The Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) is the state agency responsible for providing legal representation and other services to people accused or convicted of a crime who cannot afford to hire an attorney.

Our MissionAdvocating. Fighting. Helping.
Our VisionA Fair Justice System.
Our ValuesCompassion. Dignity. Equity. Integrity. Service. Community.

We are committed to building a work environment where all team members have a voice and can embrace our differences to innovate service to the public in our pursuit of fairness and justice for all people.

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The Office of the Ohio Public Defender is seeking a qualified Criminal Investigator 1 to serve in the Athens County Office of our Trial Services Division. You will conduct criminal fact investigations in of possible non-capital felonies and misdemeanors and assist in preparing and presenting cases at all levels of litigation including trials in Municipal, Juvenile, & Common Pleas Courts. The Trial Services Division provides client-centered representation to indigent clients facing criminal charges across the counties in Ohio. You will travel regularly throughout Athens County, and will spend time in the community, in jails, and in courthouses. The office has four staff attorneys, four core support staff, one supervising attorney, a social work assistant, and one investigator. You will report to the Office Director.

Successful candidates will have passion for working with a large team and assisting people who are facing the challenges of poverty. The preferred candidate will have professional or volunteer experience helping to pursue a fair justice system.

Essential functions of the position include but aren’t limited to:

• Investigate the facts and circumstances of the alleged offense
• Interview clients
• Review case materials
• Using a variety of tools, locate, contact, and interview witnesses in the field
• Locate, contact, and interview other suspects and family members as needed
• Gather physical and documentary evidence
• Prepare and complete reports of interviews, findings, and timelines for use in trial
• Gather documentation to support the testimony of expert and lay witnesses
• View and diagram crime scenes
• Assist in identifying records to put into evidence
• Travel throughout Ohio and outside the state as necessary to locate and interview potential witnesses
• Serve as a liaison to clients’ families, law enforcement, various defense witnesses, and attorneys to transmit information
• Meet regularly with others on defense team to provide updates on investigation and to collaborate with team members
• Assist with mail, court runs, or filings

The Criminal Investigator 1 position is assigned to the State of Ohio’s OCSEA Pay Range 30, presented below in table format. Starting pay will be at Step 1 unless required by contract/legislation; candidates with exceptional qualifications may be considered for higher starting pay. Our steps give a standard path for earnings growth: you move to the next step after 180 days and annually thereafter. We typically have fiscal year Cost of Living Adjustments as well.

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact us at 614-466-5394 or HCM@opd.ohio.gov

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems ( such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation ( Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

12 mos. trg. or 12 mos. exp. in conducting investigations of complaints or possible violations of laws & rules or agency/company policies & procedures.

-Or completion of associate degree program core coursework in law enforcement. Note: Positions in Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation may require use of proficiency demonstrations to determine Minimum Class Qualifications For Employment.

-Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications For Employment noted above.

Job Skills: Investigation; Adaptability; Analyzation; Customer Focus; Interpreting Data; Teamwork

Intentional omission of relevant information, falsification, or misrepresentation of information on the application will disqualify the applicant. In addition, such intentional acts are grounds for immediate termination of an employee. Final candidates selected for this position will be required to undergo a background check. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration. Final candidates selected for this position will be required to undergo a drug test. An applicant with a positive test result will not be offered employment.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.