CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60048340

State of Florida • Live Oak, FL

25d • Onsite

About The Position

The Child Protective Investigator conducts investigations involving child abuse, neglect, abandonment, and special conditions to help ensure the safety of children in crisis. The role requires compassionate, detail-oriented decision-making in a demanding, high-pressure, fast-paced environment. Investigators gather information through observation and interviews, assess danger and caregiver protective capacities, arrange emergency placements when children cannot safely remain at home, and connect families with agency and community resources. The position is essential and requires night, weekend, and holiday work, including work during emergencies or natural disasters and potentially beyond normal work hours. Incumbents may be exposed to hazardous conditions in the field and must be able to perform specified physical and agility tasks.

The position is based in Live Oak, Florida. Candidates must meet one of the listed education and experience pathways, obtain and maintain Florida Child Protective Investigator Certification, hold a valid driver license, and have an operational private vehicle for work activities. A mandatory 8–12-week training course is required and may be scheduled during daytime, weekend, and evening hours.

Requirements

• Meet one of these education and experience pathways: a high school diploma or GED and four years of law enforcement experience or active military service; an associate degree or at least 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.
• For the military-service pathway, service must be honorably discharged or current service must reflect 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 when applicable.
• 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.
• Hold a valid driver license.
• Have an operational private vehicle for daily work activities and provide proof of vehicle registration and appropriate insurance documentation within 30 days of hire.
• Attend a mandatory 8–12-week training course, which may be scheduled during day, weekend, and evening hours.
• Be able to perform the listed physical agility tasks, including traversing varied terrain and stairs, assisting with evacuations and clients, repetitive movements, bending, lifting and carrying up to 30 pounds, walking extended distances, sitting or standing without a break, remaining alert, and driving a car or passenger van during daytime and nighttime hours.
• Be able to work night, weekend, and holiday schedules; work during emergencies or natural disasters; and, on occasion, work 16-hour shifts.
• Complete the Candidate Profile application in its entirety and provide verifiable work history, education, training, knowledge, skills, and abilities; account for employment gaps and provide supervisor names and phone numbers for all employment periods.
• Successfully complete required state and national criminal-history and background screening, including fingerprinting, and a drug test.
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawfully authorized alien worker.
• Meet Selective Service registration requirements when applicable.

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.
• Veterans’ Preference eligibility; certain service members may qualify for waivers of postsecondary education requirements.

Responsibilities

• Conduct investigations of abuse, neglect, abandonment, and/or 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 any child who cannot safely remain in their home.
• Notify the state attorney, law enforcement, and child protection teams.
• Provide families with service linkages to agency and community resources.
• Conduct initial and ongoing child-present and impending-danger assessments.
• Report indications of abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.
• Work during required night, weekend, and holiday periods, and during emergency situations or natural disasters.

Benefits

• The State of Florida offers a competitive total compensation package and employee benefits.
• A vehicle insurance allowance is provided to assist with insurance costs associated with using a private vehicle for work.
• Employees are encouraged to pursue Department opportunities for advancement and professional development, with training opportunities available.

What This Job Offers

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