Fire Investigator II

Fire Investigator

Become part of the King County Sheriff's Office Fire Investigator team!

On average we investigate over 400 accidental and criminal fires

Working with us provides the broadest range of fire investigations allowing you to experience variety every day and hone your skills to be a leader in the industry.

Job Duties

As a Fire Investigator, you will be doing full-cycle fire investigations which include :

Investigating the origin and cause of fires

Interviewing witnesses and suspects and conducting follow-up investigations including detection, apprehension and prosecution of arson suspects

Providing expert testimony in court for both criminal and civil cases

Preparing extensive detailed written reports systematically documenting the cause of a fire (when possible) in all cases that are investigated by the FIU and preparing reports and statistics for owners, fire departments and other agencies.

Fire Investigators will conduct the fire investigation to determine the origin, cause, extent, and responsibly of the fire as required by the Revised Code of Washington. If the fire is determined to be a criminal act or if other crimes are identified during the fire investigation, the fire investigator shall, assist other agencies to include; the King County Sheriffs Office in conducting the criminal investigation. Assistance may be in the form of but not limited to, [crime scene documentation, conduct interrogations, collection of evidence, conduct the follow up investigation, attend / assist / collect evidence at the autopsy of fire victims, coordinate / conduct the arrest, and testify in court].

This position is a full-time investigator to be permanently assigned to the Fire Investigation Unit (FIU).

Fire investigators are expected to work in a wide variety of physically challenging and hazardous environments.

Fire Investigators will have opportunities to develop an area of specialization and advanced training / certification in fire / arson investigations.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

To do this job well you will need to already have :

The ability to write detailed reports, systematically documenting evidence, and investigative steps in a thorough and professional manner

High interpersonal skills in working with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds in high stress situations

Skill in handling multiple competing priorities within tight timelines; agility in addressing urgent matters

Basic skill in using MS Word, Excel and current database software; must be comfortable and proficient with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work

Additionally, you will need to already have or be able to quickly learn and apply :

Principles and techniques of fire and / or arson investigations

Demonstrated / documented history of law enforcement and criminal investigations.

Fire investigation principles, methodologies and techniques; principles of fire science and fire behavior; laws and legal ramifications of fire and criminal investigations; fire and building codes including : National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 921 - Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations and NFPA 1033 Standard for Professional Fire Investigator

We highly encourage your application if you have :

A law enforcement commission with significant (non-fire) investigation experience

Experience performing fire investigations

A fire investigator certification recognized by the State of Washington (IFSAC, IAAI, NAFI)

Necessary Special Requirements :

Candidate must have a Washington State driver's license or be able to obtain one

Candidate must successfully complete the approved Law Enforcement and Fire Investigation Training.

The ability to work irregular hours which may include evenings and weekends, in the outdoors under unfavorable weather and site conditions

The ability to handle strenuous physical tasks such as digging, lifting and climbing

The ability to handle physical and emotional stresses including investigations with victim suffering and / or serious / fatal injuries

Required to Apply : Online application

Cover letter, expressing your background and experience, specifically your investigation experience. If you do not include this information, your application will not be considered.

Supplemental Information

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference?

Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play. Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.