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Who is a Forensic Scientist?
Science gave us forensics. Law gave us crime ~ Mokokoma Mokhonoana
In a career as a forensic scientist, individuals apply methodological approaches and methods to investigate matters. We’ve all seen crime shows where a doctor will come and tell us the cause of death or the poison used to kill the victim or was a murder or a suicide so on and so forth. In several movies or tv series, we have seen a man or a woman most particularly with a magnifying glass and wearing gloves detect various types of samples of biological factors, he or she is a forensic scientist. Forensic analyst jobs are very important, especially in a criminal case.
Therefore, no mistakes can take place in forensic analyst jobs. If you are looking for a job that is not monotonous but involves science and research work then becoming a forensic scientist is a possible choice. Not only that it is a very respectable job as well. In comparison to their laboratory position, forensic scientists participate in criminal and civil proceedings as expert witnesses and therefore can serve either for the prosecutor or defence.
Students can pursue B. Tech in Biotechnology, B. Tech in Genetic Engineering to become forensic scientists. Here, in this article, we will discuss forensic scientist jobs, forensic scientist benefits, forensic science certificate programs, how to become a Forensic Scientist in India and forensic scientist salary.
Forensic Scientist in a Nutshell
Individuals who opt for a career as forensic scientists examine evidence from crime scenes captured or provided and present their conclusions depending on the results of their tests. A career as a forensic scientist would be a very challenging discipline, for instance in the areas of DNA with trace proof, the discipline of forensic science is focused on basic principles and strategies collected from sciences. Forensic research, in general, requires a systematic approach that encompasses everything from biological techniques to analytical chemistry.
Quick Facts for Forensic Scientist
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Average Salary in India
₹35000
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Suitable for
Male, Female, Others
A career as a forensic scientist is not gender-specific. Everyone can go for this career opportunity irrespective of his or her gender. There is no gender restriction to have a career as a forensic scientist. People with the utmost curiosity to discover the undiscovered thing or a keen interest to detect suspicious things in any kind of situation or crime spot can take up this course easily. Forensic scientists can be women, men, or other genders. Any person with the right eligibility can become a forensic scientist.
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Any special needs
Yes
A career as a forensic scientist doesn’t suit the person who is especially challenged, whether physically or mentally. This career requires travel to different places for investigations in various cases. A person with special needs might not be comfortable with travelling and prolonged investigations. It also requires doing physically exhaustive work that may adversely affect candidates with special needs. A career as a forensic scientist requires good mental and physical health and is free from any kind of bodily deformity to fulfil every performance which is necessary. Perhaps they don't get a work environment that is friendly to their requirements.
Table of Contents for Forensic Scientist
What is the role of Forensic Scientist?
Individuals who opt for a career as forensic scientist analyse evidence from captured or given crime scenes and discuss their opinions based on their test results. Forensic analysts conduct chemical and physical analyses on the forensic evidence collected at the crime spot via investigators and law enforcement agents. Such scientists use microscopes to analyse methods, sophisticated instruments, mathematical concepts, scientific theory, and reference literature to examine the evidence for the category and different character recognition.
While most forensic scientist does his or her work inside the walls of the forensic laboratory or morgue. His or her work could also lead him or her from outside the laboratories and then into the scene of a crime, where he or she investigates the scene and gather the evidence for forensic analyst jobs.
Evidence examination
Several forensic scientists spend all their time examining information gathered from the incident at the forensic laboratory. For instance, a serologist could check a victim's blood for the existence of illegal drugs or toxins. A weapons analyst could check bullet fragments to decide exactly what sort of weapon they were shot by or could compare it to a suspect's weapon.
A DNA researcher could evaluate the DNA detected on a victim's body to a suspect's to evaluate whether he or she was the one who assaulted him or her. They need everything from microscopes to materials to software databases as part of the analysis
Report writing
Once forensic scientists have conducted their analysis, they describe their conclusions in thorough written reports. Such documents are part of the permanent case file, and investigators use them to help them plan their investigation. In addition to presenting these documents as proof, prosecutors also can examine these reports while conducting an investigation. Forensic scientists most often appear in court cases as expert witnesses, in which they have to describe their conclusions in a manner that a general audience can grasp.
