Forensic Science

[FayetheAspie]

I was wondering if anyone on the forum has or has had a forensic science job. If so what is/was your specialty (chemistry, biology, toxicology, ballistics, digital, ect.)? Do you know of job categories that are available to a person after only a certificate level education so to be employed while continuing to pursue a degree? If not, what would be a good job to gain transferable skills while completing education? Would it be better to get another type of lab job such as quality control or to get another type of job at a law enforcement agency so you could switch departments once qualified?

 

[Shevek]

I am an expert in bicycles and bicycling. In my local neighbourhood where I always rode, a 12 year old boy was killed on his bike, despite being famous academically. I was able to understand what went wrong in the traffic that day, and reached out to his family. Their rep broadly hinted that they were only interested in theories that would get someone sued, not explain his mistake.

 

[grommet]

I was wondering if anyone on the forum has or has had a forensic science job. If so what is/was your specialty (chemistry, biology, toxicology, ballistics, digital, ect.)? Do you know of job categories that are available to a person after only a certificate level education so to be employed while continuing to pursue a degree? If not, what would be a good job to gain transferable skills while completing education? Would it be better to get another type of lab job such as quality control or to get another type of job at a law enforcement agency so you could switch departments once qualified?

I am not responding to your post because I cannot but if I had a friend in forensic science I would want to know everything. I would ask so many questions and want to hear all their stories and what happened that day. I love science and I am very curious about the work.

 

[FayetheAspie]

I am not responding to your post because I cannot but if I had a friend in forensic science I would want to know everything. I would ask so many questions and want to hear all their stories and what happened that day. I love science and I am very curious about the work.

It's amazing how much can be learned from something as simple as a miniscule chip of paint.

 

[Judge]

-

It's amazing how much can be learned from something as simple as a miniscule chip of paint.

You could say that.......here's a more elaborate explanation:

Forensic Paint Analysis and Comparison Guidelines by SWGMAT Paint Subgroup, Part 2 (FSC, July 1999)

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

You may like this. I do not trust forensic Science a very immature area of science many wrong assumptions made over the years. When I was in college we did instrumental techniques for analytical testing, Things like isotopic testing did not exist. hopefully this video show you more options for a possible career that fits your interests and abilities more closely.

 

[RemyZee]

I was wondering if anyone on the forum has or has had a forensic science job.

Don't know anything about it but it sounds like it would be up your alley. And fascinating as well as challenging, and something that could find a job doing.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

It's bigger than just crime scenes, maturing over the last fifteen years use quality guys had an effect on it,

 

[Judge]

The good news is that there is a sense of forensic science jobs out there that do not necessarily involve a college degree. Perhaps a good way to get your foot in the door of such a profession.

However like so many more specialized forms of employment, you may have to be prepared to relocate. A subject I know well when I once entertained becoming a fingerprint examiner. Though as an entry level job the salary level was terribly low, with a job in a very impoverished state.

Though I know shooting for a formal forensic science degree can be brutal. A subject that shook a number of criminal justice majors who I lived with in a college dorm.

https://www.indeed.com/q-no-degree-forensic-science-jobs.html?vjk=0788e77767f5681a

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

The good news is that there is a sense of forensic science jobs out there that do not necessarily involve a college degree. Perhaps a good way to get your foot in the door of such a profession.

However like so many more specialized forms of employment, you may have to be prepared to relocate. A subject I know well when I once entertained becoming a fingerprint examiner. Though as an entry level job the salary level was terribly low, with a job in a very impoverished state.

Though I know shooting for a formal forensic science degree can be brutal. A subject that shook a number of criminal justice majors who I lived with in a college dorm.

https://www.indeed.com/q-no-degree-forensic-science-jobs.html?vjk=0788e77767f5681a

Start at bottom build up , my plan from beginning

 

[maleonolo]

I was wondering if anyone on the forum has or has had a forensic science job. If so what is/was your specialty (chemistry, biology, toxicology, ballistics, digital, ect.)? Do you know of job categories that are available to a person after only a certificate level education so to be employed while continuing to pursue a degree? If not, what would be a good job to gain transferable skills while completing education? Would it be better to get another type of lab job such as quality control or to get another type of job at a law enforcement agency so you could switch departments once qualified?

Digital forensics might get bigger as countries are increasingly turning to surveillance. I guess one of the few upsides of living in a surveillance state

 

[FayetheAspie]

I don't know much about tech. I have no Internet connected home computer and was only finally permitted to get a cellphone around the age of 25 (and probably about 4 years into my time of working 10 years at that one retail company). I'm trying to catch up on the things I need to know where computers are concerned as I can, but somehow I don't think I am fit to have a job in something like computer forensics or cyber security, or anything super techy like that.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

In 1986 my employer closed plant, next position required use of computer, my weakness, went from secretary typing my stuff to doing it on computer. Fortunately bright enough to figure it out. Real steep curve. I think you are quite capable you are bright. I still do not like computers. hate my apple phone too many features I will never use,

 

[maleonolo]

In 1986 my employer closed plant, next position required use of computer, my weakness, went from secretary typing my stuff to doing it on computer. Fortunately bright enough to figure it out. Real steep curve. I think you are quite capable you are bright. I still do not like computers. hate my apple phone too many features I will never use,

too much clutter on ur phone? Do you dislike the amount of apps you see on your screen?

