Medicolegal Death Investigator I

Agency

Dept of Health and Human Services

Division

Public Health

Job Classification Title

Medicolegal Death Investigator I (S)

Position Number

60041559

Grade

MH13

About Us

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is one of the largest, most complex agencies in the state, and has approximately 17,000 employees. It is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians, providing human service needs for special populations including individuals who are deaf, blind, developmentally disabled, and mentally ill, and helping poor North Carolinians achieve economic independence.

Description of Work

The Medicolegal Death Investigator I position supports the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner by conducting medicolegal death investigations and facilitating communication with law enforcement, medical facilities, funeral homes, and families. The role performs death scene investigations, collects evidence from decedents, and gathers reports to support determinations of cause and manner of death. Duties include assisting with postmortem examinations, participating in decedent identification through radiography, fingerprinting, and DNA collection, and ensuring accurate documentation and chain of custody.

The Medicolegal Death Investigator I position receives and evaluates incoming death reports, determines jurisdiction, and coordinates body transport and case data entry. The employee may also support training activities and assist in emergency or mass fatality responses.


Key Duties Include:
- Conducting independent medicolegal death scene investigations and documenting findings to support cause and manner of death determinations.

- Collecting, preserving, and submitting evidence—including radiographs, fingerprints, and DNA samples—while maintaining a legally defensible chain of custody.

- Assisting with postmortem examinations by photographing remains, collecting toxicology specimens, and documenting injuries and personal effects.

- Receiving and evaluating incoming death reports, determining jurisdictional authority, and entering case data into the North Carolina medical examiner system.

- Coordinating with law enforcement, hospitals, funeral homes, and other agencies to obtain case information and ensure proper evidence handling.

- Performing forensic identification activities including radiographic imaging, fingerprinting, and skeletal analysis, and forwarding biometric data to appropriate databases.

- Managing evidence intake and release to ensure accurate documentation and compliance with investigative and legal standards.

- Supporting training programs related to medicolegal death investigation and forensic identification, including assisting interns and professional trainees.

- Conducting research on unresolved or cold cases and applying updated forensic techniques in collaboration with partner agencies.

- Participating in emergency and mass fatality response efforts by assisting with scene coordination, communication, and identification activities.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences

Salary Grade Range: $55,490.00 - $83,235.00Recruitment Range: $55,490.00 - $55,490.00

Candidates now meet the minimum qualifications of a position if they meet the minimum education and experience listed on the vacancy announcement. 

The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)/ Management Preferences are not required. Applicants who possess the following skills are preferred: 

• Proven experience conducting death scene investigations with thorough documentation, evidence collection, and accurate maintenance of chain‑of‑custody records.

• Demonstrated intermediate proficiency performing postmortem fingerprinting, radiographic imaging, and skeletal surveys for identification, including submission of biometric data to state and federal databases.

• Documented experience managing case information in electronic case‑management systems, ensuring data integrity, timely entry of investigative details, and compliance with reporting requirements in a high‑volume environment.

• Intermediate‑level skill using Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel, to prepare detailed investigative reports, track case metrics, and support inter‑agency communication and training materials.

• Established experience providing forensic training or mentorship to interns, students, or professionals, including instruction on medicolegal jurisdiction, identification techniques, and scene documentation processes.

The Posting Will Close At 11:59 P.M. The Night Before The End DateThis Position Is Designated As Mandatory And Must Report Or Stay Over During Adverse Weather EventsPhysical Requirements:

• The duties of this position require periods of sitting, viewing computer monitors, reading, and interpreting hand-written reports, and repetitive hand and wrist motion entering data.

• This position responds to active death scenes, must have the ability to withstand, and work in, all   types of weather conditions for a long period of time. 

• Ability to climb, kneel, crawl, reach, walk, stand, push, pull and lift medium to heavy weight.

About the NC Division of Public Health (DPH):
The NC Division of Public Health works to promote and contribute to the highest possible level of health for the people of North Carolina. Our entire statewide system of public health has dedicated professionals who carry out our mission every day through a wide range of essential and activities touching the lives of everyone in our state.

