropriate set of boundaries.
• Work in death scenes that present a variety of difficult environmental challenges, such as strong odors, extreme temperatures, dilapidated living conditions, and/or rugged terrain.

Field investigative experience must have included duties such as interviewing suspects, informants and witnesses, following leads, searching for physical or documentary evidence of clues, using evidence to substantiate findings or conclusions, examining records to detect links in a chain of evidence of information, reconstructing events and preparing reports of investigative findings and courtroom/deposition testimony.

Law enforcement agencies include departments such as coroner, sheriff, police, military police, college or university police, and fire.

A governmental regulatory agency is a public authority or government agency responsible for exercising autonomous authority over some area of human activity in a regulatory or supervisory capacity, and includes departments such as health services, mental health, and social services.

A health/physical science includes degrees such as a bachelor's of science in anthropology, biology, biochemistry, physics, and chemistry.

Before the end of your initial work assignment, not to exceed 90 days, the appointing department will evaluate your performance. Those who achieve a passing score on this evaluation will be considered for permanent appointment.

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