CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60071762

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Sebring (FL); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Department of Children and Families in Sebring, FL is seeking a Child Protective Investigator to conduct investigations into abuse, neglect, and other child welfare concerns. You will collect information through interviews, assess risk and safety, and coordinate with law enforcement and legal partners to ensure immediate protection for vulnerable children.

This role requires meeting education options, certification within 12 months, and willingness to work nights, weekends, and holidays

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years law enforcement or active military service.

Responsibilities

• 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 to determine safety.
• 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, neglect and/or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.

Skills

Law enforcement

Military service

Diploma or GED

Bachelor's degree

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate degree or 60+ credit hours

Bachelor’s degree

Florida CPS Investigator Certification

Job description

CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60071762

Date: Sep 15, 2026

Requisition No:883806

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60071762

Position Number:60071762

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;
• Report indication of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.

Qualifications:

• A high school diploma or GED equivalent and four years of law enforcement experience 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
• Teacher / 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 with anticipated graduation 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 obtain a Florida Child Protective Investigator Certification from the Florida Certification Board within 12 months after obtaining provisional certification. All Investigators must maintain certification as a condition of employment. Information regarding certification can be found at: Florida Certification Board
• Valid Driver License; and
• Must possess operational private vehicle for use in the performance of daily work activities. Selected candidates are required to provide proof of vehicle registration and documentation of the appropriate insurance coverage within 30 days of hire as a condition of employment. The Department provides a Vehicle Insurance Allowance to assist with the cost of insurance coverage due to the use of private vehicle for work purposes.
• Ability to attend an 8 -12-week mandatory training course. This training could be scheduled during day, weekend, and evening hours.

Special Notes:

Language proficiency may be considered in the selection process as determined by Agency needs at the time of selection .

May require successful completion of pre-interview assessment or work sample to be eligible for interview.

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work or related field preferred.

Additional Information/Requirements

This position will require night, weekend, and holiday work . It has also been designated as an essential position . Incumbents are expected to work during emergency situations or natural disasters and may be required to work before, during and beyond normal work hours/days.

Incumbents may be exposed to possible hazardous conditions in the field.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Following policy and procedures, Managing Time, Assessing, Planning, Intervening, Evaluating, Documenting,Engaging, Teaming,taking appropriate actions related to Domestic Violence, Mental Health,and/or Substance Abuse,Establishing Effective Relationships with Colleagues,Professional Competencies.

Must be physically able and have the ability to perform the following physical agility tasks:

• ambulate in varied terrains to enter residences/locations as well as up and down stairs/stairwells
• assist with evacuation of persons served during an emergency situation
• have normal vision and hearing, including use of corrective devices
• do repetitive movements with arms, hands, neck and head
• bend, twist, turn, kneel, stoop, squat, push, pull, lift and walk extended distances
• lift and carry up to 30 pounds
• assist clients in and out of properties, vehicles and safety equipment/devices
• sit and/or stand for periods of time without a break
• work 16 hour shifts on occasion
• remain alert while on duty
• drive a vehicle (car or passenger van) to transport clients, during both daytime hours and nighttime hours

Candidate Profile (application) must be completed in its entirety.

Include supervisor names and phone numbers for all periods of employment.

Account for and explain any gaps in employment so that the hiring process is not delayed.

Experience, education, training, knowledge,skillsand/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.

It is unacceptable to use the statement “See Resume” in place of entering work history.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits.

With 12,000 employees across the state DCF promotes opportunities and training for all. Our jobs are among the most challenging, complex, and difficult in State government. They are also among the most rewarding. All employees are encouraged to take advantage of available Department opportunities for advancement and professional development.

DCF is focused on investing in its world-class workforce!

Where you will work:

Florida is the only state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. In other words, no matter where you land in Florida,you’renever more than 60 miles from a body of saltwater. Andif the beachisn’tyour scene, there are 175 state parks to explore! Meanwhile, Floridians hail from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, andwalks of life, making it an incredibly diverse melting pot that many residents and visitors to Florida love. The Sunshine State isa great placeto live and work – Come join our team!

About Department of Children and Families:

Mission : The mission of the Department of Children and Families is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Vision : We are a highly skilled workforce committed to empowering people with complex and varied needs to achieve the best outcomes for themselves and their families. In collaboration with community stakeholders, we will deliver world class and continuously improving service focused on providing the people we serve with the level and quality that we would demand and expect for our own families.

Values : A workforce that operates with integrity maintains loyalty to a code of ethics that requires the courage to take responsibility for providing the highest quality of service to the vulnerable. We are a solutions-focused learning organization built on a foundation of transparency in action and accountability of results. Both within the organization and among our stakeholders, we thrive in a culture of respect for diversity of opinion that is nurtured through open communication. High performing and committed, we are unified in our goal of excellence in achieving quality outcomes for those we serve .

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you will be requiredto repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

The position will perform all job tasksin accordance withlaws, rules, regulations, policies, and requirements applicable to state and federal laws or procedures.

We hire only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers.

Participation in the State of Florida Direct Deposit Program is required as a condition of employment per F.S. 110.113 , and enrollment must be completed within the first 30 calendar days of your appointment.

SELECTIVE SERVICE:

Male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26 th birthday or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire. For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov .

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT:

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any candidate being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment,and alsobe screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and, if applicable, Chapter 408, F.S.

Employment may beterminatedbased on the background investigation results if the candidate begins employment before the background results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Department.

Background investigations shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and national criminal records check through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies. Employees will beretainedin state and national rap back program, providing real-time arrest hit notifications.

Successful completion of a drug test is a condition of employment in the positionin accordance withSection 112.0455 F.S.

No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency . Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.

Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes,candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here . All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.

Location:

SEBRING, FL, US, 33870

Nearest Major Market: Central Florida

Nearest Secondary Market: Sebring

For assistance, call the People First Service Center at [phone] Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time. Pursuant to Florida Law, 110.211 F. S., the State of Florida is an EEO employer.