Criminal Investigator - Lima, OH

Job Description - Criminal Investigator 1 - Lima, OH )

Criminal Investigator 1 - Lima, OH )

Public Defender Commission

Agency Contact Name and Information :
Josh Barton, joshua.bartono.gov

Feb 23, 2026, 4:59:00 AM

United States of America-OHIO-Allen County-Lima

Compensation : $53,602 - $69,772

Full-time

Union : OCSEA

Technical Skills :
Investigation

Professional Skills :
Analyzation, Attention to Detail, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Organizing and Planning

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) is the state agency responsible for providing legal representation and other services to people accused or convicted of a crime who cannot afford to hire an attorney.

Our Mission :
Advocating. Fighting. Helping.

Our Vision : A Fair Justice System.

Our Values :
Compassion. Dignity. Equity. Integrity. Service. Community.

We are committed to building a work environment where all team members have a voice and can embrace our differences to innovate service to the public in our pursuit of fairness and justice for all people.

Follow OPD on Facebook, Linked In, Instagram, and Threads | Visit our Website

This position is a Special Project position funded through June 30, 2027, as part of our Northwest Regional Hub project in Lima, Ohio, serving Allen, Hardin, and Putnam Counties.

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender is seeking a qualified Criminal Investigator 1 to serve in the Northwest Regional Hub (NWRH) of our Trial Services Division. The NWRH is in Lima, OH and serves individuals in Allen County, Hardin County, and Putnam County. As a Criminal Investigator 1, you will conduct criminal fact investigations of possible non-capital felonies and misdemeanors and assist in preparing and presenting cases at all levels of litigation including trials in Municipal, Juvenile, & Common Pleas Courts.

The Trial Services Division provides client-centered representation to indigent clients facing criminal charges across the counties in Ohio. This position will conduct criminal investigations in cases in the courts of Allen, Hardin, and Putnam counties. You will be based in Lima, Ohio but will travel regularly throughout Allen, Hardin, and Putnam counties, and will spend time in the community, in jails, and in courthouses.

The office has eight staff attorneys, four core support staff, two supervising attorneys, a social work assistant, and two investigators. You will report to the Office Director.

Successful candidates will have passion for working with a large team and assisting people who are facing the challenges of poverty. The preferred candidate will have professional or volunteer experience helping to pursue a fair justice system.

• Investigate the facts and circumstances of the alleged offense
• Interview clients
• Review case materials
• Using a variety of tools, locate, contact, and interview witnesses in the field
• Locate, contact, and interview other suspects and family members as needed
• Gather physical and documentary evidence
• Prepare and complete reports of interviews, findings, and timelines for use in trial
• Gather documentation to support the testimony of expert and lay witnesses
• View and diagram crime scenes
• Assist in identifying records to put into evidence
• Travel throughout Ohio and outside the state as necessary to locate and interview potential witnesses
• Serve as a liaison to clients’ families, law enforcement, various defense witnesses, and attorneys to transmit information
• Meet regularly with others on defense team to provide updates on investigation and to collaborate with team members
• Assist with mail, court runs, or filings

The Criminal Investigator 1 Position is assigned to the State of Ohio’s OCSEA Pay Schedule, Pay Range 30, presented below in table format. Starting pay will be at Step 1 unless required by contract/legislation; candidates with exceptional qualifications may be considered for higher starting pay. Our steps give a standard path for earnings growth: you move to the next step after 180 days and annually thereafter.

We typically have fiscal year…