Job Description

Job Description and Duties

The Department of Industrial Relations is looking for inquisitive and detailed-oriented investigators to join the Department’s legal team. This Special Investigator position is located in the Office of the Director Legal Unit (OD Legal), in the Oakland office. Special investigators in this unit support the work of attorneys by investigating workers' compensations cases involving the Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund (UEBTF), the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF), and the Death Without Dependents Fund (DWD). Investigators may also conduct investigations related to civil litigation, public works coverage issues, administrative enforcement proceedings related to employee/independent contractor classification issues (AB 5/AB 2257), and other projects that may arise in the Legal Unit.

Special Investigators conduct investigations and perform research using various online databases and resources, including Clear, Accurint, Lexis and Westlaw, among others, request and review public records, and conduct research using a variety of other resources, including by locating witnesses and conducting telephone interviews. This is not a field position; all investigative work is done from the office. Special Investigators are expected to review legal documents, conduct careful and thorough investigations in order to find relevant evidence and background information; locate and interview potential witnesses; gather documentary evidence; and prepare correspondence, subpoenas, discovery forms, and other simple legal pleadings. For each investigation, Special Investigators prepare a full written report. The ability to write lengthy, well-organized and well-written reports, summarizing and analyzing complex information, coming to conclusions and making recommendations, is required for this position.

This posting may be used to fill future vacancies in accordance with 2 CCR §249.3

To be considered for this Special Investigator job opportunity, applicants must be either reachable on an employment list, have transfer eligibility or have reinstatement eligibility. To take the exam and gain employment list eligibility, please click here to access the exam bulletin: 
Effective July 1, 2025, specific Bargaining Units and associated Excluded State employees are subject to a salary reduction between 2% - 4.62% in exchange for hours in the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) per month. For more details, please click  her e  to visit the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) website. 

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

This position is located at:
Department of Industrial Relations, Office of the Director-Legal Unit
1515 Clay Street, Suite 701, Oakland, CA 94612.

This is a full-time position headquartered in the Office of the Director Legal Unit, located in an office environment in the 22-story State office building located at 1515 Clay Street, Oakland, California.  This unit is currently located on the 7th floor.  Employees in this position have their own offices, work at desks, and are required to work extensively on computers as necessary for the drafting of letters and other documents, and for research, email communication, file review, training and other purposes.  Employees who telework part-time may be required to share their offices.

Special Requirements

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must be submitted with your application. The SOQ will serve as documentation of your ability to present written information clearly and concisely. The SOQ must be typed, double spaced, in Arial 12 pt. font, and be no more than two pages in length. Please notate “Statement of Qualifications” and your name in the upper left corner. A resume will not be accepted as an alternative to the SOQ. Applications submitted without an SOQ will not be considered. 

1. Describe a time when you effectively used investigative strategies to reach well supported findings in an investigation.

1. What systems do you use or what habits do you rely on when managing a large volume of tasks?

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Ability to work efficiently and effectively under pressure, manage multiple projects, and thrive under deadlines.
• Ability to write in a clear, direct, organized and professional manner.  
• Ability to gather, analyze, evaluate, and prepare facts and evidence, then document these findings in investigative reports.  
• Ability to be self-motivated, to motivate others, to set and achieve goals, to prioritize casework and to operate with a high degree of independence.
• Experience analyzing cases, files, facts, law, and documents, to research facts and/or applicable law or standards, to analyze the results of the research, and to provide written and oral summaries and analysis of the research to the attorney.
• Experience working in a legal office analyzing and preparing legal documents.  
• Experience interpreting and applying laws, rules, and regulations.
• Experience interviewing witnesses.
• Experience doing internet research to obtain public records.
• Proficiency in Word and other Microsoft applications.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Our building is located in downtown Oakland, approximately two blocks from the 12th Street Oakland City Center BART station. Benefits include a public transit voucher to support employee use of BART or other public transit systems.  

• The Oakland City Center area has many fun restaurants for lunch explorations; on Fridays, there is a farmers’ market within walking distance in the Old Oakland/Swan’s Market area.  
• Although this is a full-time, 40 hours per week, position, there is some flexibility as to individual work schedules, (e.g., arriving earlier and leaving earlier), depending on the needs of the office.  
• Partial telework schedules are available
• There is a day care center in the building (whether there are current openings is unknown; those interested would need to inquire).  
• Secure bike parking is available in the building garage with an incentive program for those who bicycle to work.

Additional Information

Preference will be given to persons with State Restriction of Appointments (SROA) or Surplus status. Applicants must attach a copy of their most recently dated letter that specifies their designation as either SROA or surplus candidate as proof.

Qualified candidates must have eligibility in State employment, be in a reachable rank on an employment list for this classification, be currently in this classification, or have transfer eligibility to this classification

If you do not hear from us in 4-6 weeks, you may assume the position has been filled by another applicant. Please note that all additional vacancies that become available may be added to this advertisement.

Please note that the Exam and Certification Online System (ECOS) does not allow you to resubmit your application once you withdraw it. If you have any updates to your online application, please contact the Personnel, Recruitment, & Hiring Unit at (800) 564-0771.

Please let us know how you heard about our position by taking this brief survey: DIR Applicant Survey

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  Please see Special requirements section of the posting for instructions on the Statement of Qualifications.

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