Investigator I - Animal Welfare Officer

Summary Statement

This position is for an animal welfare officer with the Office of Animal Welfare. The AWO will enforce laws related to dog control, animal cruelty, and rabies control throughout the state to ensure animal protection and public safety. Duties include: animal capture, rescue, care, and transportation; enforcing laws and issuing citations; providing animal welfare information and education to pet owners; conducting investigations; assisting during disasters and emergencies.

Essential Functions

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class. Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, employees can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.

• Conducts investigations of alleged or probable violations or compliance issues by identifying, obtaining, verifying, and analyzing relevant information or evidence.
• Collects, controls, and evaluates evidence such as physical, financial, background, and other records, documents and items.
• Formulates questions and conducts interviews to obtain information and ascertain facts from witnesses, complainants, victims or other parties.
• Interprets, explains and ensures compliance with applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
• Makes judgments after evaluating all available facts and recommends appropriate action to authorities, commissions, or technical supervisors, and may take enforcement action as necessary.
• Uses commercial and proprietary automated information systems, computer software, and the internet to research, document, verify and report on investigative/intelligence data and related information.
• Documents details of all calls, emails, inquiries, interviews, and other interactions during the investigation and may be assigned to respond to hotlines.
• Prepares and submits investigative reports that clearly and accurately document findings, supporting facts, and action taken.
• Testifies and presents evidence before boards, commissions, administrative bodies, or courts.
• Delivers excellent customer service to internal and external customers and the public in person, electronically, or by written communication.
• Communicates and interacts effectively with people across cultures, ranges of ability, genders, ethnicities, ages, and races.
• May conduct surveillance, undercover investigations, and on-site inspections on assigned cases; and may make arrests or obtain search warrants pertaining to an investigation.
• May make recommendations to subpoena information.

Job Requirements

Office of Animal Welfare only:

JOB REQUIREMENTS for Investigator I

Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:

1. Coursework, training, and/or work experience in conducting investigations which may include conducting interviews to obtain confidential information, gathering evidence, and documenting findings.
2. Six months' experience in data collection such as collecting, compiling and maintaining data from multiple sources such as files, records, databases, customers, staff or others.

OR

1. Possession of an Associate’s degree or higher in Biology, Environment, Conservation, Veterinary Technician or related field.