Forensic Latent Print Analyst

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens, permanent resident aliens, citizens of American Samoa or any other territory owing allegiance to the United States. Current career Postal Service employees are ineligible to apply to this posting.

1. Conducts forensic examinations of latent prints through the application of scientific practices for the recognition, collection, analysis, and interpretation of physical evidence for criminal and civil law or regulatory purposes to include examination of evidence using biological, chemical, and physical methods.
2. Examines and analyzes evidence and interprets scientific observations and data to render conclusions, form opinions and produce reports.
3. Provides expert witness testimony; produces comprehensive reports and illustrative exhibits for federal, state, and local judicial proceedings at a level sufficient to explain evidence interpretations and conclusions from forensic examinations and scientific data to a lay audience.
4. Serves as a subject matter expert and technical advisor in matters relating to the proper collection, preservation, packaging, and submission of criminal evidence; participates in crime scene evidence collection activities in major field investigations; ensures evidence handling requirements are met.
5. Performs ongoing evaluation and validation of laboratory instrumentation and methods, operating protocols, and safety practices under supervision; maintains awareness of safety procedures and identifies possible physical conditions and/or laboratory procedures that may create unsafe conditions.
6. Delivers training in laboratory services, evidence collection, crime scene processing and field examination.
7. Conducts studies and research for improving forensic analyses, scientific methods, and criminal identification procedures.
8. Acts as liaison with postal management and federal, state, and local organizations on technical developments, forensic methods, and investigative problems of common interest.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a United States citizen, permanent resident, or citizen of American Samoa or other U.S. territory.
• Must be registered with Selective Service, if applicable.
• Applicants must be age 18 at the time of hire.
• Qualified applicants must successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening to meet the U.S. Postal Service's requirement to be drug free.
• Ability to pass a criminal background check, drug screening, and medical assessment. The Inspection Service criminal background check is conducted using United States information resources only (e.g., FBI fingerprint check, state and county checks). A criminal background check involves a 10-year inquiry for any location where the individual has resided, worked or gone to school within the United States or its territories. As a result of this limitation, the criminal background checks of individuals who have not resided in the United States or its territories for the preceding 5-years may not be considered complete. The Inspection Service may be able to process inquiries for U.S. Citizens only, but only if their time spent out of the country was spent as: a trailing spouse or dependent of someone working for the U.S. government (military or civilian), a missionary, a student attending school in a foreign country, a Peace Corps participant, or as an employee of a U.S.-based employer/company. If the Inspection Service is unable to perform a complete background check because of residency outside the United States, such individuals will be ineligible for Postal employment.

Qualifications

1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing in order to prepare reports of examination results and conclusions, and provide testimony as an expert witness before state, federal or other judicial bodies.
2. Ability to provide training related to laboratory services, evidence collection, and field examination.
3. Ability to conduct and document scientific research related to latent print examinations.
4. Skill in the use of magnifiers and digital / optical enhancement instrumentation.
5. Knowledge of forensic science techniques, laboratory protocols, scientific methodologies, quality assurance standards and latent print examination procedures sufficient to conduct detailed and complex analyses and interpretation of the value of evidentiary items.
6. Ability to render conclusions/opinions and make recommendations based on scientific practices of recognition, collection, and interpretation of physical evidence related to latent print examinations.
7. Knowledge of evidence collection, preservation, packaging and shipment procedures sufficient to serve as a technical advisor in such matters and to ensure evidence handling requirements are met.
8. EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must possess a Bachelor's degree in forensic science, physical or biological sciences, life sciences, chemistry or a closely related field from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accreditation organization recognized and sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Education.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants must demonstrate in writing the requirements listed on the announcement through a combination of education, training and experience. You may use both your Summary of Accomplishments and description of duties (under Work Experience) to address each of the requirements listed.

Applicants must be available for screening activities, including an interview.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST ATTACH DEGREE OR TRANSCRIPT (OFFICIAL or UNOFFICIAL) TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION.

See 'How to Apply' for instructions.

Next steps