Forensic Science
Job and Career Resources and Information
After graduation, most of our students find work as criminalists in crime labs or as general scientists in labs performing non-forensic work in biology, chemistry, medical testing, etc. Some choose a career in crime scene investigation or law enforcement. Other may choose to pursue a higher degree or a career outside of forensics or science. Whatever post-graduation path you are choosing, the information and resources below can provide some guidance, tools, tips, and leads to aid you in your job searching.
Don't forget to avail yourself of the amazing human resources our program has to offer. Talk to your faculty members about your job searches and career goals - you may need them for recommendations and sometimes they know people who are hiring in their area of expertise. Meet with our Academic Adviser to brush up your resume, interview skills, and help you make a plan for how to approach your job search. We know this can be an exciting (and scary) time for many students, but you are not alone in this. For a list of recent job posts and opportunities sent to FRNSC program staff or faculty to pass on to students, check out this page: Forensic Opportunities. Additional job-finding resources are below.
Websites with Forensic-Focused Job Postings
American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists (NEAFS)
Washington, DC Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS)
California Association of Criminalist (CAC)
Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists (MAAFS)
Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists (SWAFS)
Southern Association of Forensic Scientists (SAFS)
Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists (MAFS)
Crime Scene Investigator Network (updated weekly!)
Reddy's Forensic Page (scroll down the page to see a long list of job-search resources)
Job Search Websites with Forensic Listings
(use search terms like "forensic," "forensics," "criminalist," or discipline specific terms to help narrow your search)
USAJOBS (federal government job website)
GovernmentJobs (used by many state and local agencies)
Penn State Resources
(The first three are Forensic Science program social media groups or accounts where we regularly post job information for students - especially entry-level positions)
PennState Forensic Science Network (Our private LinkedIn group for Penn State forensic alum)
Penn State Forensic Science (Facebook)
Forensic Science PSU @FRNSCPSU (Twitter)
Student Affairs Career Services
Penn State Alumni Association Career Services
Penn State Alumni Association LionLink
Are you trying to discover what kinds of careers you can pursue with a forensic degree? Looking for inspiration or specific employer names? Check our the careers our students choose after graduating page for a list of our students' post-graduation employers and universities.