Role Overview
The Chief Forensic Scientist provides strategic scientific leadership to ensure the integrity, quality, and future capability of forensic science services delivered by Victoria Police Forensic Services. The role is responsible for the ongoing scientific health of the organisation, ensuring that all forensic outputs are valid, reliable, transparent, and defensible within investigative and judicial contexts. It operates independently of operational delivery to maintain impartial oversight of scientific standards and the quality management system.
This position leads the strategic direction, governance, and integration of research, development and innovation (RD&I) across a complex, multi‐disciplinary forensic environment. It ensures that research programs are aligned with operational need, address capability gaps, and deliver measurable improvements to forensic practice. The role fosters collaboration with national and international partners, academia, and justice stakeholders to maintain contemporary, evidence‐based forensic capability.
The Chief Forensic Scientist has overarching responsibility for the department's education and training framework, including specialist forensic training, workforce capability development, and the delivery of crime scene officer training at scale. This includes ensuring that training programs support accreditation requirements. The role also drives the development of monitoring frameworks to ensure training effectiveness and alignment with emerging scientific and operational requirements.
Leadership of the quality and business improvement function is a critical component, ensuring the effectiveness of the quality management system and continuous improvement across all forensic disciplines. The role sets the strategic direction for quality governance, including audit programs, competency and authorisation frameworks, issue management, customer feedback, and accreditation readiness. It ensures that risks to scientific quality are identified, escalated, and addressed through structured governance mechanisms.
The position contributes to the broader strategic direction of the organisation, providing authoritative advice as a member of the Strategic Leadership Team to senior executives, government, and external stakeholders on forensic science policy, capability, and emerging issues. It maintains strong relationships across policing, legal, and scientific communities, supporting the reputation of the organisation as a leader in forensic science.
Responsibilities
* Lead the strategic direction, governance, and integration of research, development and innovation across a multi‐disciplinary forensic environment.
* Ensure forensic outputs are valid, reliable, transparent, and defensible in investigative and judicial contexts.
* Foster collaboration with national and international partners, academia, and justice stakeholders to maintain contemporary forensic capability.
* Oversee the education and training framework, including specialist forensic training, workforce capability development, and crime scene officer training.
* Drive the development of monitoring frameworks to ensure training effectiveness and alignment with emerging requirements.
* Set the strategic direction for quality governance, including audit programs, competency and authorisation frameworks, issue management, customer feedback, and accreditation readiness.
* Identify, escalates, and address risks to scientific quality through structured governance mechanisms.
* Provide authoritative advice as part of the Strategic Leadership Team on forensic science policy and emerging issues.
Qualifications
* PhD qualification in a relevant scientific discipline.
* Proven track record in the conduct of scientific research and development and the ability to initiate and direct high‐level research and development in forensic science.
* Highly developed leadership, resource management, and administrative skills, preferably in a multi‐disciplinary forensic science environment.
* Strong interpersonal attributes, including conceptual and analytical capability, problem solving, communication and negotiation skills, and the ability to foster effective staff relationships.
* Demonstrated ability to contribute to strategic corporate direction as it relates to research, education and quality in forensic science.
* Demonstrated ability to ensure the effective development and delivery of internal and external forensic science training and education programs.
Requirements
* 12‐month fixed term VPS‐7 position available.
* Position is located at 31 Forensic Drive, Macleod, Victoria 3085.
* Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa.
* The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre‐employment checks which may include fingerprint checks and misconduct screening.
* The successful candidate will be required to provide a DNA sample (buccal swab) for use in laboratory quality control procedures.
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