Job Qualifications for Forensics Technicians
Forensic technicians are science technicians who help law enforcement officials with criminal investigations by collecting evidence and analyzing it to determine its origins or role in the crime. Forensic technicians made a median annual salary of $51,480, as of May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau also projects that the number of new jobs for science technicians will increase by about 12 percent from 2008 to 2018.
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Education
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Some level of college education is usually needed to work as a science technician. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that forensic technicians are required by most employers to have a bachelor's degree in a natural science field or in forensics. Because of the highly specialized nature of the tests that forensic technicians perform, a degree in forensic science is the surest route to an entry-level position in this field. Some schools now offer both master's and doctorate degrees in this area for those who want to advance to positions of leadership or conduct advanced independent research.
Training and Experience
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Despite the need for a formal education, much of the training that forensic science technicians obtain comes through on-the-job training. Formal education provides the scientific background to understand the types of test to use, but only experience can fully prepare forensic technicians for some of the exigencies of the job. Typically, the amount of experience required for forensic technicians is directly related to the amount of formal education they have. The more experience obtained through school training programs, the less on-the-job training is needed to become proficient in this field.
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Knowledge and Skills
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Forensic technicians need to have a broad range of knowledge in biological science and mathematics. They also need to have specialized knowledge in the field of chemistry to conduct tests on biological tissues and other objects that may be involved in a crime scene. Understanding how chemicals reacts with certain substances provides forensic technicians with tools for making conclusions about evidence that has been collected. Forensic technicians need to also have a high level of proficiency in computers, which can include extensive knowledge of both hardware and software, along with programming and analysis techniques.
Personal Characteristics
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Forensic science technicians also need to have a certain number of personal qualifications. Because of the legal nature of the field in which they work, they need to have a reputation for being honest and ethical. They also have to be highly dependable and able to meet deadlines. Forensic science technicians need to be able to think critically and use creativity to solve problems by sometimes thinking "outside the box."
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References
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Comments
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I wi get to forensic no matter what....
