Forensic Scientist or Trainee

This is a grant funded position and is funded through September 30, 2025.

The Virginia Department of Forensic Science is seeking a Forensic Scientist in the Breath Alcohol Section.  Duties for this position include training law enforcement, maintenance and repair of evidential instrumentation, expert witness testimony, and research.  The Breath Alcohol Section provides training for approximately 5,000 law enforcement personnel regarding proper use of the Commonwealth’s evidential instrument, the Intox EC/IR II.  The staff is also responsible for maintenance of all evidential Breath Alcohol instruments and expert witness testimony throughout the state. The Breath Alcohol Section is accredited through the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) as a Calibration Laboratory and personnel are required to follow all accreditation criteria. This position requires overnight travel and employee will provide own transportation if necessary.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in a natural or physical science, toxicology, or closely related field
• Experience in a scientific laboratory using basic laboratory equipment, techniques, and laboratory safety procedures
• Knowledge of laboratory safety and quality assurance/quality control procedures
• Knowledge, skills, and ability to testify in court through experience and/or training
• Ability to explain and defend scientific concepts to laypersons and peer groups
• Ability to maintain accurate records, analyze and interpret data, manage multiple tasks efficiently, establish work priorities
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications
• Valid driver’s license or other means of statewide transportation

Additional Considerations:

• Completion of the Intox EC/IR II maintenance course
• Completion of the Robert F. Borkenstein Alcohol course
• Experience delivering technical training to professional staff

• Experience as an expert witness providing courtroom testimony and preparing and presenting exhibits of evidence, both verbally and in writing in a clear and concise manner
• Experience working in an accredited forensic science laboratory and/or familiarity with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ANAB accreditation criteria

Trainee:

If a fully qualified Forensic Scientist candidate does not meet all the minimum qualifications, a Forensic Scientist Trainee position may be offered to the most suitable candidate with a salary of $49,059. The selected candidate will be expected to successfully complete a training program performing comprehensive scientific analyses. Upon successful completion of the training program, the trainee’s salary will be established within the salary range for a qualified Forensic Scientist. The training may last up to 12 months, dependent upon the qualifications of the selected candidate. The Trainee must meet the degree requirements stated in the minimum qualifications.

A successful Forensic Scientist Trainee will have competencies that include attention to detail, critical thinking, analytical and deductive reasoning, problem solving, and time management skills.

Trainee Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a natural or physical science, toxicology, or closely related field

• Ability to maintain accurate records, analyze and interpret data, manage multiple tasks efficiently, establish work priorities, and develop sound conclusions from analyses
• Possess good oral and written communication skills
• Valid driver’s license and/or have other means of reliable transportation.

Trainee Additional Considerations:

• Experience in an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited private, local, state, or federal forensic science laboratory (working and/or internship)
• Experience in a scientific laboratory environment using laboratory equipment, techniques, laboratory safety, and QA/QC procedures.