Digital Forensic Examiner

Duties

• This classification is distinguished from a Police Officer by the fact that the employee is not a sworn officer, does not carry a firearm, and does not make arrests.
• DFI will collaborate with law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and other stakeholders to support criminal investigations, providing expertise on digital evidence and cyber-related matters.
• Assist in the development and implementation of departmental policies and procedures related to digital forensics, evidence handling, and cybercrime investigations.
• Conduct comprehensive examinations of digital devices and electronic evidence, including computers, mobile phones, tablets, and storage media, using specialized forensic tools and techniques.
• Recover, extract, and analyze digital data from various sources, including deleted files, encrypted storage, and volatile memory, to identify relevant information and potential leads in criminal investigations.
• Create forensic images of storage media to preserve the integrity and originality of digital evidence, adhering to established protocols and chain of custody procedures.
• Identify and analyze malware infections, malicious software, and suspicious files to determine their impact, origin, and relevance to criminal activities, collaborating with cybersecurity experts as needed.
• Investigate network traffic, logs, and communication records to trace the origin and transmission of illicit activities, such as hacking, data breaches, or cyberattacks, and support cybercrime investigations.
• Prepare detailed forensic reports documenting examination findings, methodologies, and conclusions in a clear, concise, and objective manner, adhering to legal and professional standards.
• Provide expert testimony in court proceedings, presenting forensic findings, interpretations, and conclusions effectively to judges and juries, and assisting prosecutors in the preparation and presentation of digital evidence.
• Stay current with evolving technologies, forensic methodologies, and legal precedents through ongoing training, certification, and participation in professional organizations, ensuring proficiency and expertise in digital forensics examination.
• Collaborate with law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, forensic laboratories, and other stakeholders to support criminal investigations, share information, and contribute to the overall success of investigative efforts.
• Ensure adherence to departmental policies, procedures, and quality standards in conducting digital forensics examinations, maintaining accuracy, integrity, and confidentiality throughout the process.
• This position requires regular and reliable attendance and the employee’s physical presence at the workplace.
• Other duties as assigned.

 Earn a Degree in Crime Scene Investigation, Forensic Science, or Computer Forensics

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Proficient in utilizing a variety of digital forensic tools and software, such as EnCase, FTK, X-Ways Forensics, Cellebrite, and open-source forensic utilities.
• Solid understanding of computer hardware, operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux), file systems, network protocols, and encryption technologies.
• Ability to perform forensic imaging, data carving, and keyword searching to extract and analyze digital evidence from various electronic devices.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to interpret complex data, identify patterns, and draw accurate conclusions during digital forensic examinations.
• Ability to recognize anomalies, discrepancies, and potential indicators of criminal activity within digital evidence and communicate findings effectively to investigative teams.
• Meticulous attention to detail in collecting, preserving, and documenting digital evidence in accordance with established protocols and chain of custody procedures.
• Ability to maintain accuracy and precision throughout the forensic examination process to ensure the integrity and admissibility of evidence in legal proceedings.
• Knowledge of relevant laws, regulations, and legal procedures governing digital evidence, cybercrime investigations, and the admissibility of digital evidence in court.
• Understanding of ethical standards, professional guidelines, and best practices in digital forensics to maintain integrity, confidentiality, and impartiality throughout the examination process.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to convey technical information, forensic findings, and investigative conclusions clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and other stakeholders, and provide expert testimony in court to support legal proceedings.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development to stay abreast of emerging technologies, forensic methodologies, and legal developments in the field of digital forensics.
• Willingness to pursue relevant certifications, attend training seminars, and participate in professional organizations to enhance skills and knowledge in digital forensics examination.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development to stay abreast of emerging technologies, forensic methodologies, and legal developments in the field of digital forensics.
• Willingness to pursue relevant certifications, attend training seminars, and participate in professional organizations to enhance skills and knowledge in digital forensics examination.

Minimum Requirements

• Associates’s degree from an accredited college or university with an emphasis in computer science, forensic science, cybersecurity, criminal justice. Experience, and/or training that provides the required knowledge and abilities may be substituted for the degree.
• Minimum of five (5) years of sworn law enforcement experience with investigative experience and/ or equivalent non-sworn investigative experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in digital forensics examination, preferably in a law enforcement agency, government organization, or private sector firm specializing in cybersecurity or digital investigations.
• Must possess a valid Florida Driver’s License with an acceptable driving record.
• Must submit to a complete background investigation including fingerprint check.
• Must meet restrictive drug standards.
• Mandatory drug and alcohol testing required.
• Must pass a polygraph examination.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting digital forensic examinations on a variety of electronic devices and storage media, utilizing forensic tools and techniques to recover, analyze, and interpret digital evidence.
• Proficiency in forensic software tools such as EnCase, FTK, X-Ways Forensics, Cellebrite, and open-source forensic utilities.
• Strong understanding of computer hardware, operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux), file systems, network protocols, and encryption technologies.
• Familiarity with legal and regulatory requirements governing digital evidence, cybercrime investigations, and the admissibility of digital evidence in court proceedings.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally and empathetically with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Proficiency in computer applications and software relevant to investigative work, including database management and report writing.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and collaborate effectively within a team environment.
• Willingness to work irregular hours including evenings, weekends and holidays, to accommodate the demands of investigations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors Degree from an accredited college or university with an emphasis in computer science, forensic science, cybersecurity, criminal justice.
• Certification in digital forensics (e.g., EnCE, CFCE, CCE, ACE).
• 10 years of digital forensic experience with a law enforcement agency.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of investigators, analysts, and legal professionals.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

This work typically requires the following physical activities to be performed

• Balancing – maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching.
• Climbing – ascending, descending ladders, stairs, ramps, requires body agility.
• Reaching – extending hands or arms in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion – substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers.
• Speaking – expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely.
• Standing – for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping – bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back.
• Talking - expressing ideas by spoken word
• Crouching – bending body forward by bending leg, spine.
• Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips.
• Fingering – picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.
• Grasping – applying pressure to object with fingers, palm.
• Handling – picking, holding, or working with whole hand.
• Hearing 1 – perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information.
• Hearing 2 – receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound.
• Kneeling – bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.
• Lifting – raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back.
• Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.
• Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision.
• Visual Acuity 3 - determine accuracy, neatness, observe facilities/structures.
• Mental Acuity – ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning.
• Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site.

Work performed is primarily:

• Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Potential for exposure to adverse conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, fumes and/or poor ventilation, wetness, humidity, rain, temperature, and noise extremes, machinery and/or moving vehicles, vibrations, electric currents, animals/wildlife, toxic/poisonous agents, gases or chemicals, oils or other cutting fluids, violence and/or disease, or pathogenic substances.
• Contact with internal and external customers, vendors, outside agencies and the general public.

Required to work hours other than the regular schedule including evening, weekend, holidays and during emergencies To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions described herein. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

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