District Death Investigator

Agency

342 Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

District Death Investigator

Medicolegal Investigations

Refer to the date listed at the top of this posting, if available. Continuous if date is blank.

Note:

Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the posting end date above.

Continuous – no specific end date provided.

Full time

Regular

$55,800.00 annual pay with benefit package.

District 7/Southeast Oklahoma. The selected applicant will be assigned to and must reside within one of the following counties:
Latimer, Pushmataha, Choctaw, McCurtain, LeFlore, or Pittsburg.

This position is on a 7‑year pay scale, starting at $55,800.00. With positive performance reviews, employees receive incremental increases until they reach the top of the salary band after the 7‑year period. Salaries are non‑negotiable. Additional incentives are available after ABMDI certification benchmarks are met.

The selected applicant must meet the physical and mental requirements of the job. They will be subjected to violent, traumatic, unusual, and various other types of death investigations. The investigator must be a visible representative of the agency and adhere to agency policies, acting as an ambassador both on and off duty.

Key responsibilities include gathering information from law enforcement agencies, physicians, nurses, lawyers, grieving family members, and funeral directors. The job is physically demanding, requiring stamina and strength to work assigned shifts under all environmental conditions, drive safely for extended periods, endure frequent sleep deprivation, lift and move bodies (often more than 100 lbs.), and work in confined or difficult conditions during investigations and decedent removals.

The investigator will be required to investigate any death reported to OCME, assume jurisdiction over statutory deaths, conduct scene investigations, and document each death call received. Follow‑up tasks include notifying providers of patient deaths, gathering medical records, requesting EMS and law enforcement reports, and acquiring relevant labs or items to aid in decedent identification. Additional duties may be assigned by the Investigations Supervisor.

Training is required with in‑house medicolegal investigators in Tulsa, Oklahoma; the minimum training period is eight weeks. Upon completion, the investigator will serve in field duty in a solo capacity.

District 7/Southeast Oklahoma – must reside within one of the counties listed above. The Eastern Office covers 25 counties, but the agency may coordinate responses across all 77 counties. Travel outside the normal coverage area may be required.

24 hours on (waiting to be engaged) and 48 hours off, from 06:00 – 06:00 the following day. Investigators may be engaged in scene investigations at the end of a shift and are required to complete that investigation and report even after the scheduled “off” time. The role requires working nights, weekends, holidays, and inclement weather events; OCME operates 24/7/365.

Completion of college‑level report writing. Proficiency in basic computer applications is required. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, possess a valid Oklahoma Driver’s License and social security card or work visa, and pass a rigorous character and background investigation. Physical and mental stamina to perform the duties and willingness to accept inherent discomforts are mandatory. OCME does not provide moving expenses, relocation packages, or cover travel to/from the office during training.

• Experience with medical technology, emergency medical service, or prior field agency employment in a medicolegal investigative office similar to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Oklahoma.
• A degree in crime scene processing or law enforcement, with practical experience in death investigation is preferred.
• ABMDI certification is preferred or will be required within two years of employment.
• Years of related experience may substitute for education or other stated qualifications.

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.

Current active State of Oklahoma employees must apply for open positions internally through the Workday Jobs Hub.