Interview Questions (Please answer as much and thoroughly as possible)

Information about your career

 Forensic Scientist, working in Toxicology at the Orange County Crime Lab

How did you choose thisprofession?

 I grew up watching criminal investigation type shows, and had a real interest in law
enforcement, but once I was in college I realized I was really interested in science. I didn’t learn
about Forensic Science until my senior year in college. It combined my love for science and
interest in the justice system, and was a career where my work could help the community.

How did you prepare to enterthis field?

 After college graduation I decided to go back to community college and take courses in the
forensic science major to see if I was actually interested. I loved it. At that time, there was a
hiring freeze at most of the forensic science labs in southern California, so I decided to go to
grad school. I got accepted before finishing the degree at the CC. One of the great benefits of
the Master’s program was the required internship. The internship was invaluable. I got first
hand experience and got to meet amazing people who really helped me learn and grow. At this
time I also started applying to Forensic Specialist and Forensic Scientist positions- basically
anything I was qualified for so I could practice interviewing until the job I really wanted was
open for recruitment. I also joined the California Association of Criminalists (CAC) and was
able to attend a meeting with my grad school class. Associations like this are great for meeting
people in the field, networking, and becoming recognizable.

Non-specific to forensics, team sports and previous jobs also helped prepare me for working in
this field. Being able to work well with others is a huge skill to have, and one that interviewers
are looking for, along with a basic scientific background. A laboratory job is great to have, but
my jobs that required problem solving, interpersonal communication, and leadership skills were
very valuable to me. I was very shy and these jobs forced me to communicate with others and to
feel more comfortable speaking to groups of people.

Where didyou go to school?

 I went to Chapman University for my Bachelor’s degree. Then I went to Goldenwest
Community College for about 2 years to take some classes and see what interested me. The job
market was really rough at that time, so I decided to keep going to school for my Master’s
degree at California State University, Los Angeles.

What was your major?

 I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, and a Master of
Science degree in Criminalistics.
Are youhappy with yourwork?
 I absolutely love my job. Some days are definitely tougher than others and I have faced a
number of challenges, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. I got placed in the Toxicology
section of the laboratory, and it was a perfect match for me. Its a mix of Biochemistry (which I
was fascinated with in college), Pharmacology, and Chemistry. I also like being in lab, and
toxicology includes lots of different lab work.

Information about your current position

What do you like about whatyou do?

 I love that this is a field of continued learning. There is always new research to read up on. I like
that I can do different things every day. I not only do the normal casework and lab work, but I
also have been lucky enough to do some research, I testify in court fairly often, and I have
opportunities to attend and speak at community events and coalition groups to educate other on
the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Our lab is also very busy with
lots of work in Toxicology, and I enjoy the fast paced environment. But it definitely takes good
time management and teamwork with my coworkers to keep things running smoothly.

What don’t youlike aboutyour work?

 The commute is my least favorite part of the job. My next biggest complaint is time spent sitting
in courthouse hallways waiting to testify. Sometimes we have to wait for hours doing nothing,
and being unproductive for that long bothers me.

How much do you travel? How often/how long?

 I’ve been lucky to travel at least once a year for training and conferences since I started at the
lab. The most I’ve had was 4 trips in one year. Not everyone gets these opportunities, depending
on lab budgets and training requirements. Some conferences are only 2 or 3 days and within
driving distance. Other conferences and classes can be a week long and require flying.

How many hours do you workeach week? How much work do you take home?
 I work about 40 hours a week. Our hours for the 2 week pay period have to equal 80 hours. We
can only work more if there is overtime available, but that isn’t always the case. Since most of
our work is in the lab, or may contain confidential information, we aren’t allowed to bring any
of that work home. Sometimes I bring journal articles home to read to get ahead in my training,
but otherwise work stays at work which is really nice.

What aresome of the toughest situations you have encountered?

 My toughest situations most often occur in the courtroom. It can be very frustrating when
attorneys cut off my answers, or don’t allow me to explain the science behind my answers.
Sometimes they try to pin us to “yes or no” answers only, and the question can’t be fully
 answered that way. Other times they may try to bend my words to mean something I didn’t say,
and I have to be on alert to make sure the jury gets the truth about what the evidence means.
Outside of court, the toughest situations I’ve encountered are in disagreements with coworkers.
Disagreements and misunderstandings are going to occur, and although its hard to confront
other people and talk out differences, I have to be able to work with my coworkers. So we have
to be able to sit down and work out any differences and maintain a civilized working
environment for everyone.

Information about the company/organization

What kind of people doesyour organization hire?