Coordination
Foreign scientists liaise with other teams and coordinate with outside agencies as well, such as the police or the Crime Bureau of India. Coordination is the cohesion, alignment, and alignment of community members' actions to establish continuity of action in the development of shared objectives. Many forensic scientists travel to the crime scene to gather the samples themselves, while others take on a research function, conducting analysis techniques of items brought by them to other professionals.
Mentoring
The role of forensic scientist oversees the junior or less experienced scientists and interns. He or she mentors them and assigns them tasks. The duties of forensic scientist include participating in group discussions, developing appropriate research that has been conducted related to the field of forensic interviewing, and also some continue developing presentation skills.
Documentation
The role of forensic scientist is responsible for taking photographs, recording videos, identifying, and collecting evidence. He or she documents his or her findings to make a report for court proceedings. Forensic documentation analysis or challenged document review includes the forensic study of suspicious documents. An investigated document may be a script, signature, mark, or any handwritten or typewritten document that has doubtful reliability or source.
Assessment
The duties of forensic scientist are responsible for performing investigative tasks. He or she makes assessments by responding to crime schemes. A forensic scientist analyses the samples found in crime locations such as hair, body fluids, paint, glass, and drugs in the laboratory. An assessment is a beneficial participant system used for evaluating crime scenes or conditions. When implemented correctly, difficulties are recognised that endanger the physical and psychological well-being and an improvement plan is implemented.
Types of a Forensic Scientist
Here we have listed some of the types of a forensic scientist and the careers related to them.
Blood Splatter Analyst: This is a type of forensic scientist who focuses on cyber crimes and works to discover evidence from computers, mobile devices, cloud computing, and electronic storage. This professional works within IT systems to extract data that can provide insights into the elements of a crime.
Digital Forensic Investigator: This is some kind of forensic scientist who specialises in cybercrimes and is focused on extracting evidence from devices, mobiles, cloud computing, and electronic media. From the inside of the structures, this specialist works to collect data that could also offer an understanding of the nature of an offence.
Criminalist scientist: Forensic scientists trying to investigate crime scenes with those the goal of gathering evidence. Investigators examine the outcomes to identify the events related to the suspect's crime and possible motives. Their research includes a wide variety of professional expertise and active logical reasoning abilities.
Forensic Psychologist: This specialisation centres on identifying people involved in criminal activity by questioning criminals, and potential witnesses to support in identifying intentions and states of mind. They concentrate on problems such as the ability to stand trial, bear testimony, or make important decisions. They also evaluate mental disorder as it affects criminal liability.
Forensic Anthropologist: Professionals examine human bones and anatomical frameworks to evaluate age, gender, ethnicity as well as other characteristics that define a victim of a crime.
Pathologist: As nothing more than a licensed physician, this individual practices DNA tests to help to identify postmortem and find the cause of death of a victim of a crime. This practitioner can attend a scene of the crime to support investigators in evaluating events that led up to the fatal accident.
Toxicologist: Mixing the toxicology, forensic chemistry, neurology, and clinical chemistry sciences, the scientist examines chemical substances, body fluids, skin, and nails to help in toxicity and drug use inquiries.
Scientist: When it comes to a career as a scientist, one works in every field possible. A scientist works for a huge range of employers. Companies large and small will hire a scientist to work on research products and projects.
Also read: Career as a bioinformatics scientist
What is the workplace/work environment of Forensic Scientist like?
Individuals who opt for a career as forensic scientists gather and analyse evidence from victims, cars, and crime scenes. They scientifically evaluate the evidence, and their results can aid in convicting or proving the innocence of an individual convicted of a crime. Forensic scientists are often referred to as investigators at the crime lab. In this area, nearly all the people work for the state, or local law enforcement and investigation agencies. While they spend much of their time in clean, well-equipped laboratories, forensic scientists may accompany the police into dangerous territory and may encounter very disturbing sights.
Does Forensic Scientist require travelling?
Likely
A career as a forensic officer involves a lot of travelling. Individuals who opt for a career as a forensic scientist has to work very closely with the victims, their families, and other staff within their organisations.
