CPRI Membership

Open Positions in VA

• Investigator(s)/Researchers(s) for the following sections: Western, Eastern, Southern and Central VA
• Hydrologist (VA Beach Area)
• Meterologist for entire state
• Structural Engineer (VA Beach)
• Psychologist(s) (all areas)

Open Positions in the U.S.

• State Directors (for all U.S. states except VA)

CPRI, Inc. is currently looking to expand into other states in the U.S. Below are the qualifications. Please note in addition to these qualifications you must also meet the regular "investigator" qualifications listed on this page.

The Center for Paranormal Research and Investigation is always looking to expand into new states and locations beyond the Commonwealth of Virginia, where we made our start. We recognize there is a vast wealth of untapped resources outside of Virginia and a great many visitors to our site who both enjoy reading about our investigations and keeping up-to-date on our latest research topics. CPRI has been described as the most professional investigative and scientific research facility outside of a traditional university setting. We take great pride in that description and look to expand upon this image and be not just one of the leaders in scientific paranormal research and investigation, but to continue to raise the bar for protocols used in the field.

All applicants for CPRI Directorship of a state MUST have all of the following:

1) Must posses a strong, established scientific or investigative background.

CPRI stands in a very select group of organizations as each of our members have backgrounds in science or various law enforcement investigative areas. Other groups utilize "Average Joe's" to conduct their investigations. These people do have a legitimate yearning to understand paranormal issues, but often times they lack the necessary background to properly understand the science beyond and behind the investigation. A patient in a hospital doesn't want an auto mechanic performing surgery on them, they want a surgeon. CPRI is serious about the investigation and research we conduct, and offer only professionals to conduct all our operations.

2) Must be willing to sacrifice a good amount of free-time.

As any head of an organization will tell you, running a complex operation can soak up your time and energy, and we promise you this will be the case. All potential directors will need to be the "nexus" of their respective state, fielding a great many questions from the public, requests for investigations and organizing the day-to-day operations for their state. This requirement will lessen over time and as a internal staff is put into place, but the demand upon your time will be extreme.

3) Must be professional and have a serious demeanor.

The most important resource CPRI has at its disposal is our reputation. The feedback we receive from our clients and the professional manner in which we address each issue is of the utmost importance to us. We're serious about what we do and how we conduct ourselves. You will never see a member of our investigation staff in ripped jeans and a t-shirt. Never will you see us joking around while on an investigation. We don't want goofballs or people who have what we call the "Halloween-time interest" in the paranormal. If that is what you are looking for, we can refer you to any of 400 orb-head groups out there.

4) Must be willing to adhere to all standards and protocols.

CPRI has an established set of protocols which we take with us into the field and put into utilization while on an investigation. These set of protocols are constantly being improved upon and new standards being introduced. It will be required that the Regional Director for other states demand these set of protocols be followed on all their investigations and help their teams by encouraging them to improve on the status quo whenever possible.

If you fit the description for any of these positions please contact Tommy Amos, Chair of the Membership Committee at tommy@virginiaghosts.com

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Qualifications for CPRI, Inc. Investigators

CPRI, Inc. is always looking for particular skill sets in potential field investigators to assist in explaining a range of possibilities for unusual, potentially paranormal events, or to aide in cataloguing such information that cannot be conventionally quantified.

Thousands, if not tens of thousands of people across the United States have an interest in the paranormal. While having an interest (even a very strong interest) in the paranormal is always a great way to start, CPRI, Inc., expects and indeed requires more from our members than simply having an interest in the paranromal. As a member of a CPRI, Inc. investigative team, we need more than objective “eyes and ears”; we need members with particular skill sets, educations, or disciplinary/professional backgrounds and expertise that can assist us in preparing for, conducting, and interpreting the results of CPRI, Inc. investigations.

