Job Specification
FORENSIC SCIENTIST 3
DEFINITION:
Under the direction of an Assistant Chief Forensic Scientist or the Chief
Forensic Scientist, or other supervisory official, in the Department of
Law and Public Safety or in the Department of Health, supervises the
technical operation of a component within a Regional Forensic Laboratory,
and supervises designated research projects within the Office of Forensic
Sciences; supervises staff and work activities; prepares and signs official
performance evaluations for subordinate staff; performs other related field
and laboratory work; does other related duties as required.
NOTE: The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only.
A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this
job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be
listed.
EXAMPLES OF WORK:
Supervises the performance of subordinate forensic scientists conducting
chemical, physical, biological, toxicological, and/or serological analyses on
submitted specimens, substances, evidence, and other materials sent by
law enforcement agencies and Medical Examiners' Offices to be reviewed
in connection with criminal investigations or other official queries.
Participates in quality assurance and control programs by completing
personal and laboratory proficiency tests as assigned, overseeing sectional
audits, overseeing validation procedures on new instrumentation,
maintaining detailed logbooks for standards and calibrations, and witnessing
the analyses of colleagues.
Reviews written and practical competency and proficiency tests for specialty
areas and determines recommendations regarding further required training.
Supervises the conduct of subordinate staff in the security and accountability
controls of all specimens, substances, and evidence submitted to the laboratory
for analyses and storage.
Reviews and evaluates all cases submitted for laboratory analysis and obtains
additional information as necessary; assigns cases to appropriate personnel
within the laboratory component for testing and analysis based on the
individual’s knowledge, expertise and training.
Assumes responsibility for the scientific and technical accuracy of all work
performed in an assigned area of the laboratory; supervises case processing
including reviewing all reports, notes, assigned graphs, and photographs
prepared by subordinates, ensuring that all cases have been technically
reviewed and that they include complete chemical, physical, biological,
toxicological, and serological analyses on submitted specimens, and ensuring
the comprehensive report for each case includes all determined facts and
conclusions, as per laboratory protocols; ensures that tests and analyses meet
criteria of the laboratory manual and that the reports are accurate, legible, and
contain all relevant material.
Performs administrative functions designated by the Assistant Chief Forensic
Scientist, which may include taking inventory and ordering supplies; develops
priority lists of equipment and budget requirements for the regional laboratory
director and may participate in the annual budget preparation.
Develops and enforces technical policies and procedures for the laboratory;
keeps current of the most advanced scientific procedures consistent with
state and federal court decisions and State Police regulations.
Instructs and trains laboratory personnel in the administrative and laboratory
procedures for the proper use and maintenance of scientific and forensic
laboratory instruments and equipment.
Supervises the safety, order, maintenance, and cleanliness of laboratory areas.
Initiates research and develops new or improved analytical techniques and
procedures, adapts or revises existing approaches based on current literature,
and validates new procedures by experimenting on non-case evidence or
control samples.
Supervises the set-up and validation of new sophisticated computer-linked
instrumentation with complicated software applications and ensures the
accuracy and reliability of all laboratory equipment.
Oversees and/or develops and presents lectures, seminars, and courses of
instruction to law enforcement personnel or other groups regarding the
proper submission of evidence and other areas related to forensic science.
Oversees assigned research projects; supervises designated research work
and participates in research relating to forensic matters.
Stays current in topics in Forensic Science through webinars, available
on-site training, literature search, workshops, participation in professional
associations, and by attending discipline specific meetings.
Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has
responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting,
demoting and/or disciplining of employees.
Supervises subordinate Forensic Scientists, Chemists and Laboratory
Technicians in specialized techniques and analysis by demonstrating
required skills and abilities.
May act in place of the Assistant Chief Forensic Scientist in his/her
absence and assumes supervision of a Regional Laboratory.
Oversees the preparation of clear, technically sound, accurate, and
informative reports of chemical, microchemical, instrumental, and other
laboratory examinations and analyses containing findings, conclusions,
and recommendations; prepares detailed information and reports in a
useable form for presentation in court by law enforcement agencies.
Supervises the maintenance of essential laboratory records and files to
provide extensive records of operation for quality control purposes.
Provides recommendations on staff attendance at training, seminars, and
meetings.
Develops strategies to meet the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)
standards.
Ensures that all standards, procedures and guidelines address all reagents
and chemicals used in the units adhere to the established criteria for suitability
and purity, maintains paperwork for the traceability of established standards
and usage of reagents.
Supervises the development and dissemination of information procedures
to communicate current regulations and laws such as Right to Know, record
keeping requirements, and the policy for notification of interested parties.
Supervises the development and awareness criteria for emergency laboratory
response procedures and the determination of hazardous material classes,
hazardous materials responders, levels of responder requirements, first aid
measures.
Supervises the development and awareness criteria for control measures
to determine risk assessments and risk reductions, handling, storage,
transportation, and disposal of hazardous materials, personal protective
equipment, and engineering controls.
