Death Investigator I (DI) - ECU Forensic Pathology

ECU Health

About ECU Health

ECU Health is a mission-driven, 1,708-bed academic health care system serving more than 1.4 million people in 29 eastern North Carolina counties. The not-for-profit system is comprised of 13,000 team members, nine hospitals and a physician group that encompasses over 1,100 academic and community providers practicing in over 180 primary and specialty clinics located in more than 130 locations.

The flagship ECU Health Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center, and ECU Health Maynard Childrens Hospital serve as the primary teaching hospitals for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine share a combined academic mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina through patient care, education and research.

Position Summary

As a Death Investigator, you will be required to blend the duties below of the Death Investigator with the duties below of the Medical Examiner. This position would be under the direct supervision of the Forensic Investigations Supervisor.

Death Investigator (DIs)

A death investigator, or medicolegal death investigator, investigates the circumstances of a variety of deaths, including unexplained or violent deaths, that fall under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, as outlined in General Statutes, Article 16 of Section 130A in the North Carolina General Statutes and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Guidelines. Using medical and legal knowledge, the death investigator gathers information about the case to assist the forensic pathologist in determining the cause and manner of death on cases that meet the jurisdictional requirement. The Eastern Forensic Center is the direct medical examiner for Pitt County and currently serves as the regional autopsy center for the eastern portion of North Carolina, encompassing approximately 31 counties.

Medicolegal death investigations typically include: examination of the deceased, examination of death scenes, collection and preservation of evidence, review of reports and related records, and related work as required according to established standards of practice. Investigators assure that deaths are investigated as established by General Statutes, Article 16 of Section 130A in the North Carolina General Statutes and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Guidelines, including the types of deaths that in North Carolina must be reported to a medical examiner, such as homicide, suicide, accident, trauma, disaster, violence, unknown/unnatural/suspicious circumstances, in police custody or in jail or prison, poisoning or suspicion of, public health hazard, deaths during surgical or anesthetic procedures, sudden unexpected deaths not reasonably related to known previous disease, and deaths without medical attendance. For such deaths, duties include receipt of the initial reporting call from law enforcement, EMS, medical staff or other medical examiners, obtaining the appropriate case information to include details of the circumstances of the death, documenting the necessary information in written report format, submitting reports and information directly to the medical examiner and/or forensic pathologist, performing death scene investigations to include written and photographic documentation, collection of pertinent evidence, establishing and maintaining chain of custody of the decedents belongings for later processing by forensic staff in a controlled environment, transportation of the deceased to the Eastern Regional Forensic Pathology Center for examination, interacting with families and friends of the deceased and, when necessary, gathering information to assist in making positive identification of otherwise unidentified decedents. Death investigators also ensure the accuracy of historical, medical and scene information to form the basis for official death investigation reports, which will be utilized by the forensic pathologist or medical examiner to assist them in determining cause and manner of death. Death investigators are also required to participate in after-hours on-call on a rotational basis.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelors Degree or higher in Criminal Justice/Forensics, biological science, chemistry, or medical technology.
  
• American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigator (ABMDI) certification must be obtained within 18 months of employment.

Other Information

• 40 hours per week
• Friday - Monday (9 pm - 8 am)
• Great Benefits

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General Statement

It is the goal of ECU Health and its entities to employ the most qualified individual who best matches the requirements for the vacant position.

Offers of employment are subject to successful completion of all pre-employment screenings, which may include an occupational health screening, criminal record check, education, reference, and licensure verification.

We value diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Decisions of employment are made based on business needs, job requirements and applicants qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, genetic information and testing, family and medical leave, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other status protected by law. We prohibit retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint.