Forensic scientist

Career path and progression

With experience, you could move into management and direct other forensics staff as a forensics manager or casework examiner.

You could also work as a reporting scientist, acting as an expert witness in court.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• knowledge of public safety and security
• excellent written communication skills
• the ability to work on your own
• legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Chemistry - Forensic scientists analyse drugs, poisons, and unknown substances found at crime scenes. They use techniques like chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify what a substance is made of and where it might have come from.
• Biology - Forensic scientists carry out DNA profiling, blood grouping, and tissue analysis to help identify victims and suspects. Understanding how the human body works also helps when examining how injuries occurred.
• Mathematics - Forensic scientists use statistics to interpret evidence and explain the likelihood of a match in court. They also use mathematical modelling to reconstruct events, like the trajectory of a bullet or the spread of a fire.
• Physics - Forensic scientists apply physics when examining ballistics, explosives, and the way particles and debris distribute at a crime scene. Understanding forces and materials helps explain what happened and in what order.
• Computer Science - Forensic scientists increasingly work with digital evidence, recovering deleted data from phones, laptops, and other devices. This is one of the fastest-growing areas of forensic work.

Also relevant

• Law - Forensic scientists give evidence in court as expert witnesses and need to understand how legal proceedings work. Their reports must meet strict legal standards to be admissible as evidence.
• Psychology - Forensic scientists often work alongside criminal psychologists and need to understand how human behaviour can help explain what happened at a crime scene. This is especially important in cases involving violent or complex offences.
• English Language - Forensic scientists write detailed scientific reports that need to be understood by non-scientists, including lawyers, judges, and juries. Being able to communicate complex findings clearly can make the difference in a case.
• Design and Technology - Forensic scientists examine physical evidence like tools, materials, and manufactured objects. Understanding how things are made and how materials behave helps when analysing what was used in a crime and how.
• Electronics - Forensic scientists who specialise in digital forensics work with circuit boards, storage devices, and electronic systems. Understanding how electronic hardware works is essential for recovering evidence from damaged or tampered devices.