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What jobs can I get with a forensic science degree?The field of forensics is an interesting, exciting and challenging career. You will be a little different from your other college peers, who went into the humanities or arts or social sciences. But that doesn’t mean you don’t belong; it means you can use your knowledge of science to solve real-life problems.
Forensic science careers are all about the details. Whether it’s identifying a bullet or analyzing DNA, forensic scientists use their analytical and research skills to solve crimes, find perpetrators, and bring justice to victims.
Here are some of the different jobs that you could get with a degree in forensic science:
• Crime scene investigator (CSI) – These people investigate crime scenes and collect evidence for use by other forensic scientists. They might work for local police departments or state crime labs.
• Criminalist – Criminalists use their knowledge of chemistry and biology to help police solve cases involving drugs, explosives, or other dangerous substances. They might be employed by federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI or DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration).
• Forensic pathologist – Forensic pathologists perform autopsies on dead bodies to determine cause of death. They also may testify in court cases involving murder or manslaughter charges.
• Medical examiner – Medical examiners perform autopsies on deceased people who died under suspicious circumstances such as murder or suicide attempts. They also identify bodies that have been found but not identified by relatives or friends who might have reported them missing from home at some point prior to their death
What jobs can i get with a forensic science degree
Introduction
Forensic science is one of the most popular academic disciplines in the world, and with good reason. Learning about crime scene investigation, analyzing DNA and ballistics, and examining psychological profiles sounds pretty cool to a lot of students. But what can you actually do with your forensic science degree after you graduate? The possibilities are many! From becoming a criminalist to working as a DNA analyst, these are some of the most common occupations that forensic science graduates participate in:
Criminalist
A criminalist is a professional who is trained to collect, analyze, and interpret physical evidence found at crime scenes. Criminalists work with law enforcement agencies and other government agencies to solve crimes by collecting and analyzing physical evidence from crime scenes. Criminalists can specialize in any number of areas such as arson investigation or homicide investigations.
- Work as a Lab Technician
In this type of job you will work in an office setting or laboratory examining evidence collected from crime scenes for DNA testing that can be used in court cases against criminals who have been apprehended by police officers working on their cases. This type of work may require you to use special equipment like microscopes or computers in order to properly perform your duties which include photographing evidence so that it can be preserved safely until needed later on down the road during trial hearings etcetera.”
Computer Forensics Investigator
Computer forensics investigators are responsible for recovering, analyzing and presenting digital evidence. They can be employed by the court system or private sector, among other fields.
- Court System: Computer forensics investigators work at the federal level with law enforcement to solve crimes using technology. Since they’re often needed on cases involving child pornography or terrorism, this type of job is only available to individuals with security clearances (which require background checks). The FBI hires computer forensics investigators as well as U.S. Secret Service agents and state police officers who have already been trained in this field before beginning their careers in law enforcement.
- Private Sector: Private companies hire computer forensic experts for IT security purposes such as preventing cyberattacks on businesses’ websites or networks from hackers who may want access to company information like customer data stored on servers or emails sent between employees that contain sensitive information like trade secrets about upcoming business ventures planned by competitors within an industry sector (e-commerce) where companies need protection against espionage attempts made by foreign governments through hacking activities that target critical infrastructure like power grids located within national borders because those types of threats could result in widespread damage if successful though not necessarily mean someone’s life would be put at risk due to death resulting from lack of services being provided after being offline for long enough time period which would cause economic damage caused by getting shut down indefinitely (NIST).
Crime Scene Investigator
Crime scene investigators are responsible for collecting evidence from crime scenes, analyzing the evidence and presenting their findings in court. They may also be responsible for collecting and analyzing blood samples, DNA samples and other biological materials.
Crime scene investigators work in a variety of settings including police departments, medical examiners’ offices or private companies that specialize in forensic science services. Many people who pursue a career as a crime scene investigator have at least an associate’s degree or certificate program in criminal justice or forensic science.
Medical Examiner
Forensic pathologists are medical doctors who specialize in the investigation of death. They identify the cause of death, and determine the time and manner of death. Forensic pathologists work for county or state coroner’s offices or in private practice. They work with police to investigate suspicious deaths, performing autopsies on bodies to determine if foul play was involved or not.
Toxicologist
As a toxicologist, you’ll be a specialist who studies the effects of drugs and poisons on the human body. You may be called in to help with cases involving industrial accidents, poisonings or drug overdoses. Toxicologists use blood, urine and tissue samples to test for toxins in an individual’s system. This is a highly specialized field that requires years of schooling and training.
Forensic Psychologist
Forensic psychologists are trained to work with people who have been accused of crimes. They can also help victims of crime and people who have been traumatized by crime. Forensic psychologists will usually spend time investigating whether someone committed a crime, or they may work in the courtroom testifying about a person’s mental state. A forensic psychologist might gather information from relatives, friends, or other witnesses to try and understand why someone acted in certain ways before and after committing a crime.
Ballistician
A ballistician is someone who studies ballistics, which is the study of the motion, behavior, and effects of projectiles, especially bullets. They may work in many different scientific fields including sports or weaponry to determine how a projectile moves through space.
Some examples of jobs for ballisticians include:
- Ballistician for law enforcement agencies
- Forensic scientist for local or state police departments
- Research scientist with federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI or Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
DNA Analyst
As a DNA analyst, you’ll be responsible for analyzing DNA samples and testing them to determine whether they match those of a suspect or victim.
To become a DNA analyst, you’ll need to obtain a bachelor’s degree in biology or chemistry (or a related field) with coursework in genetics and biochemistry. In addition to the necessary academic coursework, many employers prefer that candidates have some experience working with biological samples prior to applying for this job.
The median salary for these professionals is $67,450 per year, although the salary range can fluctuate depending on factors such as location or employer type.
These are some of the most common jobs that forensic science graduates engage in.
- Forensic scientist: A forensic scientist is an expert in the field of forensics. They use scientific methods and technology to identify, analyze and interpret evidence. They may work for criminal justice agencies, private organizations or research facilities.
- Forensic anthropologist: A forensic anthropologist studies the human skeleton to determine identity, ancestry or sex of a person. They also study other remains like teeth and bones that are not skeletal remains.
- Crime scene investigator (CSI): CSI’s conduct crime-scene investigations including gathering evidence at the scene of a crime and photographing it before collecting it for further analysis by other experts such as fingerprint examiners or DNA analysts.
Conclusion
We’ve only covered a few of the many fulfilling career opportunities available to you as a forensic science graduate. We hope that this list has given you some insight into what it means to work in this field, and we wish you all the best in your own search for the perfect job!
