Job Duties
The Virginia OCME is a statewide medical examiner system with four regional district offices. The Tidewater District of the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is seeking a Medicolegal Death Investigator to join our team.
**This is a state-only recruitment**
This is a restricted position, which is solely funded by the Highway Safety Grant for a one-year period ending 9/30/26. The availability of funding is scheduled for review before the grant expiration date and periodically thereafter. Continued employment is contingent on the continued availability of funds.
The Medicolegal Death Investigator I position is responsible for investigating deaths that fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Duties include handling phone calls reporting deaths, responding to death scenes, data collection, real time database direct entry, preparing reports, review of medical records and other documents, handling evidence, moving remains, assisting with identification of remains, and determining necessity for autopsy or further exam at district office. Inspecting bodies and obtaining specimens for examination is required.
The Medicolegal Death Investigator II position performs the same duties as the Medicolegal Death Investigator I although under less direct supervision. A Medicolegal Death Investigator II also assists with training medicolegal death investigators, local medical examiners, per diem investigators, and forensic pathology fellows. Duties also include presenting educational lectures at Local Medical Examiner conferences and Death Investigator In-Services.
The position of Medicolegal Death Investigator II requires at least 3 years of full-time experience as a medicolegal death investigator at a Medical Examiner/Coroner office with at least 200 independent death scene investigations, as well as Registry or Board certification from the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI).
All medicolegal death investigators must obtain registry certification from the ABMDI prior to the completion of two years of employment. Registry or Board certification from the ABMDI must be maintained after two years of employment. Will also require occasional travel throughout the district and state, ability to respond to disaster events as requested, ability to traverse rocky, uphill or otherwise unstable geographic locations, ability to lift/push/pull 100 lbs-500+lbs body weights. Involves possible exposure to hazardous substances/dangerous materials. Will also require occasional travel throughout the district and state, ability to respond to disaster events as requested, ability to traverse rocky, uphill or otherwise unstable geographic locations, ability to lift/push/pull 100 lbs-500+lbs body weights. Involves possible exposure to hazardous substances/dangerous materials. This position will work varying, rotating shifts that include day, evening, overnights, weekends and holidays to maintain 24-hour coverage.
Minimum Qualifications
• Knowledge of laws and standards of medicolegal death investigation
• Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology
• Knowledge of pharmacology and/or medical terminology in forensics
• Demonstrated written communication skills and typing skills
Additional Considerations
• Experience in law enforcement or Medical Examiner/Coroner office
• Experience in death scene investigations
• Experience in applying medicolegal death investigation technique and standards
• ABMDI Registry or Board certification
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
Contact Information
Name: Az'Jalaiyah Scott
Phone: n/a
Email: ov
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter.