About the Department

The Coroner’s Investigator will assist with the daily operations of the Coroner’s Office for both Administrative and Operations functions of the office. May include duties related to assisting with examinations and transportation of decedents. This position is required to work all 40 hours during overnight shift hours and is 100% work onsite. 

This position requires availability 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.  This is an Essential Employee position.  Essential employees are obligated to report to work as scheduled or remain at work during emergencies.  Following is the Duty Statement for Essential Employees:
“Carries out essential job functions or assigned emergency duties which may involve assignments within the Coroner’s Office, deployment to a field location to participate in emergency management activities, or other duties as required during periods of emergency.  If received, emergency assignments may be performed under adverse conditions and continue for periods ranging from a few hours to several weeks”.

Position Duties

• Act in place of the Coroner, Chief Deputy Coroner and First Deputy Coroner as needed and directed when both are not available.
• Investigate and complete written narrative reports as necessary for cases and investigations assigned to include scene investigations, phone investigations.
• Update case data as needed and verify creation of electronic files for new cases.
• Update case management system as needed. 
• Issue pending death certificates in the electronic death registration system (EDRS).
• Locate and notify next of kin with death notifications including performing interviews for data collection.
• Secure records from various sources including but not limited to hospitals, primary care physicians, and specialists; may require use of issuing a subpoena. 
• Collection of evidence; photograph and log, maintaining chain of custody.
• Collection of personal effects; photograph and log, maintaining chain of custody.
• Collection of medication; photograph and log count, maintaining chain of custody.
• Coordinate the proper disposal of the medications with the District Attorney’s Office. 
• Assist in following up investigations for own cases and other investigators cases.
• Review records and reports to finalize cases and issue amendments for final death certificates.
• Review and oversee the monthly department schedule, filling of open shifts as needed. 
• Assist in the peer review process of investigators’ reports.
• Issuance of cremation authorizations for all cremation requests occurring in Chester County. 
• Arrange for the transport and cremation of unclaimed bodies and fetuses with funeral homes and/or cremation services. 
• Communicate with organ procurement team, reviewing case information with supervisor for approvals/declinations of harvest, arrange transportation and order photographs, diagnostic testing, and ME kits. 
• Assist with liaison duties as assigned to the Department of Emergency Services (DES), County hospitals, Long-term Care Facilities and Funeral Homes for training, and death certificates or investigation issues. 
• Assist in determining the needs for staffing and assist with filling, providing training, and mentoring, as necessary.
• Assist with interns, providing shadowing opportunities in the office and on scenes. 
• Testify in criminal and civil proceedings.
• Assist in obtaining and maintaining the National Accreditation of the Coroner's Office.
• Participate as a representative of the office in various task forces available. 
• Facilitate and/or provide transportation of human remains, as needed.
• Assist with collection of toxicological and microbiology specimens for testing, as needed. 
• Perform other duties, tasks and office functions as determined and assigned by the Coroner, Chief Deputy Coroner and First Deputy Coroner.
• Cover the overnight shift hours as determined and assigned by the Coroner (Sunday – Thursday 2300-0700 hours or Sunday – Wednesday 2200-0800 hours) 

• Provide back-up support for office staff to include competency of all office procedures, including but not limited to: 
  1. Receptionist or back-up receptionist duties: answer phones, make outgoing calls, direct calls, greet visitors. 
  2. Maintain databases, logs, and spreadsheets.
  3. Release personal effects to next of kin, law enforcement and funeral homes, maintaining and documenting chain of custody. 
  4. Release evidence to law enforcement, maintaining and documenting chain of custody.
  5. Communicate with Funeral Homes for jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional cases, release of remains, pending/final death certificate issuance, and cremation authorizations.
  6. Maintain spreadsheet and organize all unclaimed cremains in the evidence room.
  7. Coordinate the release of cremains to appropriate persons, maintaining and documenting chain of custody. 
  8. Coordinate the burial of Veterans and non-veteran unclaimed decedents.
  9. Maintain inventory of investigator supplies in the office, gear bag and investigator vehicles and request an order when supplies are below threshold. 
  10. Coordinate with various courier services for picking up and dropping off packages. 

Optional Duties, Tasks: If desired, cross train as an autopsy technician with duties including but not limited to:

• Scheduling exams with pathologists and autopsy facilities
• Assisting with evisceration at exams & photography 
• Documenting personal effects and evidence
• Proper chain of custody documentation
• Coordinate releasing of decedents to funeral homes
• Cleaning morgue and instruments 
• Maintain morgue and autopsy equipment
• Assist with inventory for autopsy suite
• Collect and ship toxicology and other specimens 
• Ordering additional testing such as radiology 
• Receive/review autopsy and laboratory reports
• Other duties as assigned by the Coroner or Chief Deputy Coroner

Minimum Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a major relevant to the position
• Obtain ABMDI-certification within the first 18 months of employment
• 1 Year of experience in a coroner or medical examiner office 
• Obtain and maintain certification as an investigator through the Pennsylvania Coroner’s Education Board within 6 months of start of employment 
• Must be over the age of 21, have a valid driver’s license and current insurance, required to drive county vehicle and personal vehicle for county business
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience working with the public
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently
• Ability to work any shift, sometimes on short notice, including overnights, weekends, and holidays
• Follow office standard operating procedures 

Preferred Qualifications, Skills, Knowledge & Experience:

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a major relevant to the position.
• Experience in a medical, pre-hospital, law enforcement, mortuary or funeral home setting
• D-ABMDI certification or eligible within 6 months.
• Strong knowledge of QuincyTech or other death investigation case management software
• Knowledge of County policies and procedures
• Excellent ability to establish priorities, work independently, and proceed with objectives without supervision.
• Accurate and detail-oriented
• Excellent time management and organizational skills

Other Qualifications

Relevant background checks, clearances, physicals, drug tests, and any other assessments or evaluations will be conducted after an offer of employment is given per County policy.

Computer Skills:
To perform this job successfully, an individual should have:

• Intermediate Microsoft Office skills 
• Intermediate Word skills
• Intermediate Excel skills
• Intermediate PowerPoint skills
• Intermediate Microsoft Outlook skills (Email and Calendar)
• Advanced skills to use the Internet for research purposes.

Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, bend at the waist, and talk or hear. Occasionally, the employee will need to reach or work with arms above shoulder height, kneel, stoop, crouch or squat, crawl, climb stairs, climb, or work on a ladder, twist or rotate at the waist while working. Must be able to turn, lift, or carry decedents up to 100 pounds for a distance of 150 feet, with assistance if necessary due to weight, and to drive a vehicle. On rare occasions, the employee will need to work with an uncommon level of noise. Vision adequate to drive and to read written or computer records.
Work Environment:

• Exposure to hazardous environments and various weather conditions including but not limited to waterways, roadways, harsh weather, and unsafe structures
• Exposure to blood borne pathogens, biohazardous materials and noxious odors 
• Exposure to graphic scenes, case report contents and photographs
• Ability to work in emotionally charged and sensitive circumstances, including autopsies
• Exposure to secondary trauma related stressors 

Other:

• This position requires confidentiality
• This position requires professionalism
• Must be able to remain courteous and maintain composure under stressful situations
• May deal with items that have monetary and evidentiary value
• Ability to deal with all types of personalities
• Ability to interact professionally with Law Enforcement, EMS, Next of Kin or other family and other first responders on scene
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently
• Ability to work extended hours, as required, with little to no notice
• Flexibility and ability to adapt to change
• Ability to work holidays, as needed to staff a 24/7/365 schedule 
• Must fulfill all mandatory training requirements within 3 months of hire