Deputy Coroner Trainee (Intermittent Part-Time)

Consolidated Municipality of Carson City; Carson City (NV); On-site; USD 34,000 - 69,000; Part time

Job summary

Consolidated Municipality of Carson City seeks Deputy Coroner to perform medicolegal death investigations, including scene photography, interviews, evidence handling, and documentation. Role involves on-call rotation after training and requires responding to calls 24/7 with 30-minute response time.

New hires undergo Field Training Officer instruction; pay starts at $25/hour during training and rises to $50/hour once on-call.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or higher with two years in medical or law enforcement, or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of medicolegal processes and chain-of-custody procedures.
• Strong interviewing, documentation, and scientific observation skills.
• Ability to work on-call, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Conduct medicolegal death investigations including examining bodies, photographing scenes, and collecting evidence.
• Respond to death scene calls to determine probable cause and need for autopsy.
• Prepare narrative reports and maintain accurate case records and chain of custody.

Skills

Death investigations

Interviews

Evidence handling

Record keeping

Criminal investigations

Education

Associate degree/AS

Job description

Under general direction performs death scene investigations including photography of death scenes, interviews, collection of medical documentation, notifications, safeguarding of personal property, and related duties.

Deputy Coroner new hires will be assigned to a Field Training Officer which will include standardized training protocols on how to handle death investigations involving the various manners and causes of death. During training, the new hire will respond to death scenes with Deputy Coroners which may be anytime day or night. Upon successful completion of the training program the candidate will be placed on the monthly Deputy Coroner On-Call Rotation Schedule. While training, the new hire will be compensated at an hourly pay rate of $25.00 per hour. Once the new-hire is placed on the Deputy Coroner On-Call Rotation Schedule, rate of pay will be to $50.00 per hour.

Special Note: This is an intermittent part-time position that requires employees to be on call 24/7 for a minimum of one (1) week a month and work nights, weekends, and holidays. Employees must be able to respond to calls within thirty (30) minutes. Living in or near Carson City is required, and employees must have reliable transportation. Prior professional experience dealing with death either in a medical or law enforcement capacity is preferred.

This class specification lists the major duties and requirements of the job and is not all-inclusive. Incumbent(s) may be expected to perform job-related duties other than those contained in this document and may be required to have specific job-related knowledge and skills.

• Conducts medicolegal death investigations which includes, but is not limited to, examining bodies and death scenes, taking photographs, recording observations, gathering fingerprints, interviewing witnesses, collecting and preserving evidence and personal effects, participating in aspects of the forensic medical examination process; reviewing forensic evidence; conferring with legal staff regarding case development and required forensic investigative support, and testifies in court by citing involvement in a particular case, including findings, actions performed and maintenance of chain of custody.
• Responds to calls from hospitals, nursing homes, citizens, law enforcement agencies or other sources to determine probable cause and manner of death and necessity for autopsy or further examination.
• Analyzes collected evidence and personal effects, examines, and interprets medical records, interviews family members, neighbors, medical personnel, witnesses, public agency staff and others who had contact with or knowledge of the deceased, to establish identity and history of the deceased.
• Searches for, locates, and notifies next-of-kin or responsible party to communicate circumstances of death; conducts legal and other required procedures and arranges for the subsequent examination and disposition of remains, as well as personal effects.
• Completes Record of Death and other forms as required, by writing abstract of medical history and narrative report detailing circumstances of death, findings and action taken, to be used to brief the pathologist prior to autopsy and to be included in case file.
• Schedules autopsies and medical examinations; works closely & collaborates with neighboring agencies to ensure compliance with case referral standards, including completion of all case referral forms, providing scene photos, first blood draw, and ensures chain-of-custody related to the body and other evidentiary items.
• Demonstrates flexibility and knowledge to adapt to the varying information and needs that are required on a case-by-case basis.
• Trains physicians, nurses, medical students, paramedics, law enforcement personnel, and Deputy Coroner Trainees in different aspects of death scene investigation.
• Contributes to the overall quality of the division's service provision by developing and coordinating work teams and by reviewing, recommending, and implementing improved policies and procedures.
• Prepares reports, correspondence, and a variety of written materials, prepares and maintains accurate records and documentation of activities.
• Uses standard office equipment, including a computer, in the course of the work.
• Demonstrates courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with the public and City staff and acts in a manner that promotes a harmonious and effective workplace environment.
• Complies with all policies and procedures contained in the Death Investigations Coroner’s Manual.
• Maintains absolute confidentiality of work-related issues, records, and Sheriff’s Office information.

