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Career Details : Forensic Science Technicians

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Description

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.

Experience

A minimum of two to four years 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.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Tasks

  • Examines, tests, and analyzes tissue samples, chemical substances, physical materials, and ballistics evidence, using recording, measuring, and testing equipment.
  • Testifies as expert witness on evidence or laboratory techniques in trials or hearings.
  • Prepares reports or presentations of findings, investigative methods, or laboratory techniques.
  • Reconstructs crime scene to determine relationships among pieces of evidence.
  • Interprets laboratory findings and test results to identify and classify substances, materials, and other evidence collected at crime scene.
  • Confers with ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, documents, electronics, medical, chemical, or metallurgical experts concerning evidence and its interpretation.
  • Collects and preserves criminal evidence used to solve cases.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
    • Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
    • Consequence of Error
    • Frustrating Circumstances
    • Objective or Subjective Information

    Related Majors

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    Forensic Scienceadd Forensic Science to MyFSA
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    Latent Fingerprint Analysisadd Latent Fingerprint Analysis to MyFSA
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