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Forensic Investigator Jobs
Forensic investigator jobs are similar to forensic science jobs, but they involve work at a crime scene, rather than in a crime lab. There are several different kinds of jobs out there for forensic investigators, and they all carry a different set of requirements to keep in mind. If you are thinking about becoming a forensic investigator in the near future, you may want to consider which line or work you will want to be a part of. Here is a look at some of the different careers within this sector of forensic science that you can keep in mind for the future.
Toxicologists
If you are good at chemistry, you may do well as a toxicology specialist in a criminal investigation team. Toxicologists analyze evidence at a crime scene to determine if it contains any alcohol, drugs, or poisons that may have been used to commit a crime. For example, toxicology investigators may test evidence on-site to detect the presence of heroin or methamphetamine to determine if a murder victim was intoxicated at the time of death. Toxicologists are most often called on for murder cases, but their work can be beneficial in other situations.
Document Examiners
Document examiners will look at pieces of paper at the scene of a crime to determine who may have been there at a certain time. For instance, a forensic investigator may compare the handwriting on a ransom note to the handwriting of a suspect for a crime in the hopes of linking a person to the scene. This is not always something that can happen on-site, so some documenters will need to bring paperwork back to the lab for further investigations. In that case, they will carefully review the papers to assess the age, date, and origin of them.
Generalists
If you don’t want to have a specialization in forensic investigation, you may want to work as a generalist. This is usually a person that has several years of experience in forensic science but doesn’t have extensive experience in a specific topic of interest. Generalists aren’t always in high demand because they do not have specialized skills, but some employers like hiring these individuals because of their versatility. In this case though, you will work alongside other forensic investigators to help them do whatever needs to be done to assess a crime scene.
Biologists
Biologists are best known for their work with DNA samples. In biological forensic investigation jobs, you will have to locate fibers and tissues samples that could potentially have strands of DNA embedded within them. This is not always easy to do, but it is incredibly important in determining the outcome of a crime. It is nearly impossible to assess DNA samples at a crime scene, but investigators in this field will gather potential evidence to be reviewed in a lab later on. Then they can work with forensic scientists to determine who the evidence may belong to. If you want to make a huge impact in your career, this is definitely a field to look into.
Chemists
Chemists are highly influential in the field of forensic investigation because they can pinpoint the exact substances used in a crime. They can conduct some testing on-site, but a lot of that testing has to be done in a lab. That way a machine can pull apart a sample and identify all of the chemicals that may be present within it. Chemistry specialists sometimes work as toxicologists, and other times they simply try to analyze different chemicals that may have been around when a crime was committed. If you are chemistry buff looking for an ever-changing line of work, this could certainly be an option for you.
Toolmark Identifiers
Toolmark identifiers will go around a crime scene and try to determine what kinds of weapons or tools were used in the area. They may determine what sort of weapon was used to shoot a projectile found at the scene, or they may compare damage markings to household items to figure out what sort of items may be used to harm someone involved with a crime. This line of work involves a lot of problem solving and analytical thinking, but that is the case in most forensic investigator jobs.
As long as you have a logical mind and a keen eye for evidence, you should do well in this line of work. There are plenty of career opportunities out there for you to explore, so review the options above and see which one is right for you.