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

Education and Experience

Associate’s degree, preferably an Associates of Science, AND two (2) years of experience in a medical occupation or law enforcement OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS

• Valid driver’s license

PREFERED LICENSE

• American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) registry certificate is preferred at time of hire or must be obtained once eligible.
• Must complete Deputy Coroner training and demonstrate competency.

Required Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge of:

• Principles of chemistry, biology, anatomy, physiology, and related physical sciences.
• Criminal investigative techniques and procedures, including protocols for handling and preserving evidence.
• Human anatomy and physiology, and postmortem changes in the body.
• External evidence of disease therapy and the associated diagnoses.
• Current methods and techniques to prevent the spread of infectious and contagious disease.
• Grief counseling techniques.
• Terms and acronyms commonly used in legal, medical, pharmacology, and diagnostic procedures.
• Able to operate a computer and standard office equipment and familiarity with information management systems and software programs used in the workplace.
• Principles and regulations related to criminal or forensic investigative and service functions.
• Procedures for the collection, identification, and storage of evidence.
• Record management principles and practices.
• Correct business English, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Techniques for dealing with a variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, in person and over the telephone, often where relations may be confrontational or strained.

Skill in:

• Recognizing aspects of human anatomy and physiology related to identification of human and non-human remains and cause of death.
• Accurately observing, recording, and recalling information.
• Exercising sound judgment and making appropriate decisions under adverse circumstances.
• Analyzing information and situations and arriving at logical conclusions.
• Exercising emotional control.
• Interacting considerately with next-of-kin, witnesses, hospital personnel and others involved in death investigations.
• Overseeing and conducting complex criminal investigations or forensic medical examination process.
• Documenting findings and writing thorough and factual narrative reports.
• Communicating verbally and in writing in a clear and concise manner.
• Establishing and maintaining effective work relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Using initiative and independent judgment within general policy guidelines.
• Using tact, discretion, and prudence in dealing with those contacted in the course of the work; dealing successfully with a variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, in person and over the telephone, often where relations may be confrontational or strained.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Under General Direction- Incumbents at this level have considerable latitude in the application of departmental policy, and they follow general guidelines or professional and administrative standards in accomplishing assignments. They are responsible for planning and organizing their own workload, but ordinarily cannot change methods of their assigned work unit, established operations, or departmental policy without supervisor approval. Supervision is minimal, indirect, and usually limited to technical oversight.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Mobility to work in a typical office setting with vision to read printed materials, hearing and speech to communicate in person or over the telephone. Ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods, often on uneven and steep outdoor terrain, ability to kneel and navigate various obstacles in cramped and unkempt environments, strength to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and stamina to tolerate and work effectively in various harsh weather conditions for extended periods of time. Ability to tolerate foul smells, dust, chemicals, toxic substances, body fluids, gross insect activity and exposure to chaotic traffic conditions.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

1. This is an on-call, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) non-exempt, at-will position. Employees in at-will positions may be discharged for any reason or no reason.

2. Continued employment is contingent upon all required licenses and certificates being maintained in active status without suspension or revocation.

3. City employees are required to stay at or return to work during emergencies to perform duties specific to this classification or to perform other duties as requested in an assigned response position. This may require working a non-traditional work schedule or working outside normal assigned duties during the incident and/or emergency.

4. Employees may be required to complete Incident Command System training as a condition of continuing employment.

5. New employees are required to submit to a background investigation and a drug screen which costs $36.50. Employment is contingent upon passing the background and the drug screen.

6. Carson City participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each applicant’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. All candidates who are offered employment with Carson City must complete Section 1 of the Form I-9 along with the required proof of their right to work in the United States and proof of their identity prior to starting employment. Please be prepared to provide required documentation as soon as possible after the job offer is made. For additional information regarding acceptable documents for this purpose, please contact Human Resources at 775.887.2103 or go to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services web page at www.uscis.gov.