FAQ
Are you a part of the Police in Northern Ireland?
No. FSNI is an Agency of the Department of Justice and is completely independent of the police. The staff employed by FSNI are scientific civil servants and are not police officers. Our Mission Statement makes our position clear with respect to the independence of the organisation and the impartiality of its staff.
Do you work only for the Police?
Whilst our principal customer is the PSNI, and FSNI exists to support their scientific needs, we do, as you can see from our customer page, undertake work for a variety of different organisations. The client list includes the names of some of the most respected defence solicitors in the UK who have engaged FSNI experts to help in their preparation of appeal cases. These appeals have included a review of the scientific evidence in bombing incidents attributed to the IRA.
Do you work with dead bodies?
Not usually. That is the role of the pathologist, who is concerned with identifying the cause of death. FSNI scientists will, on occasions, visit crime scenes at which the body of a murder victim may be present. This is one of the more unpleasant and distressing aspects of the job, but visiting a scene whilst the body is still present can assist with scientific interpretation of the incident.
Do you run training courses for the public?
We are quite often asked if we offer training for those thinking of a career in forensic science. Unfortunately we don't. Training is available as part of academic courses offered by, amongst others, The Universtity of Strathclyde and by Kings College London. Competence based training courses are provided by FSNI generally for the benefit of the police or other organisations in the justice system. However, we have undertaken a number of international training courses and seminars attended by recognised law enforcement agencies and forensic science laboratories working in the field.
Will you speak to the media?
Yes. FSNI scientists have recently been involved in the production of a series of documentary television programmes about the investigation of murders in Northern Ireland. The Chief Executive and staff have given television, radio and newspaper interviews on their work. Media enquiries for access should be referred to the Department of Justice Press Office.
Are you a part of the Forensic Science Service?
No. FSNI is entirely independent of any other laboratories in the United Kingdom.
Are you the only forensic science laboratory in Ireland?
No. We are the only forensic science laboratory in Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland has its own Forensic Science Laboratory situated in Phoenix Park, Dublin, which serves the needs of the Garda Siochana. The two laboratories have good working relationships and have on occasions work jointly on cases which have crossed the border between the two countries.
Are there any vacancies in your laboratory at present?
Vacancies for staff, including scientific staff are advertised in the regional press and on occasion in industry journals such as "New Scientist".
Alternatively you can find current vacancies at https://irecruit-ext.hrconnect.nigov.net/
Applications will only be considered in response to an advertised vacancy. FSNI do not accept general CVs.
Would you send me a pack of information about working in forensic science please?
We do not send out packs as our information is available on this web-site. You should find the answers to most questions you have as well as how to apply for vacancies in this FAQs section or on our careers page.
What qualifications do I need to work as a Forensic Scientist in FSNI?
Education requirements are dependant on the type of post being recruited. Entry Level post (Assistant Scientific Officer) minimum requirements are usually GCSE level, to include Maths, English and a science subject and for posts at Court Reporting Officer level we require a science based Honours Degree, both with demonstrable lab experience.
What experience do I need to work as a Forensic Scientist in FSNI?
It is possible to start work in forensic science without direct forensic experience or training. We normally recruit people with qualifications in Chemistry/Biology/Engineering related topics then train staff in the specific specialism required. Although you would not necessarily need experience in a forensic field wedo require people to have a good understanding of working in a laboratory; this can be gained through coursework as well as employment.
How do I apply for vacancies in FSNI?
Any vacancies we have are advertised on the Northern Ireland Civil Service recruitment web-site: https://irecruit-ext.hrconnect.nigov.net/ and in the local press. We would also put information about vacancies on our own website with a link to the NICS recruitment pages. We do not accept CVs directly.
Do you offer work experience?
Unfortunately we do not offer work experience. There are strict regulations covering access to casework and security clearance that prevent FSNI from being able to offer this and also due to the sheer numbers of requests we receive it would be impossible to facilitate everyone that asks us.
However, the NICS does have a work experience policy and some areas of the Department of Justice may be able to facilitate you. For more information on this please go to the work experience page of the NICS recruitment website: https://irecruit-ext.hrconnect.nigov.net/pages/content.aspx?Page=work-experience.
Do you offer internships/student placements?
FSNI does not routinely offer internships; as with work experience requests the strict regulations covering access to casework and security clearance still apply. We do occasionally offer short-term placements to MSc students to complete project work, but this is very much dependant on the needs of the business and we work directly with the universities and the Civil Service Appointments Branch to manage this. We do not accept CVs or applications directly from students.
For more information on the NICS policy on work experience and internships please go to the work experience page of the NICS recruitment website:
https://irecruit-ext.hrconnect.nigov.net/pages/content.aspx?Page=work-experience
Where can I read up more on forensic science?
There are too many books on this subject to attempt to provide a comprehensive reading list. Hundreds of publications on this topic are available via the internet, from good bookshops or from your local library.
