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Forensic Science Technicians
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
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.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $36K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $46K
Median Salary: $60K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $79K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $100K
Demand
Core Tasks
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.
Use chemicals or other substances to examine latent fingerprint evidence and compare developed prints to those of known persons in databases.
Interpret laboratory findings or test results to identify and classify substances, materials, or other evidence collected at crime scenes.
Testify in court about investigative or analytical methods or findings.
Collect impressions of dust from surfaces to obtain and identify fingerprints.
Use photographic or video equipment to document evidence or crime scenes.
Visit morgues, examine scenes of crimes, or contact other sources to obtain evidence or information to be used in investigations.
Reconstruct crime scenes to determine relationships among pieces of evidence.
Operate and maintain laboratory equipment and apparatus.
Review forensic analysts' reports for technical merit.
Examine and analyze blood stain patterns at crime scenes.
Examine physical evidence, such as hair, fiber, wood, or soil residues to obtain information about its source and composition.
Examine firearms to determine mechanical condition and legal status, performing restoration work on damaged firearms to obtain information, such as serial numbers.
Analyze gunshot residue and bullet paths to determine how shootings occurred.
Compare objects, such as tools, with impression marks to determine whether a specific object is responsible for a specific mark.
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.
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.
Train new technicians or other personnel on forensic science techniques.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Law and Government
89%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Public Safety and Security
80%
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.
English Language
72%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Chemistry
67%
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.
Computers and Electronics
63%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Engineering and Technology
60%
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.
Clerical
59%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Customer and Personal Service
59%
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.
Mathematics
59%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Education and Training
58%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
78%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
78%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
78%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
78%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing
78%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving
75%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Science
68%
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Active Learning
65%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making
65%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
63%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Top 10 Abilities
Flexibility of Closure
83%
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Inductive Reasoning
83%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Deductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Near Vision
80%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension
80%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Far Vision
78%
The ability to see details at a distance.
Oral Expression
78%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Recognition
78%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Information Ordering
75%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Top 10 Work Activities
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
95%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Documenting/Recording Information
92%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Getting Information
89%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
85%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
84%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
83%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Processing Information
79%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
78%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
78%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Interacting With Computers
76%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Detailed Work Activities
Testify at legal or legislative proceedings.
Interpret research or operational data.
Operate laboratory or field equipment.
Maintain laboratory or technical equipment.
Prepare compounds or solutions for products or testing.
Analyze forensic evidence to solve crimes.
Collaborate on research activities with scientists or technical specialists.
Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
Record research or operational data.
Train personnel in technical or scientific procedures.
Document events or evidence, using photographic or audiovisual equipment.
Work Context
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Education
Majors
Major
Interests
Investigative
96%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Realistic
77%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
72%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Artistic
34%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising
19%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social
19%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Attention to Detail
98%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Integrity
98%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self Control
91%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Analytical Thinking
90%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Stress Tolerance
90%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Dependability
88%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
87%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Cooperation
86%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Independence
86%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Achievement/Effort
83%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Work Values
Support
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Recognition
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Achievement
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
55%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
