Digital Forensic Unit Investigator

Salary: This is a graded role (Band 6 - 8, £29,055 - £39,372) where salary will be dependent on experience.

Location: Byker

Hours/Contract: Full-time, Permanent

Working for #TeamNP

Our purpose at Team NP is simple: to keep people safe and to fight crime. But it takes more than officers alone to do the job – and that’s where our 2,000-strong team of police staff and 200 volunteers come in.

As one of the largest police forces in England we have a huge variety of departments and specialisms offering you endless opportunities. From mentoring and coaching schemes and online soft skills courses to leadership development programmes; we’ll give you the support, training, and time to carve out the career you always wanted. You can also expect first-rate support to manage your health and wellbeing. With year-round events, a 24/7 welfare support hotline and a leading approach to neurodiversity, our initiatives enable you to be at your best.

Learn about our full benefits package

The Role

Our Digital Forensic Unit is responsible for extracting and analysing data from more than 2,000 electronic devices each year, securing evidence for some of the North East’s most high-profile court cases. We’ve recently grown our team of Digital Forensic Unit Investigators and following on from further team changes would like to add to this to help us on our journey to become an Outstanding Police Force.

This is a fantastic time to join us as a Digital Forensic Investigator. The role has real-world significance in investigating all types of crime, from murders and sexual exploitation to frauds and burglaries. You’ll play an important part in keeping people safe whilst adhering to quality standards, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice and Conduct.

What you’ll do

Data Retrieval: Secure and retrieve data using forensically safe techniques, process recovered data into a suitable format in accordance with national guidelines and forensic quality standards
Specialist Advice and Guidance: Provide specialist technical advice/guidance and training to investigating officers to assist in the direction of investigations, ensuring technological skills and knowledge are maximised to contribute to the overall effectiveness of force objectives.
Victim Identification: Proactively support the identification of victims to identify and safeguard victims of crime as part of all digital investigative duties. Review and categorise indecent images in line with agreed standards for inclusion in the National Child Abuse Image Database and to support related prosecutions.
Process Improvement: Ensure continued compliance with the Digital Forensic Unit’s quality management system, relevant legislation and the Forensic Science Regulators Codes of Practice and Conduct; actively participating in the continuous development of the quality management system. Participate in improvement projects, conducting research, software testing and development of Technical Standard Operating Procedures.
Crime Scenes and Court: Attend crime scenes and search premises to provide technical expertise and secure evidence. Present fact and procedural based evidence in a clear and comprehensive manner at Court and attend Case Conferences.

What you’ll bring

Education or Experience: Degree or equivalent level academic qualification in a relevant discipline (e.g., computer science, digital forensic investigation, policing/investigation) or significant experience in a related field.
Attention to Detail: Strong accuracy and attention to detail when recording and relaying information.
Problem Solving: Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically when gathering information.
Teamwork: The ability to work well within a team.
Report Writing: Demonstrate experience in writing detailed reports to describe technical matters to a non-technical audience.

Please be aware that you will be exposed to police reports, intelligence, and photographic material of a disturbing nature as part of this role. You will need to have the physical and emotional resilience to deal with material of a distressing and upsetting nature.

Sound interesting? You can access the role profile here.

If you have any further questions after looking at the role profile, you can contact Seanpaul.Gilroy@northumbria.police.uk.

We know it's important for you to feel that you're not only part of a great team, but part of a community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilised. Appointments are based on merit alone.

What we offer

26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays
Enhanced maternity, shared parental and adoption leave
Fantastic market-leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution
Corporate travel schemes – local rail, bus services and metro discounts
Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers
Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets
We’ve invested in extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders on-site, an employee advice service for the times you need that additional support
Access to gyms in some stations
Sports & Social Club – join our thriving sports scene at Team NP and enjoy further exclusive discounts on days out and travel
Cycle to work scheme

Just so you know

Our application form will help us understand how your work, education and life experience has prepared you for the role of a Digital Forensic Unit Investigator with #TeamNP. To help support your application research what makes us tick here at Northumbria, the role you’re applying for and the values and behaviours that contribute.

Just so you know, you can save your application and come back to it any time prior to the closing date on the advert.

We are proud members of the Business Disability Forum, with whom we collaborate with to improve the lives of disabled employees. We are also a Disability Confident Leader, therefore if you demonstrate that you meet the minimum criteria for this role as stated in the advert, we will progress your application and offer you an interview.

If you tell us that you have a disability, we can make adjustments to support you through the recruitment process (for example we can arrange extra time for tests or provide a sign language interpreter) You can get in touch with us via careers@northumbria.police.uk for any support regarding the application process. Please provide us with plenty of notice so we can ensure your visit goes smoothly.

If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Management Vetting (MV) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 5 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance, medical information, and references.

Terms of appointment

This is a permanent role subject to a six-month probationary period.

If you are successful in your application, you will have a six-month probation period with us where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.