Forensic Scientist II

Duties

• The Forensic Scientist II is a journey level forensic scientist professional that analyzes forensic evidence in a crime laboratory setting to determine if the evidence could support a criminal prosecution. Employees examine and analyze evidence from simple to moderately complex casework for chemical indications of the presence of blood and/or other body fluids and/or perform a DNA typing test to determine the donor of a particular body fluid or other biological evidence.
• The employees make judgments, interpret results, and testify in court as necessary to explain and defend their findings. Employees operate with a high degree of technical independence in the forensic examination of various types of evidence. Employees perform collateral duties and/or advanced level tasks, and will assist the Forensic Scientist III with their collateral duties.
• Employees assist senior analysts in the more varied and moderately complex casework while continuing to learn the techniques, methods and practices involved in the examination of more complex cases. Employees must handle all evidence under stringent chain of custody rules. Employees must testify in state and federal courts as to his/her analysis of evidence. Employees may be required to perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned
• The Forensic Scientist participates in competency and proficiency testing. The Forensic Scientist shall be required to obtain individual certification consistent with international and ISO standards within 18 months of the date the analyst becomes eligible to seek certification according to the standards of the certifying entity.

 Earn a Degree in Crime Scene Investigation, Forensic Science, or Computer Forensics

Requirements

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree with a major in biology, microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, animal science, zoology, medical technology, forensic science with biology/DNA concentration, or closely related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution including coursework in biochemistry, genetic, molecular biology, statistics and population genetics and two years of experience performing bench level analysis in forensic biology; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Necessary Special Requirement

• Must obtain individual certification consistent with international and International Standards Organization standards within eighteen months of the date the analyst becomes eligible to seek certification according to the standards of the certifying entity.

Management preference:

• 4 years of related experience.

These requirements are in addition to having a bachelor's degree in the appropriate discipline listed under the Education and Experience requirements.

• Selected candidate will undergo and must successfully complete a comprehensive background investigation which may take several months to complete. The background investigation includes: credit and arrest checks; interviews with associates, personal and business references, past employers and neighbors; verification of education achievement and urinalysis drug screening.
• In accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 126-1.1( c), effective July 11, 2016, employees who are hired by a State agency, department or university in a sworn law enforcement position or forensic scientist position and who are required to complete a formal training program prior to assuming law enforcement or forensic scientist duties with the hiring agency, department or university shall become career State employees only after being employed by the agency, department or university for 24 continuous months .
• Employees who transfer into forensic scientist positions from other positions within N.C. State government and are currently Career State employees will be required to complete a probationary period of 24 additional months.
• In accordance with Section 17.5 of Senate Bill 402, The Department of Justice shall not hire sworn personnel to fill vacant positions in the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the termination of sworn personnel, but as vacant positions in the State Laboratory are filled, they shall be filled only with non sworn personnel. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect North Carolina State Crime Laboratory personnel who are sworn and employed by the Laboratory as of the effective date of this section and who continue to meet the sworn status retention standards mandated by the NC Criminal Justice Education and Standards Commission.
• ** Transcripts are required at the time of application. Credit for foreign degrees will only be given if verification of degree certification is attached. Transcripts for foreign degrees have to be evaluated by an organization like World Education Services to determine US equivalency.
• Upon hire the Forensic Scientist must complete the State Crime Laboratory Forensic Analyst Academy to obtain knowledge of legal concepts that impact their work – including a working knowledge of the methods, procedures, and practices used in the investigation of criminal offenses, and of the principles, techniques, and procedures of modern criminal investigation.

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