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forensic scientist, : - Coggle Diagram
forensic scientist
responsibilities
analyse samples, such as hair, body fluids, glass, paint and drugs, in the laboratory
apply techniques such as gas and high-performance liquid chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy and genetic fingerprinting
sift and sort evidence, often held in miniscule quantities
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liaise with teams and coordinate with outside agencies, such as the police
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skills
the capacity to undertake fine, analytical, painstaking work with exceptional attention to detail
the ability to work well in a team, as well as independently
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strong written and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate scientific information to non-experts
a logical, unbiased and methodical approach to problem solving
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what to expect
Although most of the work is laboratory-based, experienced forensic scientists may have to attend crime scenes. The balance of work in the laboratory, court and office varies between roles.
The work may be stressful and distressing at times, particularly when attending scenes of crimes. You'll need to feel comfortable presenting and defending your evidence in court under cross-examination.
If attending a crime scene, you'll need to wear protective clothing to prevent contamination of the scene and sometimes to protect yourself from hazardous materials.
The work can be painstaking and time-consuming, so you'll need to have patience.
Although there isn't generally much travel involved, you may need to travel to attend conferences and training courses.
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salery
Salaries for forensic scientists typically start at around £20,000.
With experience, this can increase to between £25,000 and £35,000.
Salaries at senior levels can reach £50,000 or more
qualifications
To work as a forensic scientist, you'll usually need either a degree in a scientific subject, such as biological sciences, chemistry or medical sciences, or a degree in forensic science.
If you chose to complete a forensic science degree you should research thoroughly the content of the courses that you're considering.
You'll need to apply for an apprenticeship position directly with an employer and to make this specific to the role of a forensic scientist you should look at firms or police departments that provide forensic science services
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working hours
Although you'll typically work normal office hours, you may have to do shifts or be on call. As crimes may happen at any time, you must be prepared to work evenings and weekends to either process and investigate scenes of crimes or to examine the findings from them.
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