 The crime lab hires people with a science background. Forensic Technicians can still be in
school, completing a science degree. To be hired as a Forensic Scientist, a B.S. in a hard science
is required (biology, chemistry, forensic science, etc.). M.S. degrees are not required but can be
helpful.

Doesyour organization promotefrom within?

 Almost all promotion is internal. It is very rare that someone is hired into upper level positions
who did not start at the lab as a Forensic Technician or Forensic Scientist I.

Where do you see the companyheading? How is it being positioned for the future?
 The mission statement of the crime lab is to serve the people of Orange County. We are always
looking for ways to improve the testing services we provide for the law enforcement agencies
within the county. With the scrutiny placed on certain forensic disciplines, the lab also tries to
lead the way in providing the most objective analyses in disciplines that inherently have more
subjectivity. Many of our scientists are on committees who’s purpose is to come up with
scientifically based criteria that all forensic labs should strive to follow to provide the best
testing and reporting to maintain forensic objectivity and neutrality.

Information about the field

What aresome of the possiblecareer paths within the field?

 Some labs will hire for a generic forensic scientist or criminalist position, then place you where
they need people. Usually there is an opportunity to change disciplines after some time. Other
labs will hire for specific disciplines. Its good to look at the job posting to determine what a
particular lab does, and ask questions so as to know what to expect. Within the field of Forensic
Science, there are many sub-disciplines. Some include, Toxicology, DNA, Trace, Firearms
examination, Toolmark comparison, and Drug Analysis, but there are so many more. Most
scientists work at the bench level, which means we are testing the evidence, writing reports, and
providing interpretation. Many labs also have a Quality Assurance team, which is crucial to how
 the labs operate and ensure the quality of testing and reporting. If you’re interested in moving
up the ladder, upper level positions can include section Supervision, Assistant Directors, and
Lab Director.

What aresome of the challenges and major issues confronting professionals in the field today?
 10 years ago, the National Academy of Sciences put out a report to Congress called
“Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward” which scrutinized the
field of Forensic Science and pointed out all the areas where the field could be improved to be
less subjective, and more objective with statistics based evidence. Its available online as a PDF,
and I highly recommend you read it some time. They emphasized how strong DNA evidence
was because of the statistics and likelihood ratios associated with how that evidence is
presented, and suggested that all forensic disciplines should be more like DNA. Today, there are
many scientific area committees across disciplines that are made up of bench scientists as well
as academics working together to come up with scientific standards and requirements to help
reach this goal. They cover evidence analysis, as well as reporting, testimony, and overall ethics
in forensic science.

Advice

What advice do you havefor me or others considering a career in this field?

 My first piece of advice is to stay in science, get involved, and do research in a lab if you get the
opportunity. The skills you learn in a college research lab or working in a lab will only make
you a better scientist.
 Next would be to join local organizations like CAC (California Association of Criminalists) or
CAT (California Association of Toxicologists) since you’re in California. They offer student
memberships for lower annual and meeting attendance costs. Sometimes you can apply for a
scholarship to travel to and attend a meeting. Both hold 2 meetings a year- one in Northern CA
around May and one in Southern CA around November. If you’re able to attend, this is a great
place to meet scientists at different labs and ask lots of questions! Most scientists you meet will
be more than happy to answer questions and give you advice for starting your career. We love to
see young scientists succeed!
 Last, if you struggle with speaking to larger groups of people, look for classes or activities like
Toast Masters that will help you develop that skill. Testimony is a huge part of our job, so if an
interviewer thinks a candidate may have difficulties communicating or with being too shy, they
may not consider that individual as a top choice.
What do you wish you hadknown before you entered this field?
 I wish I had known how important research and early lab experience could be. I didn’t do
research with a professor or work in any labs prior to my internship. I learned a lot of my lab
skills and etiquette working on my thesis project. If I had other lab experience, I may have
already known how to use the instruments at the lab, instead of taking more time in training to
 get familiar with them. Many interviews include a question to technically explain how a
particular instrument works, and I would have struggled had I not studied that in grad school.

What courses, certificationsand/or other credentials do you recommend for this field?
 Whether you decide to be a chemistry major or biology major, make sure to take a
Quantitative/Analytical Chemistry course. The exact course name will vary depending on the
school, but its usually some variation of that. If you’re interested in Toxicology specifically,
Biochemistry and Pharmacology are also great courses to take. A B.S. degree is the minimum
requirement for a forensic scientist, but many speculate that in the future that may change to an
M.S., so if you have the opportunity, an advanced degree doesn’t hurt. Some of my coworkers
started at the lab with their B.S. and were able to pursue their M.S. while working at the lab.