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How do I get a job in forensics?

I'm a physics major with a minor in math and Spanish, and I don't know where to go, where to look, or how to get a job in forensics. I have been looking online a lot, but so far I have only found jobs for chemistry and psychology majors. Thank you #jobs #math #career #forensics #jobinforensics #firstjob #forensicscience #physics #spanish

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treasa’s Answer

Forensic psychology involves the examination of the mental states of people involved in the legal system. Professionals in the field need in-depth knowledge of psychology and the law.Forensic psychology master’s programs typically take two years to complete. Degree completion time varies depending on program requirements.Forensic psychology focuses on human behavior and psychology. Forensic science professionals examine crime scene evidence and typically work in a laboratory.Most jobs in forensic psychology require at least a master’s degree in the field. Aspiring forensic psychologists should pursue a doctorate.
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Joseph’s Answer

As a physicist myself, I'd imagine much of forensics can be quite difficult to get into. Certainly most people would think of police forensics, which is a world built around chemists, biologists, and lawyers; and the majority of positions will specifically look for qualifications in those areas instead. There are still plenty of roles where physics is key; forensic ballistics and collision investigation both spring to mind as areas where physicists would be required; perhaps search those kinds of roles specifically?

Forensics is also a much broader field than law enforcement. There's forensic engineers looking at why things break; which is probably worth looking into. These days, digital forensics is also a huge field; as a physics student, you've probably done a fair bit with computers and programming; perhaps that's an area of interest for you? Finally, a niche one I've encountered in my field is nuclear forensics; keeping track of "fingerprints" of radioisotope ratios to track, trace, and control nuclear and radioactive material.

Another thought; if it is a more classical police forensics career that your heart's set on, but you're finding your undergrad studies haven't really prepared you for; there's usually postgraduate study options that allow you to convert between scientific fields and learn new specialist areas. This side of the "pond", I'd advise looking at taught MSc forensics courses to boost your qualifications. I'm not sure what the equivalent of postgraduate Masters level study is where you are, but I'm sure there's something similar.

Joseph recommends the following next steps:

Research ballistics, collision investigation, and any other physics-based fields of forensics. Work out whether you can search for those roles specifically.
Research forensic engineering - decide whether that's a field you'd be interested in
Look up what postgraduate study options are available
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