Forensic Specialist Jobs
Forensic Specialist jobs are open across law enforcement agencies, crime labs, and government contractors, from entry-level technician to senior analyst and supervisor, with specializations in digital forensics, crime scene investigation, and forensic biology. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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As a Forensic Specialist Trainee, you will learn to collect, process, and preserve evidence related to criminal investigations. Your responsibilities will include safeguarding and presenting evidence, preparing reports, and performing administrative duties to support the Forensic Unit.
* Please NOTE * The Forensic Specialist Trainee provides service to the community on a 24 hour basis during all hours of the day and night.
In order to accommodate this 24 hour service, this position works on a rotating schedules, which includes working weekends and holidays, and may involve work in excess of regularly scheduled hours (overtime) when required by operational necessity.
Other assigned responsibilities for the Forensic Specialist Trainee include:
- Collects evidence at crime scenes or related areas using technical processes to find, collect, store, catalog, and transport.
- Prepares representations of crime scenes or related areas using still or motion video, sketches, notes, or other processes.
- Prepares evidence information for use, presents to others, and testifies about evidence in court.
- Performs related duties such as fingerprinting, maintaining chemicals, supplies, and technical equipment.
- Performs administrative functions such as recording statistical information, compiling reports, performing specialized studies, coordinating with other agencies or the public, and maintaining logs and forms.
- Trains others on evidence collecting and processing procedures.
- Attends case or staff meetings to exchange information; attends in-service training and technical or professional classes, seminars, or conferences to improve technical or professional skills.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
The City of Chesapeake offers an exceptional range of benefits.
Requires high school diploma or GED and any combination of education and experience equivalent to satisfactory completion of one year of college education in forensic science or a closely related field.
SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES:
Requires a valid driver’s license and a driving record that is in compliance with the City Driving Standards.
Special skills or equipment certification may be required.
EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:
In addition to satisfying the vocational/education standards, this class requires a minimum of six months of related, full-time equivalent experience.
AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFYING FACTORS:
Disqualification factors from the date of the application include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Convicted of, plead guilty to, or no contest to any felony.
- Convicted of, plead guilty to, or no contest to a misdemeanor involving acts of moral turpitude (lying, cheating, and stealing).
- Convicted of, plead guilty to, or no contest to a misdemeanor sex offense.
- Convicted of, plead guilty to, or no contest to domestic assault.
- Conviction of possession, manufacture, and/or distribution of illegal drugs, excluding possession of marijuana or any cannabis derivative. ·
- Use of Cocaine, LSD, PCP, or any type of hallucinogenic drug in the last five years.
- Dishonorable discharge, Bad conduct/Misconduct discharge, and Other than Honorable discharges from military service. General and Uncharacterized discharges from military service will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Untruthfulness or the withholding of pertinent information during any phase of the application process (e.g. application, interview, paperwork).
- Cheating on any examination or testing associated with the process.
In accordance with City policy, this position is deemed safety-sensitive. As such, applicants for this position are subject to pre-employment drug/alcohol testing after receiving a conditional offer of employment and may also be subject to random testing. This drug test includes testing for marijuana. Possession of a medical marijuana card will not excuse an applicant from the testing process; however, a test will not be considered positive for marijuana if a valid medical marijuana certification is presented unless the position requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or is a sworn law-enforcement officer/deputy.
ADA Checklist
C = Continuously- 2/3 or more of the time. F = Frequently- From 1/3 to 2/3 of the time. O = Occasionally- Up to 1/3 of the time. R = Rarely- Less than 1 hour per week. N = Never- Never occurs.
D = Daily W = Several Times Per Week M = Several Times Per Month S = Seasonally N = Never
D = Daily W = Several Times Per Week M = Several Times Per Month S = Seasonally N = Never
C = Continuously- 2/3 or more of the time. F = Frequently- From 1/3 to 2/3 of the time. O = Occasionally- Up to 1/3 of the time. R = Rarely- Less than 1 hour per week. N = Never- Never occurs.
Professional References
Please provide contact information for professional references.
As a Forensic Specialist Trainee, you will learn to collect, process, and preserve evidence related to criminal investigations. Your responsibilities will include safeguarding and presenting evidence, preparing reports, and performing administrative duties to support the Forensic Unit.
* Please NOTE * The Forensic Specialist Trainee provides service to the community on a 24 hour basis during all hours of the day and night.
In order to accommodate this 24 hour service, this position works on a rotating schedules, which includes working weekends and holidays, and may involve work in excess of regularly scheduled hours (overtime) when required by operational necessity.
Other assigned responsibilities for the Forensic Specialist Trainee include:
- Collects evidence at crime scenes or related areas using technical processes to find, collect, store, catalog, and transport.
- Prepares representations of crime scenes or related areas using still or motion video, sketches, notes, or other processes.
- Prepares evidence information for use, presents to others, and testifies about evidence in court.
- Performs related duties such as fingerprinting, maintaining chemicals, supplies, and technical equipment.
- Performs administrative functions such as recording statistical information, compiling reports, performing specialized studies, coordinating with other agencies or the public, and maintaining logs and forms.
- Trains others on evidence collecting and processing procedures.
- Attends case or staff meetings to exchange information; attends in-service training and technical or professional classes, seminars, or conferences to improve technical or professional skills.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
The City of Chesapeake offers an exceptional range of benefits.
Requires high school diploma or GED and any combination of education and experience equivalent to satisfactory completion of one year of college education in forensic science or a closely related field.
SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES:
Requires a valid driver’s license and a driving record that is in compliance with the City Driving Standards.
Special skills or equipment certification may be required.
EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:
In addition to satisfying the vocational/education standards, this class requires a minimum of six months of related, full-time equivalent experience.
AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFYING FACTORS:
Disqualification factors from the date of the application include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Convicted of, plead guilty to, or no contest to any felony.
- Convicted of, plead guilty to, or no contest to a misdemeanor involving acts of moral turpitude (lying, cheating, and stealing).
- Convicted of, plead guilty to, or no contest to a misdemeanor sex offense.
- Convicted of, plead guilty to, or no contest to domestic assault.
- Conviction of possession, manufacture, and/or distribution of illegal drugs, excluding possession of marijuana or any cannabis derivative. ·
- Use of Cocaine, LSD, PCP, or any type of hallucinogenic drug in the last five years.
- Dishonorable discharge, Bad conduct/Misconduct discharge, and Other than Honorable discharges from military service. General and Uncharacterized discharges from military service will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Untruthfulness or the withholding of pertinent information during any phase of the application process (e.g. application, interview, paperwork).
- Cheating on any examination or testing associated with the process.
In accordance with City policy, this position is deemed safety-sensitive. As such, applicants for this position are subject to pre-employment drug/alcohol testing after receiving a conditional offer of employment and may also be subject to random testing. This drug test includes testing for marijuana. Possession of a medical marijuana card will not excuse an applicant from the testing process; however, a test will not be considered positive for marijuana if a valid medical marijuana certification is presented unless the position requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or is a sworn law-enforcement officer/deputy.
ADA Checklist
C = Continuously- 2/3 or more of the time. F = Frequently- From 1/3 to 2/3 of the time. O = Occasionally- Up to 1/3 of the time. R = Rarely- Less than 1 hour per week. N = Never- Never occurs.
D = Daily W = Several Times Per Week M = Several Times Per Month S = Seasonally N = Never
D = Daily W = Several Times Per Week M = Several Times Per Month S = Seasonally N = Never
C = Continuously- 2/3 or more of the time. F = Frequently- From 1/3 to 2/3 of the time. O = Occasionally- Up to 1/3 of the time. R = Rarely- Less than 1 hour per week. N = Never- Never occurs.
Professional References
Please provide contact information for professional references.
Forensic Specialist Jobs by Experience Level
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Find Forensic Specialist JobsForensic Specialist Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in forensic specialist jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in forensic science, chemistry, biology, or a related natural science field
- Experience collecting, preserving, and documenting physical or digital evidence
- Proficiency with laboratory instruments such as GC-MS, DNA analysis platforms, or digital forensic software
- Active or eligibility for a government security clearance, often at the Secret level
- Familiarity with courtroom testimony and expert witness standards
- Knowledge of chain-of-custody protocols and quality assurance procedures for accredited labs
Tips for Your Forensic Specialist Job Search
Tailor your resume to lab accreditation
Many forensic labs operate under ASCLD or ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, and hiring managers screen for direct experience with those standards. Call out any lab accreditation work, proficiency testing participation, or quality assurance documentation you have handled.
List your discipline-specific certifications prominently
Certifications like CFE, CFCE, or ACFE credentials carry real weight in forensic hiring. Put them above your work history, not buried at the bottom. Reviewers often scan certifications first to determine whether your application moves forward.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists forensic specialist openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings by jurisdiction type
Federal, state, county, and municipal crime labs have different hiring timelines, clearance requirements, and pay structures. Filter your search by agency type so you're applying to roles where your background, security clearance status, and expected timeline actually align.
Prepare a chain-of-custody focused portfolio
Forensic hiring panels often ask candidates to walk through how they document and preserve evidence. Bring documented examples of chain-of-custody procedures you have followed, even from academic or internship contexts, to demonstrate that instinct is already built in.
Ask about backlog and caseload during your interview
Questions about unit caseload volume and turnaround time expectations signal that you understand the operational reality of forensic work. It also gives you real data to evaluate whether the role matches the pace and discipline focus you want.
Forensic Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most forensic specialists?
Safe Horizon, Sutter County, and Volga Partners are hiring the most forensic specialists right now, with openings concentrated in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Federal contractors and state public safety agencies make up a large share of active postings.
How many forensic specialist jobs are remote?
About 33% of forensic specialist openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of most forensic work. Digital forensics and cybercrime analysis roles are the sub-areas most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements, since that work does not require physical access to a lab or crime scene.
How do you become a forensic specialist?
Start with a bachelor's degree in forensic science, chemistry, biology, or a closely related field, since most labs require a science foundation. Build hands-on experience through internships at crime labs, medical examiner offices, or law enforcement agencies. Earn a discipline-specific certification such as CFCE for digital forensics or complete state-mandated training for crime scene work. Apply to entry-level technician or laboratory analyst roles to build a casework record before moving into specialist positions.
Can you get hired as a forensic specialist with little or no experience?
Yes, some agencies hire forensic specialists at the technician level with no prior casework experience, particularly for roles in evidence processing or latent print examination, where on-the-job training is built into the position. Completing a forensic science internship, volunteering with a local law enforcement evidence unit, or earning a relevant certification before applying strengthens your application significantly and can substitute for paid work history in competitive pools.
What does the forensic specialist interview process look like?
Most forensic specialist interviews include a structured panel with questions about evidence handling, documentation practices, and your familiarity with lab protocols or specific analytical methods. Many agencies add a practical component, such as a written scenario exercise or a walk-through of a mock evidence collection situation. Background investigation and drug screening are standard before any conditional offer is finalized, and security clearance interviews may follow for federal or defense-related positions.
Where can I find and apply to forensic specialist jobs?
You can find and apply to forensic specialist jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your discipline, experience level, and location, then apply directly to each one that fits.
See All 13 Forensic Specialist Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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