Lead Medicolegal Death Investigator

Duties

Illustrative Only. Any single position in this classification will not necessarily involve all the listed duties below and other positions will involve duties which are not listed. These duties represent the essential functions needed of persons in this classification

• Manage the activities of the medical examiner’s office as prescribed by state statutes and as directed by the District Deputy State Medical Examiner, maintain records and process necessary reports relating to deaths including death notices, investigative reports, autopsies, laboratory analyses, and inventories. Prepare and maintain records, reports, and statistical data.
• Conduct investigations of deaths; take custody of body and personal effects of the deceased; assist local law enforcement to preserve evidence; obtain medical history and other information relevant to the death; contact co-workers, funeral homes, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, District Attorney’s office, relatives, and public to aid in the resolution of questionable deaths.
• Examine body and environment at the scene of a death; determine approximate time of death, cause and manner of death; participate in autopsy; use sound judgment and precautions in situations where personal health and safety may be compromised such as exposure to contagious diseases.
• Notify next of kin and relatives of death; interview witnesses and relatives; arrange for disposition of body; answer questions from family, public, and/or media.
• Assist the Deputy State Medical Examiners with training, support, assistance, and coordination of the Deputy Medical Examiners; act as a liaison between Deputy State Medical Examiner, District Attorney, State Medical Examiner’s Office, law enforcement, medical community, funeral homes, and/or families.
• Ensure chain of evidence is accurately and properly collected, recorded, and maintained.
• Testify in court as needed.
• Will be the lead Medical Death Investigator (“MDI”). Ensure all MDI’s are up to date with annual CEU’s, share CEU leaning opportunities. Act as primary death investigator for Josephine County whom all MDI’s can go to with questions.
• Other duties as assigned.

 Earn a Degree in Crime Scene Investigation, Forensic Science, or Computer Forensics

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• This position is responsible for ensuring that all other law enforcement MDIs remain up to date with their training and education requirements, as well as maintaining a support role for other MDIs should they have questions, clarifications, or concerns on any death being investigated.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• In addition to initial satisfactory completion of the State Medical Examiner’s MDI training and maintaining that certification, experience investigating deaths and / or in the medical profession, while not required, are preferred. Also not required, but recommended, is membership and certification from the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Ability to obtain Oregon Certified Medicolegal Death Investigator status within one year of hire. Must maintain said certification throughout duration of employment.

Supplemental Information

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

• Those employed in this position may be subject to pre-employment drug testing and a background investigation including but not limited to criminal background investigation. Conviction of a crime will not necessarily disqualify an individual for this classification. Must pass and maintain Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) security clearance.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This position requires working on highways, areas of illegal activity, homicide scenes, decomp exposure, day or night. Employees in this classification are at risk for exposure to communicable diseases, including blood-borne diseases. The position is impacted by the necessity of meeting timelines established by the law, uncontrollable workflow, the need to make immediate decisions regarding medical assessments, the need for extreme accuracy in giving injections and dispensing medications, and uncontrollable interruptions. The position is on-call to respond to death investigations. Investigations are conducted indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions.

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