I have no Internet connected home computer

Are you living in a rural area?

 

[Judge]

I don't know much about tech. I have no Internet connected home computer and was only finally permitted to get a cellphone around the age of 25 (and probably about 4 years into my time of working 10 years at that one retail company). I'm trying to catch up on the things I need to know where computers are concerned as I can, but somehow I don't think I am fit to have a job in something like computer forensics or cyber security, or anything super techy like that.

I suspect this is your most vulnerable consideration.

Not something you can "wing" in getting much of any position in any scientific capacity. When most sophisticated records are now digitally created and stored. You need hands-on experience with a personal computer running at least Microsoft Windows. These days I can't imagine many jobs one can sit down to do any kind of paperwork without recording or accounting for them through some kind of digital system and computer workstation.

At the very least, see what your local community has to offer in the way of adult education that offers such programs. I've seen a lot of them over the years in California and Nevada. Though they usually come at a minor cost per class. Many covering all the aspects of Microsoft Office.

And even more importantly, to do whatever it takes to get Internet access, and purchase even a cheap laptop with Windows 11. Otherwise you may ultimately be limited to non-scientific jobs where you may be standing up most of your work hours.

 

[maleonolo]

I suspect this is your most vulnerable consideration.

Not something you can "wing" in getting much of any position in any scientific capacity. When most sophisticated records are now digitally created and stored. You need hands-on experience with a personal computer running at least Microsoft Windows. These days I can't imagine many jobs one can sit down to do any kind of paperwork without recording or accounting for them through some kind of digital system and computer workstation.

At the very least, see what your local community has to offer in the way of adult education that offers such programs. I've seen a lot of them over the years in California and Nevada. Though they usually come at a minor cost per class. Many covering all the aspects of Microsoft Office.

And even more importantly, to do whatever it takes to get Internet access, and purchase even a cheap laptop with Windows 11. Otherwise you may ultimately be limited to non-scientific jobs where you may be standing up most of your work hours.

Do you think AI will eventually replace those data entry jobs?

Also as a web designer do you create HTML/CSS/JS from scratch or use bootstrap? Do you enjoy it? I find modern UI to be quite unappealing compared to the UI of these old forums where there is less design friction and there are useful buttons everywhere. Apparently clients nowadays prefer full-page images on their websites that rotate and spin around like in an arcade... designing something that doesn't agree with me day after day sounds like torture. These modern UI break easily too when I come across them

 

[FayetheAspie]

I just need to get back into some kind of manual labor job. Hopefully one that is not quite as hard as the back room unloading that I did.

 

[Judge]

Do you think AI will eventually replace those data entry jobs?

Also as a web designer do you create HTML/CSS/JS from scratch or use bootstrap? Do you enjoy it? I find modern UI to be quite unappealing compared to the UI of these old forums where there is less design friction and there are useful buttons everywhere. Apparently clients nowadays prefer full-page images on their websites that rotate and spin around like in an arcade... designing something that doesn't agree with me day after day sounds like torture

I'm the wrong person to ask much of anything about "artificial intelligence" at the moment. I remain intensely skeptical of it, given that it's just a carrot for donkeys (shareholders) to blindly invest in. Causing companies like Nvidia and Microsoft to lose focus of both their primary products and their customers.

I haven't done any website design since 2007. Ended up as a personal investor having spent most of my adult working career in finance (insurance) until I retired a few years ago.

Though when I worked professionally as a web designer I did most of my work from scratch, using only Homesite 4.1 to render all my markup and code/scripts. But it was a different time back then, when employers expected you to master pretty much everything- HTML, client and server-side scripting languages, databases, and graphics. Where if you weren't fluent in Photoshop, they wouldn't hire you. It was my favorite job...making product websites for a well-known Silicon Valley computer game publisher/developer in their entertainment division.

 

[maleonolo]

I'm the wrong person to ask much of anything about "artificial intelligence" at the moment. I remain intensely skeptical of it, given that it's just a carrot for donkeys (shareholders) to blindly invest in. Causing companies like Nvidia and Microsoft to lose focus of both their primary products and their customers.

I haven't done any website design since 2007. Ended up as a personal investor having spent most of my adult working career in finance (insurance).

Though when I worked professionally as a web designer I did most of my work from scratch, using only Homesite 4.1 to render all my markup and code/scripts. But it was a different time back then, when employers expected you to master pretty much everything- HTML, scripting languages, databases, and graphics. Where if you weren't fluent in Photoshop, they wouldn't hire you. It was my favorite job...making product websites for a well-known Silicon Valley computer game publisher/developer in their entertainment division.

Sounds cool, did you learn those languages just by studying guides online?

 

[Judge]

Sounds cool, did you learn those languages just by studying guides online?

Not at all. But keep in mind the entire industry is very different now than when it was in my time.

A lot of it involved taking an industry-recognized ten-month vocational program on web design which cost me $11,000 out of my own pocket in 1998. The rest I learned by studying books on such subjects...when paper was still a primary media.

It would seem nowadays one doesn't write straight code, but depends on programming to do it for them. Sounds grim....unprofessional. Most of all it probably translates into much less pay than in my time. Oh well...