Supervises the development and implementation of a laboratory-wide chemical
hygiene plan to ensure health, safety, and hazardous material control measures
are maintained; ensures that scientists and other laboratory personnel adhere
to safety rules.
Determines new methods and standards; evaluates outdated practices that are
to be no longer utilized.
Supervises sections in the laboratory to avoid duplication of work.
Conducts monthly performance checks of instrument or reagent functionality.
Supervises subordinates on the proper use of robotics and automated analyses.
Supervises the scientific analysis and mathematical calculations on questioned
samples of alcoholic beverages.
Oversees the identification and analyses of body fluid and tissues, including
DNA specimens to determine the source of the contributor of evidence such
as blood, semen, hair roots, teeth, and bones.
Supervises trace evidence analyses such as paint or fibers through visual,
chemical, and microscopic examination, appropriate tests, and instrumentation.
Oversees the analyses of evidence for controlled dangerous substances by
Weighing evidence, microscopic examination for botanical identification,
color tests through application of appropriate reagents, crystal test, and
extracting drugs for further testing.
Liaisons with other professionals to contribute and obtain information
necessary to identify trends affecting controlled substances and potential
controlled substances; keeps informed of new analytical methods of
clandestine and legitimate drug manufacturing.
Oversees the testing necessary for toxicological determinations regarding
the ingestion of poisons and/or lethal drugs; conducts tests designed to
reveal the presence of substances likely to cause toxic symptoms.
Provides expertise and supervision to agencies at crime scenes regarding
the collection and preservation of evidence.
Provides information to attorneys and investigative officers concerning
analytical findings and information to aid in analysis of cases.
Supervises physical and chemical tests, measurements, and photographs
as required; reproduces these in legible pictures or drawings for the use
of the submitting agency in courts of law.
Oversees and maintains the integrity of court evidence; keeps evidence
in an appropriate environment and maintains a running log on all stages
of analysis to prevent loss, tampering, theft, or biological or chemical
degradation.
Supervises the preparation of exhibits used in official proceedings and
testifies under oath as an expert witness.
Prepares detailed correspondence and memoranda.
Maintains computer and analytical skills necessary for a specified discipline.
Maintains proper fuel and oil in assigned state transportation and reports
any problems.
Will be required to learn the how to utilize various types of electronic
and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency,
office, or related units.
REQUIREMENTS:
EDUCATION:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's
degree in Forensic Science, Chemistry, Biology, Bio-Chemistry. Degrees
in related areas of biological or chemical science that contain a minimum
of twenty-four (24) science semester hour credits in any combination of
Forensic Science, Chemistry, Biology, or Bio-Chemistry are considered
acceptable in meeting the education requirement.
EXPERIENCE:
Three (3) years of experience in performing comprehensive testing
procedures to be utilized in conducting various types of chemical testing,
retesting, analytical examination and analyses of bio-hazardous, organic
and inorganic compounds, and other matter conducted in a modern
scientific, pharmaceutical, medical, forensic chemistry, or DNA testing
laboratory.
NOTE: Applicants who do not possess the required Master's degree,
but who possess a Bachelor's degree in one of the four areas of science
listed above, or possess a Bachelor's degree that includes a minimum of
twenty-four (24) science semester hour credits in any combination of
Forensic Science, Chemistry, Biology, or Bio-Chemistry, may substitute
one (1) year of additional experience as indicated.
NOTE: Possession of a Doctorate degree in Forensic Science, Chemistry,
Biology, Bio-Chemistry, or related physical science area of study, may
substitute this degree for two (2) years of experience as indicated above.
NOTE: Appointees will be required to possess various certifications to
perform Forensic DNA testing and analysis, issued by the standards
established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Quality Assurance
Standards (QAS) for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories and DNA Databasing
Laboratories, and the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) for
specifications and accreditation for various scientific sub-disciplines relevant
to such testing procedures, practices, and analysis to be considered as
admissible in courts of law and other formal proceedings.
LICENSE:
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey
only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary
to perform the essential duties of the position.
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge of the principles, techniques, equipment, and functions of
forensic chemistry and their application to scientific situations.
Knowledge of the chemical laboratory standards, protocols, procedures,
techniques, equipment, media, reagents, and supplies used to conduct
chemical and related microscopic tests, assays, examinations, and analyses.
Knowledge of toxic chemicals, dangerous biological diseases, and other
environmental hazards encountered in evidence handling and in the usage
of reagents and of the appropriate health and safety precautions.
Knowledge of supervision techniques and methods.
Knowledge of training techniques and methods.
Knowledge of the factors affecting interpretation of scientific data, including
conditions of evidence, environment of crime scene, sample substrate, and
interfering substances.
Knowledge of principles involved in the manufacture of goods and materials
for each type of evidence.
Knowledge of a lab-wide chemical hygiene plan.
Knowledge of laboratory health and safety, and hazardous material control
measures.
Knowledge of a Bloodborne Pathogen Plan.
Knowledge of the control measures used to determine risk assessments and
risk reductions.