Employment Shifts
Full Time
Individuals who opt for a career as a forensic scientist usually works from early morning to late night. Situations can, however, occur when they have to operate beyond their regular working hours.
Employment Nature
Permanent
A career as forensic scientist is permanent in nature. Individuals who opt for a career as forensic scientist works with a hospital or research body on a permanent basis mostly.
Work Place
Forensic Laboratory
Individuals who opt for a career as forensic scientist helps police to investigate cases related to crime. He or she researches the evidence collected by police from the crime scene and evaluates it, it could be blood spots, fingerprints on a material, or hair strands. Most of the work of forensic scientist is laboratory-based work.
Presence in Geographical Area
Semi-urban, Urban
Individuals who opt for a career as forensic scientist works in an urban or semi-urban area. Depending on the location of the hospital or the organisation he or she is working for.
Time Pressure
Likely
Individuals who opt for a career as forensic scientist work for a minimum of 40 hours a week. He or she may have to work on shifts depending on the requirement of the workplace. Hence, it can be concluded that he or she might face time pressure occasionally.
Overtime Details
Individuals who opt for a career as a forensic scientists may often be required to work on weekends, public holidays, and late extended hours. Whenever they are required to provide the results immediately, working hours might extend till midnight.
Weekly Hours of Work
Min 40 Hours
Forensic scientists work for a minimum of 40 hours a week. Individuals who opt for a career as forensic scientist may have to work on shifts depending on the requirement of their workplace.
How to become a Forensic Scientist?
Steps to become a Forensic Scientist
Are you interested in investigating the crime by applying scientific methods and knowledge then a career as Forensic Scientist is the best option for you. If you like to do in-depth research, analysis and testing then a Forensic Scientist career is the best option for you. We have mentioned below the steps for you to know the details on how to become a Forensic Scientist in India.
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Forensic Scientist?
You must be wondering how to become a forensic scientist. So, in this section, we will be answering the most commonly asked question that how to become a forensic scientist. In order to make a career as a forensic scientist one must possess some skills. Some skills required by a forensic scientist are mentioned below:
Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is one of the most important skills which is required to be a forensic scientist. Forensic scientists are walking away from a crime scene with various pieces of information which could include blood splatter images, fingerprints, footprints, blood samples, and shell casings. Throughout the laboratory, experts not only evaluate each bit of evidence separately, but they would also, however, bring together the whole data to create an image of what happened at the crime scene. They answer questions including where the attacker was relative to the victim, and how the criminal entered the house.
Attention to Detail: They also need to search for less-obvious signs including fingerprints, bodily fluids and weapons, and shell enclosures that may have been hidden in a building or placed under decorations. Even when dealing with difficult or horrific crime scenes, professionals should pay very close attention to detail and retain professionalism. Forensic scientists should be precise in finding facts and recording the scene of the crime.
Individuals who opt for a career as a forensic scientist have to recognize and report each bit of evidence at the scene of the crime and its exact location. Forensic scientists take pictures and do crime scene descriptions.
Communication Skills: Forensic scientists ought to be capable of interacting effectively. Individuals who opt for a career as a forensic scientist may also need to communicate with professionals in many other fields during most of the course of the investigation. For instance, when a poison is detected in a blood test, they will also need to contact a toxicologist to decide whether the victim would have been affected by the drug. In particular, detectives or prosecutors will also provide detailed descriptions of the findings.
For certain cases, they can present at prosecution as witnesses and have to clarify to a judge and jury why information has been gathered and analyzed as well as what the evidence suggests about the crime.
Technical Skills: Forensic scientists need to have the ability to use testing equipment. They use microscopes, for instance, to analyze evidence such as hair, synthetic fibres, and weapons. Individuals who opt for a career as forensic scientists use laboratory equipment to collect DNA from the blood collected at the scene. Forensic scientists must have been qualified to always use software to enter information and also use databases to look at data on DNA, and fingerprints.
Legal Process: Forensic scientists should also be fully aware of the role of forensic science within and without the law. Forensic science is a vital element in solving many cases, and experts need to understand how to correctly gather evidence. Individuals who opt for a career as a forensic scientist must, therefore, know the laws of their state for the data transfer, so that the whole documentation is treated correctly once it is provided.
