CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60023997

Florida; Naples (FL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Department of Children and Families seeks qualified individuals for the role of Child Protective Investigator. You will conduct investigations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and/or special conditions for children, collect information from interviews with children, families and witnesses, and assess danger to determine safety.

This demanding position requires strong decision-making in a high‑pressure environment, with opportunities to link families to services and collaborate with state

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED or associate degree with required experience.
• Bachelor’s degree with official transcripts must be provided.
• Certification requirement within 12 months after provisional certification.

Responsibilities

• Conduct investigations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and/or special conditions for children.
• Collect information through observation and interviews with children, parents, relatives, and neighbors.
• Assess danger threats and caregiver protective capacities to determine safety.
• Arrange emergency placement for any child that cannot safely remain in their home.
• Notify state attorney, law enforcement and child protection teams.
• Provide families with service linkages to agency and community resources.
• Conduct initial/ongoing child present and impending danger assessments.
• Report indications of abuse to the Florida Abuse Hotline.

Skills

Law enforcement

Military service

Decision making

High-pressure environment

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate degree or 60+ credit hours

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

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CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60023997

Date: Oct 13, 2026

The State Personnel System is an E-Verify employer. For more information click on our E-Verify Website .

Requisition No:885518

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60023997

Position Number:60023997

Salary: $50,000.08 annually / $1,923.08 bi-weekly

This posting will be used to fill position vacancies in Career Service.

Current employees will be compensated in accordance with the DCF salary policy.

How you will make an impact:

Be The One Who Shows Up!

Children in crisis need quick action from strong, compassionate individuals dedicated to ensuring their safety. This demanding and challenging career could be your opportunity to speak for those with no voice and fight to help ensure the safety of those who cannot protect themselves . We are looking for people who are detailed- oriented, possess good decision-making skills, and can thrive in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment. When seconds count, your career decision may be the critical difference in the life of a child.

What you will do

Conduct investigations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and/or special conditions for children;

Collect information through observation and interviews with the children, parents, relatives, and neighbors ;

Assess danger threats, child vulnerabilities and caregiver protective capacities in order to determine whether a child is safe;

Arrange emergency placement for any child that cannot safely remain in the ir home;

Notify state attorney, law enforcement and child protection team s;

Provide families with service linkages to agency and community resources;

Conduct initial/ongoing child present and impending danger assessments;

Reportindicationof abuse,neglectand/or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.

Qualifications

A high school diploma or GED equivalent and four years of lawenforcementexperience or active military service(honorably discharged or status that current service reflects serving honorably); OR

An associate degree or 60+ credit hours from an accredited college or university and two years of professional work experience (see examples below) or two years of law enforcement experience or active military service(honorably discharged or status that current service reflects serving honorably);

Examples of professional work experience could be, although not limited to :

• Guardian Ad Litem or similar child advocate role
• Family Support Worker
• Group Home Worker
• Teache r / Teacher's Assistant/Aide
• Therapeutic Assistant
• Family Intervention Specialist
• Home Health Aide / CNA
• Healthcare Practitioner (LPN , RN) or similar profession
• Nursing Facility Assistant
• Paramedic / EMT
• Dispatcher
• Security /Safety Officer
• Emergency Management Deputy/Director or similar position
• Investigator (sworn/non-sworn) for a government entity
• Other welfare, education , first responder , emergency management or medical professional jobs that occur in high-paced, high-stress environments that require critical decision-making to occur .

OR

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

An official letter from the college/university registrar or unofficial transcriptions withanticipatedgraduation dates and credits earned must be provided for all diploma/degree requirements.

Proof of conferred degree such as official transcripts or copy of diploma/degree must be provided within 30 days of hire as a condition of employment.

Must obtaina Florida Child Protective InvestigatorCertification from the Florida Certification Board within 12 months after obtaining provisional certification.