Death Investigations Assistant

Summary

Public Health – Seattle & King County is seeking a Death Investigations Assistant to fill one (1) Career Service vacancy within our Medical Examiner's Office.

Death Investigations Assistants support the Investigations Section by accessioning and releasing decedents, processing property and evidence, triaging phone calls, collecting records, and maintaining, organizing, and stocking the morgue, processing room, vehicles, and other work areas. This position is particularly attractive to individuals who are interested in death investigation but may not yet have the required experience for investigator roles, as it provides meaningful hands‑on learning and professional development opportunities.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office (KCMEO) is a dynamic and challenging workplace responsible for investigating all sudden, unexpected, and unnatural deaths occurring within King County. We are the longest continuously accredited Medical Examiner’s office in the country and serve the 12th largest county by population. The work is fast‑paced and emotionally demanding, and staff rely on teamwork, professionalism, and mutual support to meet these challenges.

The Investigations staff are known for their longevity and experience, with approximately half having worked at KCMEO for more than ten years. Staff are highly committed to their work and to training and mentoring the next generation of professionals in this unique field. A strong team culture, including shared humor and regular potlucks, helps foster resilience and connection.

Public Health – Seattle & King County (“PHSKC”, “Public Health”, or “the department”) is the Public Health Department for King County, Washington which includes 39 cities, including the City of Seattle, and unincorporated areas. Public Health is one of the largest metropolitan health departments in the United States with over 1,600 employees. With a biennial budget of nearly $1 billion, the department serves approximately 2.3 million people of King County who reside in urban, rural, shoreline, foothill, and mountain communities with distinct environments and unique public health needs.

We operate primary care, dental, sexual and reproductive health, parent‑child health, and other health‑care‑related services throughout King County across 40 sites and mobile clinics. King County is an international port of entry, welcoming nearly 40 million visitors annually. Over 100 languages are spoken by King County residents.

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation’s history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro‑equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti‑racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities.

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The Investigations Section operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. All staff must be willing to work varied schedules. Investigations Assistants typically work during periods of higher call volume and decedent pick‑ups and are less likely to work overnight shifts. They will be required to work at least one weekend shift per week.

King County Medical Examiner’s Office located…