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Forensic Science Technicians

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

Collect, identify, classify, and analyze physical evidence related to criminal investigations. Perform tests on weapons or substances, such as fiber, hair, and tissue to determine significance to investigation. May testify as expert witnesses on evidence or crime laboratory techniques. May serve as specialists in area of expertise, such as ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, or biochemistry.

Related: Coroners Detectives & Criminal Investigators Digital Forensics Analysts Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technicians Police Identification & Records Officers

Industries: Government

Summary
Details

Measure and sketch crime scenes to document evidence.
Visit morgues, examine scenes of crimes, or contact other sources to obtain evidence or information to be used in investigations.
Examine physical evidence, such as hair, biological fluids, fiber, wood, or soil residues to obtain information about its source and composition.
Reconstruct crime scenes to determine relationships among pieces of evidence.
Train new technicians or other personnel on forensic science techniques.
Analyze data from computers or other digital media sources for evidence related to criminal activity.
Keep records and prepare reports detailing findings, investigative methods, and laboratory techniques.
Use photographic or video equipment to document evidence or crime scenes.
Use chemicals or other substances to examine latent fingerprint evidence and compare developed prints to those of known persons in databases.
Identify and quantify drugs or poisons found in biological fluids or tissues, in foods, or at crime scenes.
Collect impressions of dust from surfaces to obtain and identify fingerprints.
Examine and analyze blood stain patterns at crime scenes.
Confer with ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, documents, electronics, medical, chemical, or metallurgical experts concerning evidence and its interpretation.
Confer with ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, documents, electronics, medical, chemical, or metallurgical experts concerning evidence and its interpretation.
Prepare solutions, reagents, or sample formulations needed for laboratory work.
Examine physical evidence, such as hair, biological fluids, fiber, wood, or soil residues to obtain information about its source and composition.
Interpret laboratory findings or test results to identify and classify substances, materials, or other evidence collected at crime scenes.
Measure and sketch crime scenes to document evidence.
Review forensic analysts' reports for technical merit.
Examine firearms to determine mechanical condition and legal status, performing restoration work on damaged firearms to obtain information, such as serial numbers.
Measure and sketch crime scenes to document evidence.
Operate and maintain laboratory equipment and apparatus.
Operate and maintain laboratory equipment and apparatus.
Determine types of bullets and specific weapons used in shootings.
Identify and quantify drugs or poisons found in biological fluids or tissues, in foods, or at crime scenes.
Collect evidence from crime scenes, storing it in conditions that preserve its integrity.
Keep records and prepare reports detailing findings, investigative methods, and laboratory techniques.
Testify in court about investigative or analytical methods or findings.
Analyze gunshot residue and bullet paths to determine how shootings occurred.
Examine footwear, tire tracks, or other types of impressions.
Reconstruct crime scenes to determine relationships among pieces of evidence.
Compare objects, such as tools, with impression marks to determine whether a specific object is responsible for a specific mark.
Review forensic analysts' reports for technical merit.

Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.

Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Chemistry
- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

1 to 12 months on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

77650/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

37.33/hr

Currently Employed

470

Yearly Projected Openings

Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out. They do well at jobs that need:

Stress Tolerance
Self-Control
Intellectual Curiosity
Cautiousness
Integrity
Attention to Detail

Alcohol analyzers
Benchtop centrifuges
Binocular light compound microscopes
Biological evidence collection kits
Biometric identification equipment
Camera lens
Desktop computers
Digital camcorders or video cameras
Digital cameras
Direction finding compasses
Distance meters
Endoscopic hemostatic balloons or needles or tubes or accessories
Fabric or netting for entomology
Fingerprint applicators or brushes
Fingerprint latent print kits
Flags or accessories
Footprint lifters
Footwear covers
Forensic chemical workstations
Gas generators
Goggles
Handheld thermometer
Hazardous material protective apparel
Identification markers
Infrared lamps
Inspection mirror
Laboratory balances
Laboratory hotplates
Laboratory insect containers
Laboratory mixers
Laboratory scalpels
Laboratory scissors
Laboratory sifting equipment
Laboratory spatulas
Laboratory tools
Laboratory washing machines
Lasers
Magnifiers
Measuring wheels for distance
Metal detectors
Microscope slides
Minivans or vans
Narcotic test kits
Nitrogen or nitrate or nitrite analyzer
Notebook computers
Personal computers
Portable data input terminals
Postmortem fingerprint or impression materials
Power saws
Protective gloves
Protractors
Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories
Rulers
Safety glasses
Sexual assault determination kits
Shovels
Spades
Specimen collection container
Spectrophotometers
Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
Still cameras
Surgical isolation or surgical masks
Tape measures
Temperature cycling chambers or thermal cyclers
Two way radios
Ultraviolet UV lamps
Utility knives

Analytical or scientific software
Computer aided design CAD software
Data base user interface and query software
Electronic mail software
Graphics or photo imaging software
Internet browser software
Office suite software
Operating system software
Presentation software
Process mapping and design software
Spreadsheet software
Word processing software

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Forensic Science Technicians

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