CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60002938

State of Florida • ARCADIA, FL

29d • Onsite

About The Position

The Child Protective Investigator investigates allegations of child abuse, neglect, abandonment, and special conditions, helping determine whether children are safe and arranging emergency placements when they cannot safely remain at home. The role requires compassionate, decisive work in a demanding, fast-paced, high-pressure environment, including information gathering through observation and interviews with children, parents, relatives, and neighbors, and coordination with law enforcement, state attorneys, child protection teams, and community resources.

Investigators must obtain Florida Child Protective Investigator certification within 12 months after obtaining provisional certification and maintain certification as a condition of employment. The position requires a valid driver license and an operational private vehicle for daily work activities. Mandatory training lasts 8–12 weeks and may be scheduled during daytime, weekend, and evening hours. The role requires night, weekend, and holiday work and is designated essential; employees may need to work during emergencies or natural disasters, before, during, and beyond normal work hours. Field work may involve hazardous conditions and substantial physical activity, including occasional 16-hour shifts.

Requirements

• One of the following qualification paths: a high school diploma or GED and four years of law enforcement experience or active military service; an associate degree or 60+ college credit hours and two years of professional work experience, law enforcement experience, or active military service; or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Military service used to meet the experience requirement must be honorable, either through honorable discharge or current service status reflecting honorable service.
• Provide an official registrar letter or unofficial transcripts showing anticipated graduation dates and credits earned for diploma or degree requirements; provide proof of a conferred degree within 30 days of hire as a condition of employment.
• Obtain Florida Child Protective Investigator Certification from the Florida Certification Board within 12 months after obtaining provisional certification and maintain certification as a condition of employment.
• Valid driver license.
• Operational private vehicle for daily work activities; provide proof of vehicle registration and appropriate insurance documentation within 30 days of hire.
• Ability to attend a mandatory 8–12-week training course, which may be scheduled during daytime, weekend, and evening hours.
• Ability to perform the listed physical agility tasks, including navigating varied terrain and stairs, assisting with evacuations and clients, repetitive movements, bending, lifting and carrying up to 30 pounds, and sitting or standing for periods without a break.
• Ability to work 16-hour shifts on occasion, remain alert while on duty, and drive a car or passenger van to transport clients during daytime and nighttime hours.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills, abilities, and responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable.
• Complete the Candidate Profile application in its entirety, including supervisor names and phone numbers for all employment periods and explanations for employment gaps.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work or a related field.
• Language proficiency may be considered based on agency needs.
• Successful completion of a pre-interview assessment or work sample may be required to be eligible for an interview.

Responsibilities

• Investigate abuse, neglect, abandonment, and special conditions involving children.
• Collect information through observation and interviews with children, parents, relatives, and neighbors.
• Assess danger threats, child vulnerabilities, and caregiver protective capacities to determine whether a child is safe.
• Arrange emergency placement for children who cannot safely remain in their homes.
• Notify the state attorney, law enforcement, and child protection teams.
• Connect families with agency and community resources.
• Conduct initial and ongoing assessments of children’s present and impending danger.
• Report indications of abuse, neglect, or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.

Benefits

• Competitive employee benefits package.
• Vehicle Insurance Allowance to help with insurance costs related to using a private vehicle for work.
• Training and opportunities for advancement and professional development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED