While popular culture may lead you to believe that forensic science jobs are limited to working in a lab conducting tests on bodily tissues and fluids, there are a variety of other options to consider. A medical examiner, a crime scene examiner, or a forensic engineer are all options in addition to laboratory analyst. Whatever career path is chosen, the ultimate goal of all forensic science jobs is to work with other law enforcement specialists to reconstruct as much of the crime scene as possible.
A laboratory analyst’s primary responsibility is to examine evidence from a chemical and physical standpoint. Many types of crimes require testing bodily fluids and tissues and then determining who they belong to. In many cases ranging from rape to murder, this forensic science job plays a critical role in identifying the perpetrator.
The medical examiner may be subjected to the most gruesome work of all the forensic science jobs. Those who choose this path will be in charge of performing autopsies. They will usually work in a laboratory, but in some cases, they may be called to work at the crime scene. Bodies can be in a variety of states of decomposition. The medical examiner will need to answer three main questions: the manner of death, the cause of death, and the time of death. Homicide, suicide, or natural causes of death are the three options for death. A drowning, a gunshot, or a heart attack could all be causes of death.
The crime scene examiner is often in charge of gathering evidence that will be examined both the medical examiner and the laboratory analyst during the course of the investigation. While all forensic science jobs necessitate meticulous attention to detail, this one necessitates even more to avoid compromising or destroying evidence. Those in other forensic science jobs will never have the opportunity to make the critical discoveries that could break the case if it isn’t provided.
The forensic engineer deals with highly technical investigations in order to determine the causes and circumstances of incidents. Someone in this forensic field, for example, might need to determine whether a traffic collision or a house fire was intentional or the result of an accident. This frequently entails recreating the circumstances surrounding the incident. To do so, the forensic engineer must go back and examine each cause and effect in order to reach a conclusion.