Job Title
Senior Scene Investigator
Department
Health
Division/Work Unit
Medical Examiner’s Office
Bargaining Unit
CSEA
Salary
Job Group 11
Starting salary for external candidates: $64,291. (Non-Negotiable)
Employment Type
Full-Time
Appointment Type
Provisional
Provisional Appointment Notice
This position is classified within the competitive class of the New York State Civil Service system and, as such, is subject to the examination and appointment requirements prescribed by Civil Service Law. Permanent appointment will be contingent upon success in a future civil service examination and subsequent placement on the resulting eligible list. Being reachable on the eligible list does not guarantee permanent appointment. Appointments will be made in accordance with the New York State Civil Service Law, including “Rule-of-Three”.
Shift
Varying Days 06:00 AM –2:00 PM
Location
501 Kensington Ave., Buffalo, NY 14214
Distinguishing Features of the Class
This position’s work involves working in the Medical Examiner’s Office investigating the cause of deaths occurring within Erie County as outlined by NYS County Law Article 17-A and receiving and caring for human remains and their property. The incumbent investigates the death scene and confers with police investigators, family members, witnesses, physicians or others as a general part of the investigation. Incumbent is also responsible for the routine care of human corpses from time of arrival at the morgue until released. At times, will assist with higher level tasks. Supervision may be exercised over lower level technical and professional employees. Provides backup shift coverage as needed. The employee reports to the Medical Investigator – Forensic. Does related work as required.
Typical Work Activities
- May supervise and review the work of lower level technical and professional employees of scene investigation unit, including report accuracy and timeliness, equal distribution of cases, quality, accuracy and integrity of intake measurements, property removal, xrays, etc ;
- Receives telephone requests for case reporting and/or investigation;
- Investigates deaths and does a scene investigation to help determine cause and manner of death;
- Photographs the scene as appropriate and downloads photographs to computer system;
- Provides a detailed account of the body and its conditions along with a complete description of the scene;
- Obtains medical records, police reports, ambulance records and other pertinent documentation according to Medical Examiner’s direction;
- Performs follow-up activities, including reviewing medical records and writing comprehensive reports;
- May provide initial or remedial staff training;
Minimum Qualifications
A) Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science or a related field in the life sciences and 18 months of experience in completing medical, human services, criminal or related field investigations; or
B) Possession of an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, or related field in the life sciences and three (3) years of experience in completing medical, human services, criminal or related field investigations; or:
C) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B).
Special Requirements
Candidates must possess a valid New York State driver's License and have automotive transportation available for use at the time of appointment; and
Candidates must obtain American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigations (ABMDI) basic certification within two years of employment and advanced certification within six years of employment
. NOTE 1: *Your degree/credits must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee.
NOTE 2: A Masters Degree in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science or a related field in the life sciences may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
NOTE 3: Verifiable part-time experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements.
Criminal Background Check
In accordance with New York State law, a criminal background check may be conducted after a conditional offer of employment has been made. A prior conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment, unless required by law or directly related to the duties of the position. Certain positions may be subject to additional background screening based on statutory or regulatory requirements.
Remote Work Eligibility
This position is not eligible for remote work under any circumstances. The duties of this role require full-time, on-site presence.
Diversity Statement
Erie County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.
Visa Sponsorship
Erie County does not sponsor employment-based visa status for any position. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment, without the need for current or future visa sponsorship.
This notice will be posted for the period: Through and Including August 29, 2025 – September 12, 2025
PLEASE REPLY IN WRITING (RESUME/TRANSCRIPT) TO: REBECCA LANDAHL, 501 KENSINGTON AVE., BUFFALO NY 14214 OR EMAIL REBECCA.LANDAHL@ERIE.GOV
Erie County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to workplace diversity.