Career - Forensic Scientist

Forensic Scientists will identify illicit drugs and analyse drugs and poisons in human tissue and body fluids, including blood alcohol results. They will examine and compare materials such as fibres, paints, cosmetics, oils, fuels, plastics, glass, metals, soils and gunshot residues and also examine human and animal biological material to be compared with victims and suspects using DNA profiling. They will conduct botanical identification of plant materials at trace levels and whole-plant identification (cannabis, for example) and conduct document examinations, both physical (such as handwriting and typewriting) and chemical (such as analysis of inks and papers). They will analyse computers and obtain data from other electronic devices such as mobile phones and examine crime scenes. They need to identify firearms and ammunition (forensic ballistics) and detect, enhance, recover and identify latent fingerprints, footprints, tool marks, shoe marks, tyre marks and tracks. They will examine fire and explosion scenes to establish the origin and cause and improve the clarity of, and analyse, audio and video recordings. They need to produce reports, appear in court and present scientific and/or opinion testimony accurately and in a manner that is readily understood by the court and present to a variety of audiences on the work of forensic scientists. They will keep in contact with, and provide advice to, police investigators, legal practitioners, scientists and pathologists across a broad range of disciplines.

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