Also read: Career as scientist
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Forensic Scientist?
We have provided below several certification courses that candidates interested in a career in forensics science may opt to upgrade their skills and knowledge.
Certificate in Digital Forensics with Kali Linux | |
Computer Forensics |
Internship Availability
An internship is always beneficial for an individual in any field. The same goes for forensic scientists. It is compulsory for them to have some experience in forensic science before they start practising it. Internships are offered in fields such as forensic biology, forensic chemistry, and forensic toxicology. Interns are expected to work 30-40 hours per week during the internship period. Internships are offered at various times throughout the year.
The internship programs are designed in a way to provide students with the opportunity to receive hands-on experience by performing mock casework and validation studies which include working under a chain of custody, data analysis, report writing, and testimony.
Career Path Progression for Forensic Scientist
Junior Forensic Scientist: Junior Forensic Scientist is a professional who is responsible to collect, identify, analyse, classify and physical evidence related to criminal investigations. A Junior Forensic Scientist performs tests and creates reports.
Senior Forensic Scientist: A Senior Scientist is an experienced professional who is responsible for making use of cameras or video-capturing devices to record the evidence. A Senior Forensic Scientist operates and maintains laboratory equipment and apparatus.
Forensic Scientist Jobs and Salaries
Junior Forensic Scientist
- Average Salary 35000
Job Description
The Junior Forensic Scientist job description includes preparing solutions and samples that are required for laboratory work. A Junior Forensic Scientist collects and analyses physical evidence.
Salary Description
An entry-level Forensic Scientist salary in India ranges between Rs 4.0 Lakhs to Rs 4.9 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 4.2 Lakhs per annum. Junior Forensic Scientist in India may vary depending on the various job factors like skills and experience of the candidates, job location, and others.
Salary Source: AmbitionBox
Senior Forensic Scientist
Job Description
The Senior Forensic Scientist job description includes examining evidence from crime scenes and writing reports. A Senior Forensic Scientist coordinates with the other teams and mentors juniors and interns.
Salary Description
The estimated Senior Forensic Scientist salary in India ranges from Rs 4.5 Lakhs to Rs 25.5 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 9.2 Lakhs per annum. Senior Forensic Scientist salary may vary depending on the various job factors.
What is the job outlook for Forensic Scientist?
With a substantial increase in crime rates and criminals being even smarter than cops and judges, a career as a forensic scientist is growing exponentially and India is facing an acute shortage of forensic scientists who can help the courts decide criminal cases. Though forensic scientist jobs are challenging, a lack of qualified professionals means there's plenty of opportunity for those who are interested in this field. The Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) employ a significant number of qualified forensic scientists.
Freelance work may be attractively payable for forensic scientists specialized in one section. However, the Private Employment Market for Forensic Scientists is very small and limited and most of the positions are in police department criminal cells only. Forensic scientists with legal experience will serve as legal advisors.
Frequently Asked Questions for Forensic Scientist
Que. Is forensic scientist a good career option?
Ans.This is good news for those interested in pursuing a career in forensic science. It is estimated that jobs in this region will rise by seventeen per cent by 2026. Although that's much faster than normal, the U.S. The Labor Statistics office states the occupation is small.
Que. Which course can I peruse in order to become a forensic scientist?
Ans.There are several courses one can opt to become a forensic scientist. The following are some of the most popular courses:
Biology | Forensic Anthropology |
Que. Where can I get a job as a forensic scientist?
Ans.Forensic scientists may operate from government departments and local law enforcement offices to hospitals in a wide range of settings. Those are Law Enforcement, Crime Laboratories, Federal Agencies, Hospitals.
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Questions related to Forensic Scientist
I need to know about the Government colleges having Bsc forensic science in kerala?
Hello candidate,
Bachelors in forensic is offered in several colleges across Kerala, and here is a list of some of them-
1. Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram
2. Government Medical College Kozhikode
3. Amrita School of medicine Kochi
4. Government Medical College Thrissur
5. Government Medical College Kottayam
For more details, you can visit https://medicine.careers360.com/colleges/list-of-forensic-medicine-colleges-in-kerala
Hope it helps!!
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