5 Career Paths As A Forensic Science Technician

As a forensic science technician you may work in a variety of settings.  These settings will help to determine your career path as you start getting a few years under your belt.  Here are 5 career paths that you may travel as a forensic science technician and some of the skills that you will need no matter which one you choose.

Knowledge

This first thing that you will need to be successful as a forensic science technician is knowledge.  You will need to know how to communicate information effectively through both speech and writing.  You will also need knowledge of the legal process so that you collect and examine all evidence using proper protocols so that the veracity of any results cannot be called into question.  Furthermore, you will need to know how to use all the relevant technologies that will be a part of your job as well as all the chemical substances and processes that you come across in your work as they may be important to your results too.

Skills

As a forensic science technician you will need critical thinking skills.  This is not just a job where you go through the motions to get the right results.  You have to know how to approach problems so that you can produce the strongest, most reliable results possible in any given situation.  Your problem solving skills will be on display every time you work because forensic science is all about facing problems and finding the best ways to deal with them.

Reasoning Abilities

To be a successful forensic science technician you need to have excellent reasoning abilities.  The ability to locate and understand the likely logical progression of events in a situation is crucial.  You need to be able to figure out what happened and to be able to back that up with all the concrete evidence available.  To do this, you will have to be able to see patterns where it may first appear that none exist.  This capacity for logical thinking is essential and will serve you well as a forensic science technician.

Attention To Detail

Because of the nature of your work you will need to have unparalleled attention to detail.  The field of forensics is not one where mistakes go unnoticed, at least not forever. Any sloppy work or oversights could damage your credibility and the credibility of your employer so precision is key.

Proper Documentation

The ability to fill out the proper documentation is yet another aspect of this job with an importance that cannot be overstated.  The evidence not only needs to be evaluated, tested, and made into proof of some sort but also must be properly documented for all the previous work to mean anything.  This is an extension of the previous category of attention to detail because not only does information have to be discovered, it has to be discovered and then presented in the form that can be effectively used.

5 Career Paths For Forensic Science Technicians

1. Police Departments
2. Toxicology Labs
3. Medical Examiners’ Offices
4. District Attorneys’ Offices
5. Federal Law Enforcement Agencies

Tom Rheinecker is often interested in blogging about forensic science and helps students interested in becoming forensic science technicians find accredited online programs.