Due to the highly sensitive nature of the work, applicants should note that security clearance is required for this role. To gain security clearance you must have five years continuous residency in the UK.
Security clearance is undertaken by a third party to non-police personnel vetting standards (NPPV3 and SC). As such, any criminal convictions (including criminal convictions held by: you, your partner, parents, siblings, children over the age of 10, and anyone living with you who doesn’t fit these relationships) may prevent you from gaining security clearance.
Further information on the security clearance process and requirement can be found at
This position is offered as a 12 month fixed term contract.
Summary of Job
Forensic Reporting Scientist (Forensic Anthropologist) to work within the Specialist Forensic Services (SFS) team, examining and interpreting human remains, producing forensic reports, providing expert opinions, and giving evidence in court as an expert witness. The role includes managing cases from initial assessment through to completion, contributing to case strategy, and participating in on-call services.
The postholder will regularly attend forensic scenes, often at short notice, involving travel and periods away from home. Work may take place in challenging indoor and outdoor environments and includes the search, recovery, examination, documentation and interpretation of human remains. The role requires strong scientific expertise, professional judgement, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate complex findings clearly to investigators, legal professionals and the courts.
Reporting to
Forensic Operations Manager, Specialist Forensic Services.
Key Responsibilities
- Liaise with police, criminal justice partners and other authorities to develop case strategies.
- Attend scenes to search for, excavate, document and recover human remains and environmental samples, including crime scenes, historic burials, mass fatality incidents and fatal fires.
- Apply Case Assessment and Interpretation (CAI) principles.
- Manage cases effectively by coordinating evidential findings from all specialist analyses and communicating with stakeholders.
- Maintain quality standards, forensic integrity and chain of custody.
- Interpret findings and provide expert opinions in reports and statements.
- Meet contractual turnaround times and service requirements.
- Participate in case conferences and attend court as an expert witness (training provided).
- Deliver customer training when required.
- Conduct laboratory examinations of a wide range of forensic evidence.
- Participate in on-call services, including Bones ID, following competency achievement.
Qualifications
Essential
- B.Sc. / B.A Degree (or similar) in Forensic Anthropology, Osteology, Biological Anthropology or a related scientific discipline.
- Demonstrable competence equivalent to Royal Anthropological Institute Level 2 (FAII) certification, with formal certification not required where equivalent competency can be evidenced through relevant qualifications, training and professional experience.
- Commitment to progressing professional certification.
Experience
- Scene attendance as a Forensic Anthropologist.
- Working with police at crime scenes and search operations.
- Search, recovery, recording and examination of decomposed, skeletal, fragmented and burnt human remains.
- Competent in species and human skeletal fragment identification from remains and imagery.
- Competent in standard forensic anthropological examination, including assessment of completeness, minimum number of individuals, biological profile estimation and identification of pathology and traumatic injuries.
- Scene, laboratory and mortuary examinations for police and/or coronial investigations, including report writing.
- Have a knowledge of archaeological excavation, recording methods and environmental sample collection.
- Providing expert witness evidence is court is desirable.
- Experience with radiographs and CT imaging is desirable.
Technical Knowledge
- Microsoft Office and relevant specialist software.
- Solid understanding of forensic anthropology and wider forensic science principles.
- Current scientific methods, statistical interpretation and evaluation.
- Legal requirements relating to forensic science.
- Criminal Procedure Rules, Forensic Regulator's Codes of Practice and ISO 17025.
- Crime scene, mortuary and laboratory procedures.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Personal Qualities
- Customer focused with commitment to quality and timeliness.
- Able to work accurately under pressure.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Professional, ethical, adaptable and proactive.
- Well organised with strong record-keeping skills.
- Flexible, committed and credible.
- Full UK driving licence and valid passport.
Physical & Working Environment
- Requires physical fitness, agility and meticulous attention to detail.
- Work in outdoor, mortuary, laboratory and other challenging environments.
- Frequent exposure to human remains in varying states of decomposition.
- Shared office, laboratory and mortuary settings, sometimes requiring PPE.
- Court attendance, customer visits, travel within the UK and overseas, and participation in out-of-hours on-call rotas.
Please note that we reserve the right to close any adverts once we have received a sufficient number of applications.
Forensic Reporting Scientist (Forensic Anthropology) in Chorley employer: Cellmark
As a Casework Support Administrator, you will thrive in a dynamic laboratory and office environment that prioritises excellent customer service and teamwork. Our company fosters a culture of continuous improvement, offering robust opportunities for professional growth and development while ensuring a supportive atmosphere where your contributions are valued. Located in a vibrant area, we provide a unique chance to engage with cutting-edge scientific work and collaborate with dedicated professionals committed to maintaining the highest quality standards.