Knowledge of the methods used to handle, store, transport, and dispose of
hazardous materials, and the usage of personal protective equipment and
engineering controls.
Knowledge of emergency laboratory response procedures to determine first
responder criteria, determination of hazardous material classes, hazardous
materials responders, levels of responder requirements, first aid measures.
Knowledge of record keeping requirements and the procedures for notification
of interested parties.
Knowledge of the form and content of laboratory reports of tests, examinations,
and analyses.
Knowledge of computer applications associated with instrumentation procedures
and statistical analysis, and review standards.
Knowledge of analytical chemistry, chemistry, biology, biochemistry, molecular
biology, and toxicology.
Knowledge of physics, geology, statistics, and computers.
Ability to operate an ultraviolet spectrophotometer, infrared spectrophotometer,
x-ray diffraction unit, a DNA Genetic Analyzer and workstation, Atmospheric
Pressure Chemical Ionization LC/MS, Capillary Electrophoresis instrument,
Pyrolysis Head space sampler for GC/MS, scanning electron microscope,
gas chromatograph, mass spectrometer, High Pressure Liquid Chromatograph,
data work stations, and other scientific equipment in the laboratory in the
analysis of varied types of materials.
Ability to use digital photographic equipment to photograph evidence to
be used in a court of law.
Ability to supervise assigned staff and plan, organize, and implement projects
within the unit.
Ability to plan and schedule work for a component of a forensic science
laboratory, to develop effective work procedures, and to check results of
tests, examinations, and analyses made by subordinates and associate
scientists.
Ability to technically review reports of subordinates to ensure that the
conclusions are reasonable and within the constraints of scientific knowledge.
Ability to establish cooperative working relationships with technical
personnel and law enforcement agencies/officials.
Ability to keep current with new discoveries and current literature in the
field of forensic sciences, and to investigate and initiate appropriate new
methodologies and procedures.
Ability to keep current with laws, regulations, and court decisions that
affect methods, specimen security, chain of custody, record keeping,
court testimony, and employee safety.
Ability to set up, operate, and troubleshoot new scientific instruments
and equipment.
Ability to ensure that infrastructure processes are optimized and balanced.
Ability to recognize circumstances as to when subordinates are at risk to
increased exposure to blood borne pathogens and establish/enforce
adherence to extensive procedures to reduce the risks governing biological
waste management and promote personal safety.
Ability to identify toxic chemicals, dangerous biological diseases, and other
environmental hazards encountered in evidence handling and reagents.
Ability to monitor the workplace environment for hazardous and toxic
conditions and recognize acceptable limits of exposure or when exposure
or conditions are deemed to be hazardous.
Ability to identify and remediate mechanical, environmental, and electrical
hazards.
Ability to prepare and supervise staff in the preparation of standard and
special reagents.
Ability to follow standard and prescribed procedures when conducting
specific tests, examinations, and analyses, in compliance with state and
federal regulations and court stipulated guidelines.
Ability to maintain a chain of custody record providing a comprehensive
documented history of evidence review, transfer, and storage.
Ability to successfully complete proficiency and/or competency tests in
the assigned discipline.
Ability to write articles about forensic and DNA sciences, and to take part
in meetings and conferences of a professional nature.
Ability to use statistics to validate instruments and methodologies, and
to explain the significance of statistical results.
Ability to use laboratory equipment and reagents in a manner that avoids
unnecessary breakage and waste and to obtain accurate, reliable results.
Ability to determine the origin and nature of materials and substances by
conducting chemical, physical, and microchemical tests and analyses.
Ability to conduct physical and chemical tests, measurements, and take
photographs.
Ability to choose a suitable analytical technique for the case of non-routine
samples and in some cases, to refer the submitting agency to other
appropriate laboratories when their requests are beyond the scope of the
facility.
Ability to supervise research into forensic and DNA matters.
Ability to prepare and direct the preparation of scientifically sound and
technically accurate reports of examinations, testing, and analyses
containing findings and conclusions.
Ability to supervise the compilation and preparation of data, detailed
information, photographs, charts, tables and reports for use in court
proceedings.
Ability to supervise the preparation of legible drawings for use in official
proceedings.
Ability to evaluate courtroom testimony as to both presentation and
scientific accuracy; ability to serve as an expert rebuttal witness, when
necessary.
Ability to give testimony and act as an expert witness in official proceedings
concerning the results of laboratory examination and analyses in a clear and
concise manner.
Ability to prepare detailed correspondence and memoranda.
Ability to supervise the maintenance of essential records, reports, and files.
Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or recording
and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Ability to maintain computer and analytical skills necessary for a specified
discipline.
Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English
sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language
or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform
the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer
undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
This job specification is applicable to the following title code: | | Job
Spec
Code | Variant | State,
Local or
Common | Class of
Service | Work
Week | State
Class
Code | Local
Class
Code | Salary
Range | Note | | 01594 | | C | C | NL | 30 | 32 | R30 | - |
This job specification is for state and local government use.
Salary range is only applicable to state government.
Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions.
4/22/2023 |
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