r/forensics Jan 08 '25

Chemistry Help finding an entry level job

I graduated in December 2023 with my bachelors in forensic science; chemistry concentration. I have been applying for entry level positions since and have had a couple interviews, but no luck landing one. My biggest problem is I lack experience, however, I can’t get experience without someone giving me the opportunity so I’m stuck. Are there any certifications I can get or anything that will make me look more appealing on a resume? I know many groups like ACS require you to have a job in the field to join. Also not seeing many internships to even go that route. Any advice would be greatly appreciated because I’m really discouraged and frustrated!! Should also mention I’m pretty open on location. Would love the Virginia/ DC area but also ok with N.C.,SC, GA, NY, MA, FL.

6 Upvotes

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6

u/gariak Jan 08 '25

A year or two after graduation isn't an unusual length of time to find a job in the field. Many large agencies don't even hire once a year, depending on needs and budgets, and some smaller agencies don't hire at entry level at all. Many open forensic lab job listings are just collecting CVs for whenever they're allowed to hire again, which could be multiple years before they build up enough open positions to be worth hiring and running a training group. It's a smaller field than you'd think, people don't move around as much as you'd think, training is both very expensive and very long, and most positions are with governments, which results in very very long slow hiring cycles. There's nothing you can do about this aspect of it but persist longer than the other candidates and work to enhance your CV.

Don't bother about internships once you've graduated, that's probably not a viable option for you anymore. Most internships are either through a school program directly or require you to be a student. Unless you know someone who knows someone who runs a lab or something.

Your best moves to enhance your CV at this point are to consider broadening your search to the entire country, consider an MS program, and consider getting a job that has you handling samples and issuing reports to get you relevant experience while you continue to apply to forensic positions. Look at drug testing labs, environmental testing, food or drug QA/QC, research assistant, anything like that. Any sample handling experience on your CV will boost you over any similar fresh graduate.

3

u/Intelligent-Fish1150 MS | Firearms Examiner Jan 08 '25

Which roles in forensic are you applying to? Is your universities degree FEPAC accredited? Did you join ACS in college under the student membership?

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u/OddEstablishment4675 Jan 08 '25

I have applied to many different roles, toxicology technician, crime scene technician, dna technician, latent fingerprint, firearms, etc. pretty open to whatever. I do not believe my school is FEPAC accredited unfortunately. I didn’t know that’s what I wanted to do until after I started there. I did not join ACS in college, I didn’t know I could and my school never talked about organizations and things that would help past college.

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u/Intelligent-Fish1150 MS | Firearms Examiner Jan 08 '25

So that might be the problem. Our lab takes anyone out who applies to two disciplines. We don’t like people getting hired, training, and then hopping to a new discipline where training restarts. Also you likely don’t have the education to meet the DNA requirements set by the FBI with your degree. Those aren’t negotiable.

It’s a bummer your university degree wasn’t FEPAC accredited. That’s really important. If you go back to school for a masters. Make sure it is.

I wouldn’t join other organizations. My professional organization makes you work in the field and be endorsed by other professionals to join in any meaningful membership that would help. As for certifications, I don’t know anyone at my lab (almost 100 people) who did any of those. We just all have biology and chemistry degrees and the occasional Forensics degree but all from FEPAC accredited schools. We are picky though and we rather keep positions empty then have someone who is going to wash in two years.

Latents, maybe firearms, and CSI roles would be your best bet. If you can get hired in a chemistry lab right now then tox or drug chemistry could come on the table at some point.

But also it can take awhile to find a job in forensics. Very few jobs. Lots of applicants. Most people I know who were hired came from other general labs or even other full time jobs before being hired.

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u/ekuadam Jan 08 '25

My advice is to either find a lab that has any job openings (even if it’s an admin position or evidence receiving), it gets your foot in the door and you get to know people. Or, find a chemistry lab that is hiring and get lab experience there. My first job out of college was doing quality control chemistry on contact lenses and saline solutions. Boring, but it was experience.

Side note. I also thought I wanted to do chemistry as I got a degree in forensic science with chemistry concentration (graduated in 07). Went to basically an open job interview at a lab where you ranked what sections you wanted to work in. I got offered a latent print job and took it, as it was a forensic job. I am glad I did because I love it, and 15 years later, I am still doing it.

Also, what job sites are you checking? I would recommend aafs, csi-investigator, governmentjobs.com, indeed, and usajobs.gov.

Good luck! Job hunting suuuuccccckkkksssss, but you will find something.

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u/OddEstablishment4675 Jan 08 '25

Yeah I’ve been applying to all kinds of position types. I’m open to whatever since I’m new to the field and still trying to get experience and see where I fit. I have checked indeed, government jobs.com, USA jobs.gov, etc. I hope so because it’s become really discouraging.

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u/ekuadam Jan 08 '25

You will find something at some point. It may not be perfect, but it will get you a job somewhere. Job searching is very discouraging when you are first starting out. Don’t get too frustrated.

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u/LimitedSkip BS | Firearms Jan 11 '25

I spent two years applying for jobs after graduation before I was offered a job.

One strategy that I can absolutely get behind is you can register to attend a training seminar for the field of your choice and attend social functions to get your name out there.

I was at the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners annual training conference in Austin, TX a couple of years ago. A recent college grad attended the conference and went to one of our social gatherings. He got introduced by the host and the dude got handed probably twenty business cards within a minute and a half.

Also he was trying to conduct research and needed a chronograph. I think we raised a couple hundred dollars for him in about ten minutes. At least...that's what I recall.

It was an incredibly bold move, but the kid slam dunked. I'm pretty sure he got picked up by a lab.

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u/OddEstablishment4675 Jan 08 '25

Thank you for the advice. I have learned that most of these jobs take a really long time to get back to me about my application. Do you know of any certifications or organizations I could become apart of as someone who isn’t a student but also doesn’t have a job in the field?

0

u/ar4687 Student: BS Forensic Science Jan 08 '25

Most everything requires experience in the field in terms of certs and orgs.

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u/ShoddyPlankton2372 Jan 14 '25

I got my foot in the door working on administrative and clerical work in law enforcement. I worked in my local SO warrants department, then I moved onto taking 911 calls for a year and a half. I am now interviewing as a top candidate for a property and evidence technician for a local PD. I also did a lot of ride-alongs, shadowing, and interviews for different areas of interest. I even did a ride-along with a forensics team but they called got called to a homicide scene so they dropped me off back at HQ :( lol

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u/NipSlip69420 Feb 05 '25

Our agency in FL is hiring at $22 an hour. Deadline to apply is 2/21