Director of the Crime Laboratory

Duties

Typical Management Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and manage the staff, functions, and budget of the Laboratory;
• Develop and implement goals, objectives, and priorities for carrying out the functions of the Laboratory;
• Select, supervise, instruct, and evaluate subordinate staff;
• Initiate, evaluate, and make changes in laboratory methods, procedures, and equipment;
• Conduct research in the development of new techniques, methods, and equipment in connection with scientific criminal investigation;
• Establish and maintain appropriate administrative policies, structures, controls, and reporting systems for cost effective performance of Laboratory functions;
• Prepare and conduct in-service training programs on scientific criminal investigation for local law enforcement agencies;
• Establish and maintain working relationships with the District Attorney’s office, local law enforcement agencies, and Superior Court;
• Maintain competence and knowledge of current trends and new developments in criminalistics or related fields;
• May be assigned Disaster Service Worker duties as required; and
• Performs related duties as assigned.

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

Requirements

Employment Standards

• Graduation from an accredited college or equivalent education with a major in criminalistics, chemistry, biochemistry, or related field, and six years’ experience in the practice of general criminalistics, including two years in a supervisory or administrative capacity.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of management necessary to lead, plan, organize, and monitor the staff and functions of a criminal forensic laboratory;
• Principles, methods, materials, equipment, and techniques of criminalistics;
• Principles of chemistry, physics, biochemistry, physiology, zoology, botany, and photography as related to criminalistics;
• Recent developments, current literature, and sources of information in the field of criminalistics;
• Common types of narcotics, poisons, firearms, and explosives;
• Laws of evidence, criminal procedure, and crimes;
• Principles and practices of personnel management, supervision, and motivation, performance evaluation, training, and employee/labor relations; and
• Practices and techniques of budget preparation, monitoring, and control

Ability to:

• Effectively plan, organize, staff, and direct a criminalistics laboratory;
• Prepare and administer the Laboratory’s budget;
• Develop and implement short and long-range strategies, goals, and objectives;
• Identify, investigate, and analyze problems and formulate and implement constructive solutions;
• Recommend and implement effective and efficient methods, systems, policies, and processes for operational efficiency;
• Effectively plan, train, supervise, and evaluate others;
• Speak effectively before groups or in court as an expert;
• Develop and maintain good working relationships to represent the Laboratory and interact effectively with law enforcement agencies, the public, and employees;
• Prepare clear, concise reports; and
• Demonstrate strong analytical skills coupled with excellent communication skills to present findings or recommendations to a variety of audiences.

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