Death Investigation Specialist 1

Duties

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Under direct supervision, learns to perform various technical, administrative, and investigative tasks to assist the medical examiners in determining the manner and cause of death. The Death Investigation Specialist (DIS) respond to requests for autopsies from authorized requesters as defined by the Georgia Death Investigation Act. Communicate and coordinate with the Medical Examiners, family members, employers, witnesses, and law enforcement personnel, hospital staff, and other fields. Responds to death scenes or body location when requested. Inspects and documents by means of notes and photography the appearance and condition of the locale setting, body and other pertinent objects on or near the body. Obtain ante mortem dental and/or medical records necessary in the positive identification of human remains. Obtain pertinent past and present medical, social, family and other history from persons and sources associated with the decedent, including family, physicians, hospitals, co-workers, employers, and law enforcement agencies. Preserve the chain of custody when submitting evidence to the crime lab. Initiates and assists with necessary follow-up investigations and communications with appropriate law enforcement agencies and legal entities.
• DIS also assists the Medical Examiners with preliminary external examination of the body as appropriate with reference to identification of findings and factors related to time, place, manner, and cause of death; and with reference to routine physical characteristics documentation and identity. Obtain x-rays on decedents prior to autopsies. Eviscerate body cavities, collect biological specimens, and properly return organs to the body cavity after examination and suture and prepare bodies for release. Other duties may be required and assigned. Acts as official representative of the Medical Examiner's Office, as appropriate, to conferences with other agencies, trainings and specialized committees/boards. This is the entry/training level of the Death Investigation Specialist job series. Incumbents at this level may require additional training or experience to gain full proficiency in some or all of the job responsibilities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Have physical stamina to perform autopsies and other physical tasks, such as moving cadavers and accompanying investigators to crime scenes.
• Stand for long periods of time.
• Work with small tools.
• Cut, open, and remove organs from the body.
• Input data or text using a keyboard.
• Shift work to include weekends as scheduled.
• Report to your assigned work location in the morgue.
• Work on-call.

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

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Completion of an associate degree from an accredited college or university in mortuary science, health science, criminal justice, or a related field.
OR
• Two (2) years as a practitioner in a morgue/mortuary, medical, or criminal justice setting or a related field.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to perform heavy lifting and standing for long periods of time.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - In addition to the minimum qualifications, preference will be given to applicants with work experience in one or more of the following:

• Current GBI employees.
• Registry Certification and/or Board Certification by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.
• Licensed EMT, paramedic, registered nurse, physician's assistant.
• Prior experience in performing autopsies on adults and pediatric cases.
• Supplemental Information

CONDITION(S) OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Selected candidate must be able to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the business and work any shift assigned, which may require working nights, weekends, and/or holidays. Selected candidate must also be available to receive and respond to telephone inquiries from home, while acting in an on-call status.

The GBI reserves the right to close this job announcement once a qualified applicant pool has been identified.

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