Medical Forensic Investigator

Duties:

POSITION DETAILS:

• Conducts investigations of homicides, suicides and unexplained natural or accidental deaths;
• Interviews witnesses to obtain information useful to the Medical Examiner's office;
• Performs observations of the death scene; prepares detailed descriptions including pertinent facts relating to the cause and manner of death;
• Examines and takes possession of bodies; directs and supervises their transport to the Medical Examiner's office;
• Identifies and establishes evidentiary value of items, to include samples for toxicologic analysis; documents evidence and directs its removal, while safeguarding the quality and chain of evidence;
• Obtains and/or coordinates positive identification of bodies through visual personal identification affidavit, x-ray, dental records, descriptive evidence and fingerprint records;
• Investigates deaths as required for cremation clearance;
• Identifies immediate life-threatening conditions and takes/coordinates action to remove hazards;
• Draws blood samples and obtains biological exemplars for evidentiary purposes at the direction of police agencies, courts or its authorized agents for DWI cases and non-testimonial evidence;
• Testifies in court; provides expert witness;
• Provides information to family and authorized others as to cause of death, manner and circumstance, thus providing preventative counseling, understanding and education;
• Independently identifies scope and need for follow up investigation;
• Carries out related investigations and interviews as assigned;
• Acts as a representative from the office of the Chief Medical Examiner, as directed, in matters of public education and professional liaison;
• Recommends release of bodies or the need for autopsies based on preliminary investigation;
• Prepares detailed reports and keeps records regarding investigations.

Requirements:

ROLE REQUIREMENTS:

• Possession of a Physician's Assistant Registration Certificate issued by New York State,
• One (1) year of experience as a Physician's Assistant certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician's Assistants or otherwise certified experience.

This role is a Provisional Appointment

• A provisional appointment, which occurs only in the competitive class, is a temporary appointment to a position for which no eligible list exists or for which an eligible list exists with fewer than three candidates who are willing to accept the position. In order to become permanent, the employee who is provisionally appointed must take the next examination for the position in question. The appointment to the position is then made from among the three highest scoring passing candidates who indicate their willingness to accept the position. Civil Service law does not compel the appointing authority to choose the provisional employee should he or she be one of the three candidates.

ADDITIONAL POSITION DETAILS:

• Thorough knowledge of modern forensic investigative methods & procedures
• Good knowledge of what constitutes and how to safeguard evidence
• Ability to observe, record and analyze facts and to prepare thorough, accurate reports based on those facts
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with physicians, hospital personnel, law enforcement and other governmental agencies and the general public
• Ability to deal sympathetically and objectively with people under stress
• Good judgment
• Tact
• Persistence
• Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position

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