Salary: $6,870.00 - $9,246.00 Monthly
Location : Thurston County - Tumwater, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number:Department: Attorney General's Office
Division: Ethics
Opening Date: 08/20/2026
Closing Date: 9/3/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Salary Information: The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step
DescriptionPosition and SalaryThe Attorney General's Office is recruiting for a permanent full time
AGO Senior Investigator/Analyst in the AGO Ethics Division/Executive Ethics Board. This position is located in Tumwater, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).
AGO Senior Investigator/Analyst Salary Range 66: $82,440 - $110,952The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
The AGO provides a workplace that is understanding of work-life balance and promotes advancement by offering a wide variety of professional development and growth opportunities.
Excellent benefitsWashington State offers one of the most competitive in the nation, including Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave; 11 Paid Holidays per year; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans; and Life Insurance. Beyond these traditional benefits, we offer Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave, and more. With the goal of employee health and wellness, we also offer:
- Flexible schedules and part-time/hybrid telework options;
- A Wellness Program, an Infants in the Workplace Program, and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling, webinar, and other cost-free support resources;
- Numerous employee-driven affinity groups to foster community and connection, including Bereavement, Elder Care, Parenting, POC, LGBTQ+, Veterans and more. The AGO is a place to belong and make a difference!
About the AGO Ethics DivisionThe AGO Ethics Division is a small but mighty team of four tasked with investigating and enforcing the and the rules adopted under it for statewide elected officials, and other officers and employees in the executive branch, boards and commissions, and institutions of higher education.
We're not talking about morals and values here. This unique AGO division keeps those under their jurisdiction in the state honest through investigating activities in violation of the Act, primarily:
- Use of state resources
- Property & Equipment
- State PCs & other digital devices
- Gifts
- Conflicts of interest
- Special Privilege
While the Board is an independent entity appointed by the governor, the AGO funds and supports the staff. As an AGO Ethics Division employee, you will be part of the
Duties and Essential Functions of an AGO Senior Investigator/AnalystThe Senior Digital Forensic Investigator position focuses on two main areas: full investigation life cycle management and Ethics in Public Service Act training.
Investigation Life Cycle Management
This role is unique in that rather than handing off tasks to specialists throughout the process like a typical investigator would, this position manages the full life cycle of the investigation, handling all details from end-to-end. Essential functions include:
- Evidence gathering
- Conducting forensic research and analysis
- Interviewing high profile subjects
- Documenting & presenting findings to the governor-appointed Executive Ethics Board
- Participating in settlement negations
- Assisting legal counsel in preparation for hearings
- Testifying as the subject matter expert in hearings
Ethics in Public Service Act Training
As experts in the Ethics in Public Service Act, the Senior Digital Forensic Investigator, together with the Ethics Division team, will develop and conduct training with Executive Branch state employees across the state. Essential functions include:
- Development of training curricula
- Conducting engaging and effective training presentations to large audiences, both in person and virtually
This recruitment announcement may be used to fill multiple open positions for the same classification, in addition to the position(s) listed in this announcement.
Required QualificationsBachelor's degree and ten (10) years of experience conducting investigations, which include the authority to independently plan and conduct investigations in civil or criminal cases.
ORFive (5) years' experience as an AGO Investigator/Analyst.
Additional qualifying investigative experience may substitute year for year for education.
Preferred QualificationsThe most competitive applicants will possess the following qualifications:
- Strong interpersonal skills: working successfully with all levels of staff, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills
- Emotional intelligence: reading body language, knowing when to apply pressure and when to ease off, managing emotions in difficult situations, self-awareness of personal strengths and limitations
- Excellent written & oral communication skills: summarizing complex ideas into easily understandable points (writing), presenting concise information succinctly and with authority (oral)
- De-escalations and trauma informed strategy skills
Ideal Candidate ProfileThe ideal candidates will be empathetic, poised, and professional. They will have worked as a investigator and learned the skills necessary to conduct an end-to-end investigation with confidence. They will be comfortable with high profile cases, presenting findings to Executive Board members, and functioning as a subject matter expert at hearings, while also being nimble enough to conduct training, and file a persuasive written report.
Typical successful backgrounds for this position include:
- Detectives
- Law enforcement investigators
- Private investigators
- HR investigators
- Military (Army/CID, USAF/OSI, Navy/NCIS, etc.)
- Federal detectives
- Internal investigators