Recruitment of Forensic Engineer Collision Investigators in Northern Ireland

Forensic Science Northern Ireland (FSNI) is recruiting Forensic Engineer Collision Investigators.

The Road Traffic Collision Unit in FSNI is responsible for the scientific investigation of fatal and serious road traffic collisions. FSNI conducts examinations of serious road traffic collision scenes to determine the sequence of events surrounding the collision and provides reports on findings to the courts. They can also examine individual vehicle components to determine if their condition had contributed to the cause of a collision.

Andrew Elliott, Chief Executive of FSNI, said: The consequences of car crashes are often devastating, especially for the families and friends of people killed or injured. They also of course place a huge demand on several public services, including forensic services. The number of crashes is sadly growing. People know the crucial role often played by emergency services at these scenes, but when there are deaths, it is also the job of FSNI, working alongside the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), to seek to discern the causes and circumstances underlying the crash.  

We need capable graduates with engineering, physics or related degrees to join FSNI and be trained as crash investigators, ready at any time of day or night to attend collisions and make the necessary measurements and judgements about what has happened. They also need to be ready as needed to present their work in court. This forensic role is demanding, but the training is comprehensive, the quality of the work we do is high and FSNI is a great place to work. 

Stephen Campbell, FSNI's Director of Reporting Services, further explained: The Unit's specially trained engineers provide a full out-of-hours on-call service to deal with serious road traffic collisions and urgent work. They're involved in identifying, gathering and assessing relevant scientific information during the course of their investigations with the purpose of providing expert opinion. Following the examination of collision scenes and material, they produce collision reconstruction reports and regularly provide expert opinion evidence at coroners', criminal and civil courts, generally under cross examination. Forensic Engineer Collision Investigators are expected to keep an open mind and have an impartial but informative approach when dealing with casework.

Further information about the role: Current Job Vacancies | Forensic Engineer - Collision Investigator

Watch: https://youtu.be/x351fmFYol8

Notes to editors:

1. FSNI is an Executive Agency within the Department of Justice, employing approximately 175 staff, and providing a wide range of scientific services and expertise to assist in the investigation of crime and the presentation of scientific evidence in court. The Agency is an independent organisation providing a service to its main customers, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, the NI State Pathologist as well as a number of other customers in NI and further afield.
2. The Agency provides a full range of forensic science services through its operational casework sections, each of which consists of a number of teams which focus on a particular forensic science discipline. FSNI enjoys an international reputation for its breadth of expertise and experience. FSNI's primary purpose is the provision of effective scientific advice to support the delivery of justice.
3. The casework in FSNI is distributed between a number of Reporting teams and one, the Road Traffic Collision (RTC) Unit, is responsible for the scientific investigation of fatal and serious road traffic collisions in Northern Ireland. The Unit currently employs four full-time Reporting Officers and one Laboratory Assistant with a view to increase the number of Reporting Officers to eight.
4. The Unit provides a full out-of-hours on-call service to deal with serious road traffic collisions and urgent work. Therefore, the post-holder will be expected to drive to live collision scenes throughout Northern Ireland, often during unsociable hours, at weekends and bank holidays etc. Collision scenes can be distressing and very often the person/s fatally injured will be present during the examination. Therefore, resilience is required when dealing with such scenes. The scene examination and follow-up vehicle/component examination may also be physically demanding.