Digital Forensic Investigator

State of California; California; On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) is seeking an Information Technology Specialist II to lead digital forensic investigations, analyze complex electronic data, and support attorneys and law enforcement in civil and criminal matters. You will perform forensic acquisitions, preserve evidence, and prepare detailed reports.

You will also be called to testify as an SME and travel as required to support investigations and litigation, requiring discretion and strong communication

Qualifications

• Two or more years of experience participating in criminal investigations and producing investigative reports.
• Two or more years of experience in precision note-taking and detailed report writing.
• Extensive experience performing forensic acquisitions and data analysis from mobile devices, computers, servers and databases.
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritize projects with short timelines.
• Familiar with chain-of-custody procedures and evidence handling.

Responsibilities

• Prepare standard forensic reports and maintain case files.
• Peer review of casework and provide expert testimony as SME when required.
• Travel domestically for investigations and court appearances as needed.

Skills

Criminal investigations

Forensic reporting

Note-taking

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

Associate's degree in Criminal Justice or CS

Criminal Justice or CS certification

Tools

Forensic tools

Mobile device analysis

Evidence handling

Job description

Interested in fighting healthcare fraud? Then the Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) is the place you want to be. The mission of the Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse as the State’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit involves investigating and prosecuting, both criminally and civilly, (a) healthcare providers who defraud the Medi-Cal program and (b) those who abuse or neglect elderly and dependent adults in designated facilities.

The Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse is looking for an Information Technology Specialist (ITS) II – this is an opportunity highly qualified applicants should not miss.

Under the general direction of the Information Technology Manager (ITM) I, the ITS II demonstrates leadership and ingenuity in the Information Security Engineering domain, serving as a subject matter expert and skilled practitioner of advanced digital investigations and forensic examinations. The incumbent serves as a member of a team of non-sworn Digital Forensic Investigators providing digital investigative and forensic services to attorneys and law enforcement officers. Focuses may include digital forensics, big data, cloud, Internet of Things, electronic information systems, and social media forensics. The position performs a variety of technical tasks in connection with the collection and analysis of the most complex electronic information processing systems in support of the Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse Digital Forensic Investigations (DFI). The DFI is primarily responsible for conducting advanced-level forensic examination, analysis, reconstruction of computing environments, and research specific to the collection and preservation of digital evidence in a forensically sound manner. The ITS II identifies documents, collects, processes, presents, and preserves evidence in criminal and civil investigations, pre-litigation, and litigation matters. Examples of digital evidence and electronic media include, but are not limited to: computer hard drives, external/thumb drives, servers, cellular phones, network devices, information systems, and any other devices or media that store and/or process digital information. The ITS II acts as part of a team of law enforcement personnel.
The ITS II must exercise a high degree of initiative, independence, and confidentiality during the performance of critical and routine assignments and will provide technical expertise and project management on a wide variety of complex information technology (IT) solutions. The ITS II serves as a subject matter expert (SME) and demonstrates a high level of knowledge as it pertains to digital forensic analysis; forensic best practices; data storage and management and information security, as it relates to ensuring the integrity of the forensic process. The incumbent will make optimal recommendations for management’s consideration in order to establish or improve organizational wide policies and procedures. Other duties will include but are not limited to: preparing standard forensic reports; maintaining files, peer review of casework and appearing in court in order to provide expert testimony as a SME or witness. This position requires a high level of confidentiality as information that the ITS II will have access to may be very private, privileged, or sensitive in nature. Planned and short-notice In-State and occasional Out-of-State travel is required.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Benefit Information - Please access this link for information on benefits afforded to employees who work for the State of California - https://www.calhr.ca.gov/Pages/California-State-Civil-Service-Employee-Benefits-Summary.aspx

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST II
• INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST I

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Associate's degree or certification with a concentration in Criminal Justice or Computer Science is preferred.
• Two or more years of experience participating in criminal investigations and producing investigative reports.
• Two or more years of experience in precision note-taking and detailed report writing.
• Extensive experience performing forensic acquisitions and conducting analysis of data from mobile devices, computers, servers, and databases.
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritize projects with short timelines.
• Broad experience and deep understanding of social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, etc.).
• Experience performing forensic tool validation.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the motivation to learn about unfamiliar technologies or programs.
• Familiar with and knowledge of chain-of-custody procedures when handling evidence as part of a criminal investigation.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, ability to handle work assignments with tact and diplomacy, and ability to build rapport with customers, colleagues, and others.
• Careful attention to detail and the availability to travel (planned and short-notice).