Investigator, Government

Summary Statement

This position is for an animal welfare officer with the Office of Animal Welfare. The AWO will enforce laws related to dog control, animal cruelty, and rabies control throughout the state to ensure animal protection and public safety.

Duties include:

animal capture, rescue, care, and transportation; enforcing laws and issuing citations; providing animal welfare information and education to pet owners; conducting investigations; assisting during disasters and emergencies. The investigator is required to drive a fleet truck to investigate calls for service and perform job responsibilities.

• Conduct investigations of alleged or probable violations or compliance issues by identifying, obtaining, verifying, and analyzing relevant information or evidence.
• Collect, control, and evaluate evidence such as physical, financial, background, and other records, documents and items.
• Formulate questions and conduct interviews to obtain information and ascertain facts from witnesses, complainants, victims or other parties.
• Interpret, explain and ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
• Make judgments after evaluating all available facts and recommend appropriate action to authorities, commissions, or technical supervisors, and may take enforcement action as necessary.
• Use commercial and proprietary automated information systems, computer software, and the internet to research, document, verify and report on investigative/intelligence data and related information.
• Document details of all calls, emails, inquiries, interviews, and other interactions during the investigation and may be assigned to respond to hotlines.
• Prepare and submit investigative reports that clearly and accurately document findings, supporting facts, and action taken.
• Testify and present evidence before boards, commissions, administrative bodies, or courts.
• Deliver excellent customer service to internal and external customers and the public in person, electronically, or by written communication.
• Communicate and interact effectively with people across cultures, ranges of ability, genders, ethnicities, ages, and races.
• May conduct surveillance, undercover investigations, and on-site inspections on assigned cases; may make arrests or obtain search warrants pertaining to an investigation.
• May make recommendations to subpoena information.

Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:

• Coursework, training, and/or work experience in conducting investigations which may include conducting interviews to obtain confidential information, gathering evidence, and documenting findings.
• Six months' experience in data collection such as collecting, compiling, and maintaining data from multiple sources such as files, records, databases, customers, staff or others.
• Possession of an Associate’s degree or higher in Biology, Environment, Conservation, Veterinary Technician or related field.
• Possession of an Associate’s degree or higher in Criminal Justice, Corrections, Law Enforcement, Legal Studies, Criminology, or a related field.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and possess a valid driver’s license (not suspended, revoked or cancelled, or disqualified from driving). A satisfactory criminal background check is required as a condition of hire. All new hires are required to report to the Statewide New Employee Orientation (SNEO) on their first day of employment.

To learn more about the comprehensive benefit package please visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process. The State of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity employer and values a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage and seek out a workforce representative of Delaware including race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.