Consumer Protection Investigative Intern

Location:14250 49th St. N., Suite 1000, Rm. 2, Clearwater, FL 33762

Schedule: 12 - 16 hours/week. In Office

Do you enjoy researching and investigating consumer complaints?  We have the ideal paid internship opportunity for you!!!

Performs temporary trainee work in providing assistance to the Consumer Protection division investigating consumer complaints and alleged violations of consumer protection laws and ordinances. The selected candidate will be a student of an educational institution who will be assigned duties and responsibilities which will relate to courses of study. The incumbent acquires no rights under the County Service by virtue of such appointment, and said appointment shall terminate immediately upon completion of the training program or completion of one thousand forty (1,040) working hours, whichever occurs first, unless an extension of such period of temporary employment is granted by the Personnel Board.

Essential Job Functions

• Assist consumers with a variety of inquiries and complaints and evaluate information to determine if violations occurred and whether action is indicated.
• Research Florida laws and county ordinances to identify potential violations.
• Originates and prepare consumer education and information programs, designs and prints advertisements for displays and events, create informational tips on scams and other consumer topics
• Conduct research and compile reports/data related to existing and proposed ordinances.
• Electronic and physical file management.

Position Specific Requirements

• Must be currently enrolled as a student or on a leave of absence from an educational institution.
• Candidate must have excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Candidate must be able to acquire knowledge of Florida State Consumer Protection laws and county ordinances.
• Candidate must be able to gather and evaluate evidence, research legal documents, and present oral and written reports in an accurate, concise, and grammatically correct manner.

Highly Desirable

• Students in criminal justice field that are familiar with Microsoft Office Suite, including PowerPoint, or communications-related fields preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to acquire knowledge of Florida State Consumer Protection laws and county ordinances.
• Ability to objectively review facts, remain objective and be flexible.
• Ability to interview, gather information, evaluate evidence, and research legal documents.
• Ability to develop and/or edit presentations using Microsoft Office Suite, including PowerPoint

Physical/Mental Demands

The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.  Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Visual ability: Sufficient to effectively operate office equipment including copier, computer, etc.; and to read and write reports, correspondence, instructions, etc.
• Hearing ability: Sufficient to hold a conversation with other individuals both in person and over a telephone; and to hear recording on transcription device.
• Speaking ability: sufficient to communicate effectively with other individuals in person and over a telephone.
• Mental acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Talking:  Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in a relatively safe, secure, and stable work environment.