About the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME):
The North Carolina Medical Examiner System is a network of medical doctors and allied health professionals throughout North Carolina who voluntarily devote their time, energy, and medical expertise to see that deaths of a suspicious, unusual or unnatural nature are adequately investigated. The OCME investigates all deaths in North Carolina due to injury or violence, as well as natural deaths that are suspicious, unusual, or unattended by a medical professional.

Please visit our website for more info:  https://www.ocme.dhhs.nc.gov/
    

Campus Amenities and Benefits at the OCME

We are located in Raleigh, NC. According to Forbes, we are ranked as one of the top 20 best places to retire and the 2nd most educated city in the country. US News & World ranks Raleigh among the top 15 places to live in the U.S.

• 220,000 square feet state-of-the-art facility

• Plentiful Free Parking

• Easy access to highways (70, 40 and 440), NC Museum of Art, Umstead State Park, healthcare providers, and shopping centers

• Proximity to globally and nationally ranked universities (NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke)

• Fitness area with exercise equipment, classes, and wellness activities

• Weekly Food Trucks

• Car Cleaning and Detailing Services On-site bimonthly

• Annual Flu Shot Clinic for Employees and Families

• Monthly and quarterly career development classes, including opportunities for traveling

• Library of academic journals and materials on-site

• Employee Engagement and Staff Development Activities

• NC OCME Employee Recognition Programs

• State Health Plan and State of NC Employee Benefits

Compensation and Benefits: 

The State of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NCFlex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees. Visit the website for State Benefits.

Supplemental Contact Information: 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer that embraces an Employment First philosophy, which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws, and Executive Orders.  We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job.  For more information about DHHS:  https://www.ncdhhs.gov/. 

DHHS uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals.  Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position. 

In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order 303, our agency supports second-chance employment for individuals who were previously incarcerated or justice-involved.  We invite all potential applicants to apply for positions for which they may be qualified. 

               

Application Process 

Be sure to complete the application in its entirety.   Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application. 

• Information should be provided in the appropriate areas, to include the following: Education, including high school and all degrees obtained, Work Experience, and Certificates & Licenses. It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive candidate information. 

• Answers to Supplemental Questions are not a substitute for providing all relevant information within the body of your application. To receive credit for the supplemental questions, you must provide supporting information within the "Work Experience" section of the application to support your answers. 

• If multiple applications are submitted to an individual posting, only the most recent application received prior to the closing date will be accepted.  Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM on the closing date. 

• Applicants may be subject to a criminal background check. All candidates selected for positions considered "Positions of Trust" will be subject to a criminal background check. 

• Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account.  Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for qualified applicants. The hiring process may take several weeks. 

• Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.  Transcripts and degree evaluations may be uploaded with your application. The State of North Carolina/Office of State Human Resources uses the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as a referral resource for applicants who need to have their credentials certified as equivalent. 

• For a list of organizations that perform this specialized service, please visit the NACES membership website at https://www.naces.org/members. 

Degree/College Credit Verification 

Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. Transcripts, degree evaluations, and cover letters may be uploaded with your application. 

Veterans’ and National Guard Preference 

• Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Member-4 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications. 

• Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach an NGB 23A (RPAS), along with the state application, if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing.  

• Applicants who are former members of either the NC Army National Guard or the NC Air National Guard, with honorable discharge and six years of creditable service, must attach a copy of the DD 256 or NGB 22, along with the state application. 

ADA Accommodations 

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), DHHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, DHHS will ensure that people with disabilities, or known limitations covered by the PWFA, are provided with reasonable accommodation.  If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the person indicated below. 

CONTACT INFORMATION  

If there are any questions about this posting, please contact Talent Acquisition at talentacquisition@dhhs.nc.gov. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application. 

Minimum Education and Experience

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

Bachelor’s degree in science (biology, chemistry, nursing, anthropology, forensic sciences, biochemistry, or related sciences field), or criminal justice from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of medicolegal death investigation experience or specialized (e.g., unidentified decedent, etc.) experience

OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience.

EEO Statement

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.

Recruiter:

Tresha Walker

Email:

talentacquisition@dhhs.nc.gov