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Forensic Biologist II

Description of Duties

This is a technical position in the Department of Public Safety, County Crime Laboratory, responsible for collecting evidence, performing chemical and microscopic analyses of unknown substances and evidentiary material required in criminal investigations including blood, saliva, semen, perspiration, and other specimens.  Work is performed using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and related serological technologies.  Duties include preparing and presenting findings in written reports and serving as an expert witness in court.  Work involves the use and maintenance of sophisticated modern laboratory apparatus.  All work is performed in accordance with Federal and State accreditation requirements and departmental procedure manuals and guidelines.  The Forensic Biologist II differs from Forensic Biologist I as it performs less complex analyses, receives extensive on-the-job training in the specialized areas of forensic biology and DNA analysis, and/or lacks supervisory responsibility of a technical staff.  Incumbents may be required to serve as the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) administrator.  The employee reports directly to, and works under the general supervision of, a Forensic Biologist I or other higher level staff member.  Does related work as required.

Minimum Qualifications

EITHER:

(A)  Graduation from a New York State registered or regionally accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in a natural science, a forensic science, an engineering science, or criminalistics including or supplemented by at least nine (9) semester credit hours or its equivalent in coursework consisting of statistics/population genetics, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology as primary content*, and one (1) year of paid full-time or its part-time equivalent experience in a forensic laboratory performing biological and DNA analysis; OR,

(B)  Graduation from a New York State registered or regionally accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in a natural science, a forensic science, an engineering science, or criminalistics including or supplemented by at least nine (9) semester credit hours or its equivalent in coursework consisting of statistics/population genetics, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology as primary content*, and two (2) years of paid full-time or its part-time equivalent experience in a forensic laboratory performing biological and DNA analysis; OR,

(C)  An equivalent combination of education and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B) above.

*Statistics/population genetics, biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology must be the primary component of the classes or courses; coursework completed with titles other than those listed may demonstrate compliance through submission of a student transcript, letter from a university professor verifying course content, or a course syllabus.  The DNA training program previously offered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory, with graduate credit hours from the University of Virginia, may be applied toward the molecular biology coursework requirement associated with this standard.  Statistics/population genetics training or coursework may be satisfied through internal or external mechanisms.

NOTE:
Minimum academic qualifications are mandated by the FBI.

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