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Occupation Information
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Forensic Scientist
Scientist (Forensic)Fire InvestigatorCriminalist )



Duties and Tasks
Specialisations
Quick Facts
Personal Requirements
Related Industries
Labour Market
Related Jobs
Earnings
Related Courses
Further Information
State Specific Information

Occupation Video
 

Reconstructing a face in order to identify a body
Reconstructing a face in order to identify a body

Forensic scientists apply scientific procedures and techniques to the examination of physical evidence that may assist in legal investigations. 

Fact Sheet

Duties and Tasks

Forensic scientists may perform the following tasks:

  • identify illicit drugs
  • analyse drugs and poisons in human tissue and body fluids, including blood alcohol results
  • examine and compare materials such as fibres, paints, cosmetics, oils, petrol, plastics, glass, metals, soils and gunshot residues
  • examine human and animal biological material to be compared with victims and suspects using DNA profiling
  • conduct botanical identification of plant materials at trace levels and whole-plant identification (e.g. cannabis)
  • conduct document examinations, both physical (e.g. handwriting, typewriting) and chemical (e.g. analysis of inks and papers)
  • examine crime scenes
  • identify firearms and ammunition (forensic ballistics)
  • detect, enhance, recover and identify latent fingerprints, footprints, tool marks, shoe marks, tyre marks and tracks
  • examine fire and explosion scenes to establish the origin and cause
  • improve the clarity of and analyse audio recordings
  • produce reports, appear in court and present scientific and/or opinion testimony accurately and in a manner which is readily understood by the court
  • make presentations to a wide variety of audiences on the work of forensic scientists
  • keep contact with, and provide advice to, police investigators, scientists and pathologists across a broad range of disciplines.

Specialisations

A wide range of expertise is required for forensic investigations. A forensic scientist may specialise in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, molecular biology, botany, geology, metallurgy, pharmacology, toxicology, crime scene examination, firearms examination, fingerprint and document examination.

Info Icon Quick Facts

Learning Area Biology  
Chemistry  
Physics  
Work Demand Including full use of hands/fingers  
Including good vision for detail  
Including handling chemicals/greasy items  
Including mainly indoor work  
Including reading or writing  
Work Field Law, Security and Defence  
Work Interest Analytic or Scientific  
Organising or Clerical  
Skill Level Professional Jobs  
Quick Facts

Personal Requirements

  • good communication skills
  • able to remain unbiased in the examination of potential court evidence
  • meticulous and capable of clear, logical and lateral thinking
  • able to work as part of a team
  • initiative and motivation
  • perseverance
  • good observation skills.

Related Industries

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (Except Computer System Design and Related Services)

Labour Market

Information

Australian JobOutlook for Medical Laboratory Scientists

Vacancies

Australian JobSearch for Life Scientists (ALL AUSTRALIA)
Work Opportunities websites

Related Jobs

Biochemist
Biomedical Engineer
Medical Laboratory Technician
Medical Scientist
Pathologist

Earnings

View text version of earnings

Occupation Earnings Graph

Occupation Mean Weekly Earnings Graph

How Much?

Related Courses

New South Wales / ACT
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

See State Specific Information below for further education and training options.

Further Information

Department of Forensic Medicine
Forensic Science Liaison Unit
Forensic Science SA
Manager Forensic and Data Services, Business Support, Australian Federal Police
National Institute of Forensic Science Australia
Northern Territory Police, Forensic Science Division
NSW Police, Recruitment Branch
PathWest
Police Recruiting Branch, WA Police Academy
Police Recruiting Section, South Australia Police
Queensland Police Service, Recruitment Section
Recruiting Centre, Tasmania Police Headquarters
The Police Recruitment Officer, Northern Territory Police
Victoria Police Recruitment Services Branch, Victoria Police Centre
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine

State Specific Information

New South Wales / ACT
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

Examining an unearthed skull
Examining an unearthed skull

Occupation Video - Forensic Anatomist

Video courtesy of ABC's Ace Day Jobs series