Entry Level Child Protective Services Jobs in Florida

Requisition No: 876729 

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60050920

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60050920 

Salary:  $50,000.08 annually / $1,923.08 bi-weekly 

Posting Closing Date: 08/21/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Child Protective Investigator

Department of Children and Families

Chiefland,  Florida

Open Competitive

This posting will be used to fill position vacancies in OPS and Career Service.

Current employees will be compensated in accordance with the DCF salary policy.

How you will make an impact:

WHEN SECONDS COUNT...A CHILD CANNOT WAIT!!!

Children in crisis need quick action from strong, compassionate individuals dedicated to ensuring their safety. This demanding and challenging career could be your opportunity to speak for those with no voice and fight to help ensure the safety of those who cannot protect themselves.  We are looking for people who are detailed-oriented, possess good decision-making skills, and can thrive in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment. When seconds count, your career decision may be the critical difference in the life of a child.

What you will do:

• Conduct investigations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and/or special conditions for children;
• Collect information through observation and interviews with the children, parents, relatives, and neighbors;
• Assess danger threats, child vulnerabilities and caregiver protective capacities in order to determine whether a child is safe;
• Arrange emergency placement for any child that cannot safely remain in their home;
• Notify state attorney, law enforcement and child protection teams;
• Provide families with service linkages to agency and community resources;
• Conduct initial/ongoing child present and impending danger assessments;
• Report indication of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.

Qualifications:

• A high school diploma or GED equivalent and four years of law enforcement experience or active military service (honorably discharged or status that current service reflects serving honorably); OR
• An associate degree or 60+ credit hours from an accredited college or university and two years of professional work experience (see examples below) or two years of law enforcement experience or active military service (honorably discharged or status that current service reflects serving honorably);

Examples of professional work experience could be, although not limited to: 

Guardian Ad Litem or similar child advocate role 

Family Support Worker  

Group Home Worker 

Teacher/Teacher's Assistant/Aide

Daycare Provider/Worker 

Therapeutic Assistant 

Behavioral Health Technician 

Family Intervention Specialist  

Home Health Aide/CNA 

Healthcare Practitioner (LPN, RN) or similar profession 

Nursing Facility Assistant  

Paramedic/EMT

Firefighter

Dispatcher

Security/Safety Officer

Emergency Management Deputy/Director or similar position

Investigator (sworn/non-sworn) for a government entity

Other welfare, education, first responder, emergency management or medical professional jobs that occur in high-paced, high-stress environments that require critical decision-making to occur.

OR

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

An official letter from the college/university registrar or unofficial transcriptions with anticipated graduation dates and credits earned must be provided for all diploma/degree requirements. 

Proof of conferred degree such as official transcripts or copy of diploma/degree must be provided within 30 days of hire as a condition of employment.

• Must obtain a Florida Child Protective Investigator Certification from the Florida Certification Board within 12 months after obtaining provisional certification. All Investigators must maintain certification as a condition of employment. Information regarding certification can be found at: Florida Certification Board
• Valid Driver License; and
• Must possess operational private vehicle for use in the performance of daily work activities. Selected candidates are required to provide proof of vehicle registration and documentation of the appropriate insurance coverage within 30 days of hire as a condition of employment.  The Department provides a Vehicle Insurance Allowance to assist with the cost of insurance coverage due to the use of private vehicle for work purposes.
• Ability to attend an 8 - 12-week mandatory training course.  This training could be scheduled during day, weekend, and evening hours.

Special Notes:

• Language proficiency may be considered in the selection process as determined by Agency needs at the time of selection.
• May require successful completion of pre-interview assessment or work sample to be eligible for interview.
• Bachelor's or master's degree in social work or related field preferred.

Additional Information/Requirements

• This position will require night, weekend, and holiday work.  It has also been designated as an essential position.  Incumbents are expected to work during emergency situations or natural disasters and may be required to work before, during and beyond normal work hours/days.
• Incumbents may be exposed to possible hazardous conditions in the field.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Following policy and procedures, Managing Time, Assessing, Planning, Intervening, Evaluating, Documenting, Engaging, Teaming, taking appropriate actions related to Domestic Violence, Mental Health, and/or Substance Abuse, Establishing Effective Relationships with Colleagues, Professional Competencies.

Must be physically able and have the ability to perform the following physical agility tasks: a.) ambulate in varied terrains to enter residences/locations as well as up and down stairs/stairwells, b.)assist with evacuation of persons served during an emergency situation, c.) have normal vision and hearing, including use of corrective devices, d.) do repetitive movements with arms, hands, neck and head, e.) bend, twist, turn, kneel, stoop, squat, push, pull, lift and walk extended distances, f.) lift and carry up to 30 pounds, g.) assist clients in and out of properties, vehicles and safety equipment/devices, h.) sit and/or stand for periods of time without a break, i.) work 16 hour shifts on occasion, j.) remain alert while on duty, k.) drive a vehicle (car or passenger van) to transport clients, during both daytime hours and nighttime hours. 

Candidate Profile (application) must be completed in its entirety.

• Include supervisor names and phone numbers for all periods of employment.
• Account for and explain any gaps in employment so that the hiring process is not delayed.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications. 
• It is unacceptable to use the statement "See Resume" in place of entering work history.
• If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287.   

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits.

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

Growth Opportunities:

With 12,000 employees across the state DCF promotes opportunities and training for all.  Our jobs are among the most challenging, complex, and difficult in State government. They are also among the most rewarding. All employees are encouraged to take advantage of available Department opportunities for advancement and professional development.

DCF is focused on investing in its world-class workforce!

Where you will work:

Florida is the only state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.  In other words, no matter where you land in Florida, you're never more than 60 miles from a body of saltwater.  And if the beach isn't your scene, there are 175 state parks to explore!  Meanwhile, Floridians hail from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and walks of life, making it an incredibly diverse melting pot that many residents and visitors to Florida love.  The Sunshine State is a great place to live and work - Come join our team!

About Department of Children and Families:

Mission:  The mission of the Department of Children and Families is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Vision:  We are a highly skilled workforce committed to empowering people with complex and varied needs to achieve the best outcomes for themselves and their families. In collaboration with community stakeholders, we will deliver world class and continuously improving service focused on providing the people we serve with the level and quality that we would demand and expect for our own families.

Values:  A workforce that operates with integrity maintains loyalty to a code of ethics that requires the courage to take responsibility for providing the highest quality of service to the vulnerable. We are a solutions-focused learning organization built on a foundation of transparency in action and accountability of results. Both within the organization and among our stakeholders, we thrive in a culture of respect for diversity of opinion that is nurtured through open communication. High performing and committed, we are unified in our goal of excellence in achieving quality outcomes for those we serve. 

To learn more please visit https://www.myflfamilies.com/.

• If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida.  Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you will be required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.
• The position will perform all job tasks in accordance with laws, rules, regulations, policies, and requirements applicable to state and federal laws or procedures.
• We hire only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers.
• Participation in the State of Florida Direct Deposit Program is required as a condition of employment per F.S. 110.113, and enrollment must be completed within the first 30 calendar days of your appointment.

SELECTIVE SERVICE:   Male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26th birthday or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS.  Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire.  For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov.

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT:  It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any candidate being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment, and also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and, if applicable, Chapter 408, F.S. 

Employment may be terminated based on the background investigation results if the candidate begins employment before the background results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Department.  

Background investigations shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and national criminal records check through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.  Employees will be retained in state and national rap back program, providing real-time arrest hit notifications.   

Successful completion of a drug test is a condition of employment in the position in accordance with Section 112.0455 F.S.

No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency.  Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may in...