Job Posting End Date:
09-03-2025
Worker Sub-Type:
Regular
Scheduled Weekly Hours:
40
The Medical Examiner’s Office has transitioned to a physician-led system and is now fully operational in its new $14.8 million, 20,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, set in a park-like location on the Northcentral Technical College campus in Wausau, Wisconsin. Our office now features in-house forensic pathologists and modern resources designed to enhance the quality and efficiency of medicolegal death investigations.
As a Medicolegal Investigator, you will play an important role in the death investigation process, working closely with forensic pathologists, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and families. You will respond to death scenes, conduct interviews, and gather critical information to help determine the cause and manner of death. Additionally, you will be cross trained in morgue operations, including assisting with postmortem examinations. The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented, collaborative, and compassionate individual who is eager to contribute to a mission-driven team.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing, innovative office that is dedicated to serving the region with professionalism, integrity, and compassion, where your work truly makes a difference.
Position Summary:
The Medicolegal Investigator position is responsible for initiating the initial phases of death investigations. This role involves triaging and screening death notifications from hospitals, hospice agencies, nursing homes, and other facilities to determine if they meet jurisdictional requirements. Additionally, the Medicolegal Investigator responds to death scenes to investigate both natural and non-natural deaths. This includes conducting interviews with witnesses and family members, collaborating with law enforcement or other investigative agencies, obtaining medical records and necessary reports, writing detailed narrative reports regarding their investigation findings, and maintaining communication with family members and legal next-of-kin.
This is a full-time position, requiring 40 hours per week, with additional on-call responsibilities of at least one weekend per month, variable weeknights, and holiday rotation. There is a possibility of being called in outside of scheduled business hours to assist with death investigations.
Examples of Work Performed:
The following duties are typical for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive.
Administrative
- Prepare and provide cremation authorizations and disinterment permits.
- Perform office clerical functions as needed: answer phones and respond to inquiries, provide information and referrals.
- Work collaboratively and effectively with referral counties, tissue procurement entities, medical systems, educational institutions, and other departments or agencies that interface with the department.
- Assist with departmental educational offerings, training new staff members, job shadows, and autopsy observations.
- Participate in death review teams, community prevention coalitions, and other county initiatives.
Death Investigation Services
- Investigate deaths in accordance with Wisconsin State Statutes and best practice standards, including evaluating death scenes; establishing decedent positive identification; photographing the death scene and decedent; examining and preserving evidence; obtaining personal data and medical history through records and interviews; obtaining specimens and samples.
- Triage death notifications from hospitals, hospice agencies, nursing homes, and other facilities; determine which cases fall within jurisdiction.
- Formulate and execute the dignified and safe removal of decedent(s) from the death scene and coordinate transport to the Medical Examiner’s Office or funeral home.
- Prepare and present accurate, objective, and thorough reports in a timely manner.
- Provide accurate and objective court testimony.
- Manage and work closely with on-call medicolegal investigators to provide training, feedback, guidance, and assistance; respond to death scenes as requested to assist in complex, suspicious death investigations; and review and provide feedback on case reports.
- Assist the pathologist in autopsy procedures, including preparing the body and station for autopsy; weighing and measuring human remains; incising the body using surgical technique; removing organs; taking tissue and fluid samples from the body and forwarding related information and samples to laboratories for further analysis; removing the calvarium using an autopsy saw; restoring organs to the body; and suturing and cleaning the body.
- Assist with the intake and release of decedents to and from the morgue; ensure proper identity of the decedent and completion of all necessary paperwork; release personal effects to funeral homes and evidence to law enforcement, as appropriate.
- Assist with mass fatality response and pandemic management.
- Foster and maintain working relationships with outside agencies that the Medical Examiner’s Office interacts with.
- Keep up-to-date on developments, methods, and techniques in death investigation principles.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Knowledge of forensic investigation techniques, principles, and practices used in the determination of cause and manner of death and as part of criminal investigations, including but not limited to forensic photography, death scene interpretation, determining time of death, evidence preservation, and chain of custody.
- Knowledge of medical terminology and human anatomy and physiology, especially pertaining to death, disease processes, and varying forms of trauma.
- Knowledge of state and federal laws, administrative rules, and current developments for best practice standards applicable to death investigation.
- Knowledge of confidentiality practices, including HIPAA laws and Wisconsin open record statutes.
- Knowledge of occupational safety requirements and procedures, especially regarding hazardous materials and bloodborne pathogens.
- Ability to independently manage a caseload; prioritize tasks and follow through to ensure all aspects of the case are properly handled.
- Ability to prepare, present and maintain accurate, objective, and thorough case reports and records.
- Ability to handle death and dying on a daily basis, often in unpleasant circumstances; and compassionately manage working with grieving family members.
- Ability to demonstrate strong leadership skills and emotional stability in high-stress situations.
- Ability to attend to details, meet deadlines, and display excellent organizational skills.
- Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team with various community partners, referral county personnel, and related agencies/organizations while maintaining strong working relationships.
- Ability to understand organizational and county governance, environment, culture, processes, procedures, and decision-making processes.
- Ability to think critically and problem-solve.
Qualifications:
An associate degree from an accredited college/university in a medical specialization (nursing, paramedic, etc.), forensic science, criminal justice, or a related field is required. At least three years of experience working in a health care setting or law enforcement is required. Previous experience with death investigations or forensics is desired. Certification from the American Board of Medico-legal Death Investigators (ABMDI) is required within one year of hire. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Must maintain all required licenses and certifications consistent with industry standards. Maintains individual continuing education and assures compliance with licensing and certification requirements.
NECESSARY SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS: Possession of an unrestricted Wisconsin driver's license and a driving record that meets County standards. Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Physical Requirements:
- Assist in the removal of human remains, including remains in tight spaces, stairways, outdoor environments, and less than desirable conditions.
- Must be able to lift or move up to 100 pounds at times with assistance.
- Work under unsafe and uncomfortable conditions in various types of terrain and weather conditions where exposure to environmental factors, such as temperature and noise extremes, traffic hazards, toxic agents/chemicals, or disease can cause discomfort and where there is a risk of injury.
- Must be able to pass respiratory testing and wear an N95 mask or equivalent for prolonged periods of time.
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE: This position may involve occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Refer to the Marathon County Medical Examiner’s Office Exposure Control Plan for more specific information. The position also falls under the Respiratory Care Policy, which includes the use of an N95 respirator and respiratory medical clearance.
Compensation:
Annual salary: $62,816.00 - $70,345.60 plus
Marathon County Benefits.
This position will receive $2.25 per hour for on-call pay, outside of office hours.
Special Accommodations:
Marathon County will make arrangements to furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary and reasonable to afford an individual with a disability the opportunity to participate in the recruitment process. Please notify the Employee Resources Department office or phone (715) 261-1451 to request special accommodations prior to the application deadline.
Notice to Applicants:
Wisconsin Statutes, Sections 19.36 (7), 64.09 (5), and 64.11 (7) require public employers to treat the following items as a public record: Each applicant’s application, records, recommendations, and qualifications except as provided in Section 19.36 (7), Wis. Stats. that allows the identity of an applicant to remain confidential if the applicant requests in writing that the County not provide access to this information. If you choose not to have this information become a public record, you must make such a request in writing to the Employee Resources Department. If you become a finalist for the position, your identity may be disclosed as required by law
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