At present, CPRI, Inc. has members with backgrounds and active careers in physics, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences, active law enforcement, crime scene investigations, electricians, architects, behavioral psychologists, historical researchers, as well medical field experts. This diverse assemblage of dedicated investigators is a key reason for why the CPRI, Inc. stands out above so many other paranormalinvestigative groups, both locally and nationally. While we are not professional (paid) paranormal investigators with degrees in parapsychology, we are also NOT a “ghost enthusiast” society with members who interact through email or bulletin boards for the express purpose of sharing stories and desires to visit allegedly haunted sites for a thrill. The truth is that most of the locations we investigate are private homes or businesses. The clientele who ask for our assistance want to be assured that those CPRI, Inc. investigators that enter their homes and businesses have real expertise in their fields and can provide intelligent and articulate possible explanations for what they have witnessed that are based on scientific principals and data collection methods, rather than “guess work.”

What we do is by no means glamorous. We do not have high-end and ultra expensive communications headsets and infrared goggles (yet) nor try to impress our clients with high tech boxes with lights and sounds. We certainly do not run around through a home to “triangulate” the location of a portal to another dimension! In reality, the majority of what we do can be considered dull and repetitious as background investigations into events, people, and buildings typically take up the vast majority of our time. Actual on-sight CPRI, Inc. investigations comprise perhaps 10 percent of our overall operations.

What does all of this mean? There will be times when you can go through a home from top-to-bottom and get no abnormal readings or data at all. There will be times when you will work outside in the cold for hours at a stretch. There will be times (and we can promise this!) when you will have to sit through 8 hours of investigation video and audio tapes, looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack—only to find nothing remotely paranormal in nature. Perhaps most importantly (and certainly a fundamental reality about CPRI, Inc. investigations), you will observe and/or document an unusual, seemingly paranormal event, only to find a completely mundane explanation.

So, while you do not need a Ph.D. in parapsychology, “rocket science,” or be a 15 year veteran of a local police department to join CPRI, Inc., the standards we set to join our investigative team are intentionally rather lofty. Our professionalism, manner in which we approach the paranormal, and thus our reputation are extremely important to us. We approach each potential investigation and enter the homes and businesses of our clients with the utmost respect, discretion, and objectivity. Ultimately, each CPRI, Inc. investigator represents the entire group with their demonstrated demeanor and investigative skill. When experiencing a potential paranormal event, we need to observe, record, and report our findings, cross referencing as much scientific data, “context,” and background information as possible, which is why we purposefully seek out members with scientific and/or investigative backgrounds.

Now, please don't be afraid to come to us if you don't have a sheepskin parchment which states you are a doctor in "X" field. The desire to understand all aspects of the world around you is by and large the most important factor in any investigator CPRI, Inc. looks for. The ability to look at any situation without preconceived notions or concepts is VITAL. We always check our personal beliefs at the door of the home we are investigating and enter without preconceived notions and attempt to apply scientific methodology to what is presented and witnessed.

That said, here are some basic guidelines on what we look for, as well as what we try to avoid when assessing a potential member:

• 21 years of age or older
• Absence of a criminal background
• A science or law enforcement background, or any vocation which requires investigative inquiry such as prior experience with an investigative team whether paranormal or not.
• Ownership or ready access to relevant investigation “hardware” (e.g., electromagnetic detection equipments, digital and 35mm cameras) and and extensive experience with their use—especially in difficult environments
• Maturity and reliability
• Objectivity (not predisposed to accept unusual events as either paranormal or mundane)

As a CPRI, Inc. member, you will be required to:

• Take and pass the online investigative course.
• Sign and uphold confidentiality agreements on each and every investigation.
• Attend meetings (10 per year, 1 every month except for holidays).
• Attend 2 preliminary investigations under supervision.
• Attend 1 full scale investigation (assuming such is available).
• Pass a criminal background check
• Have your employment and education verified
• Sign and uphold a non-compete agreement

What we are not looking for:

• Psychics*
• People who “want to see a ghost”.
• Mystics/metaphysicists (personal belief structures not withstanding)
• Immature people who do not take direction well.
• People who think all paranormal activity must be the result of/caused by something “evil,” “God,” or “insert preconceived notion here” (this is a direct reflection of objectivity)

*While CPRI, Inc. does have several psychics or “sensitives” on staff, as noted previously, the main thrust of our investigations are scientific in nature. Thus, we are careful to not make any assertions as to the abilities or lack thereof in psychics or their role in paranormal investigations. In other words, we have not yet encountered a psychic “reading” that could reliably and credibly be checked or verified against scientific instruments.