INVESTIGATION SPECIALIST II - 42000548

State of Florida • Fort Myers, FL

1d • $49,000 - $53,900 • Remote

About The Position

This position is with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Consumer Services, Director's Office. The headquarters for this position is negotiable within Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Manatee, and Sarasota County. The role involves conducting investigations into alleged violations of Florida's consumer protection laws, preparing reports, and working with legal counsel and other enforcement agencies.

Requirements

• A high school diploma or its equivalent and two (2) years of experience in conducting investigations, regulatory inspections or in law enforcement; or A bachelor’s degree (4 years) from an accredited college or university can substitute for the required experience.
• Requires possession of a valid Class E driver license.
• All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
• Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
• Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.
• Successful applicants must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

• Graduates utilizing education attained in the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position will not be appointed until verification of the applicable degree has been obtained.
• Foreign trained graduates utilizing a degree attained outside of the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position must be prepared to provide a copy of a credential evaluation conducted by an Approved Credential Evaluation Agency.

Responsibilities

• Conducts investigations in all program areas pursuant to the authority of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, for alleged violations of Florida’s consumer protection laws.
• Develops efficient investigative plans, interviews witnesses, and takes sworn testimony.
• Gathers documentary evidence, conducts surveillance activities, and conducts fact-finding conferences.
• Negotiates agreements to settle or conciliate complaints when necessary.
• Maintains active caseload with a moderate level of supervision and reviews newly assigned cases within 10 days.
• Conducts background investigations on licensees or registrants to determine if an individual has falsified their license or registration application.
• Prepares and submits administrative reports and serves administrative orders, notices and subpoenas to applicants, licensees and/or witnesses.
• Prepares operational plans for regulatory inspections as required.
• Evaluates evidence of investigations and prepares detailed, factual and grammatically correct reports of investigation, which includes assembling evidence for consideration by legal counsel.
• Prepares cases for prosecution, working with other enforcement agencies when necessary.
• Prepares and processes administrative and civil orders, and subpoenas where applicable.
• Assists in preparation for court or administrative presentation of cases, including making appearances to give testimony when necessary.
• Confers with members of the Department’s Legal Staff, State Attorney’s Office and Department of Legal Affairs staff as needed.
• Offers suggestions as a subject matter expert in consumer regulation.
• Travels as necessary in the performance of these duties.
• Ensures that his/her immediate supervisor is informed of all matters relevant to investigations being conducted including the status and disposition of his/her case work.
• Ensures that the next available supervisor in the chain of command is informed in the event his/her immediate supervisor is unavailable.
• Submits, in a timely manner, database entries, periodic reports of activities, expense vouchers, time and leave requests, authorizations to travel, and other related documents and reports as required.
• Performs research necessary to answer questions and assist consumers and others in a variety of subject areas.
• Reviews current literature on consumerism to stay abreast of the latest developments.
• Provides field level input to supervisors on consumer related issues and offers suggestions during efficiency reviews of current procedures.
• May coordinate and assist with training new investigators.
• Uses mentoring techniques to train and encourage newly assigned personnel.
• Addresses a variety of consumer groups in person or through the media on duties and functions of the Division and preventive consumerism.
• This position is required to assist other sections within the Division as needed and performs related work and other tasks as required by management.

Benefits

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition waivers

What This Job Offers

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