Communications Specialist

About the role

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner investigates cases of persons who die within New York City from criminal violence, by accident, by suicide, suddenly when in apparent health, when unattended by a physician, in a correctional facility or in any suspicious or unusual manner or where an application is made pursuant to law for a permit to cremate a body of a person. The core values of CARES guide our work for communities and inform our behavior toward each other and all those we serve: Commitment, Accountability, Resilience, Excellence, and Service.

Duties

Under the general direction of the Assistant Director of Communication Operations and specifically under the supervision of a Communications Supervisor, incumbent will receive and facilitate both the screening and assignment of reported deaths and the triage and deployment of all other incoming calls, as appropriate.

• Answer telephones and obtain vital information from law enforcement agencies, various medical facilities, funeral homes, hospital nursing homes, and the public
• Accurately enter data into OCME's "Case Intake" computerized database system
• Notify Medicolegal Investigators of their assigned cases and all pertinent information necessary to investigate that case
• Provide all pertinent information necessary to the Medical Examiner Transport Team to recover assigned cases
• Provide all pertinent information necessary to agency staff to support high profile and/or emergency operations
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; or
• An associate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of satisfactory, full-time experience responding to inquiries utilizing computers, databases and information technology systems for researching the answers to questions in a customer service, help desk or public information capacity; or
• A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and four years of satisfactory, full-time experience as described above; or
• A satisfactory combination of education and experience. Satisfactory, full-time experience working for a New York City government agency responding to inquiries utilizing computers, databases and information technology systems for researching the answers to questions in a customer service, help desk or public information capacity may be substituted on the basis of one year of NYC government work experience for two years of the experience described above. College credit may be substituted for the experience in a customer service, help desk or public information capacity on the basis of 30 semester credits for each year of the experience described above. However, all candidates must possess a four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent.

Assignment Levels

• To be eligible for assignment to Assignment Level II, candidates must have, in addition to meeting the above Qualification Requirements, one more year of the satisfactory full-time experience described above
• To be eligible for assignment to Assignment Level III, candidates must have, in addition to meeting the Qualification Requirements for Assignment Level I, two more years of the satisfactory full-time experience described above

Additional information

• Selected candidates will be required to provide a DNA sample by swabbing
• This position has been identified as essential. During emergency events, essential positions may require 24-hour availability
• Authorization to work in the United States is required. OCME does not provide sponsorship for international employees for visa applications, extensions, or status changes, including STEM/OPT visas
• This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program
• As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs
• New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County

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