Victoria Police
Forensic Services
Office of the Chief Forensic Scientist
STS7 - Chief Forensic Scientist
12-month fixed term role
About the role:
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.
As the successful applicant, you will have:
- A 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.
- Highly developed interpersonal attributes, including conceptual and analytical capability, problem solving, communication and negotiation skills and the ability to foster effective staff relationships, particularly on scientific, organisational and business matters with experience in the provision of high-level advice.
- Demonstrated ability to contribute to strategic corporate direction as it relates to research, education and quality in forensic science, and its integration with justice processes
- Demonstrated ability to ensure the effective development and delivery of internal and external forensic science training and education programs
Requirements and relevant information:
- A PhD qualification in a relevant scientific discipline.
- 12-month fixed term VPS-7 position available.
- Position is located at 31 Forensic Drive, Macleod, Victoria 3085.
- The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include fingerprint checks and misconduct screening.
- Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa.
- The successful candidate will be required to provide a DNA sample (buccal swab) for use in laboratory quality control procedures.
How to Apply
Your application must include:
- Resume
- Completed application form - attached to the job advertisement on Careers.vic.gov.au. You must respond to the questions in the application form and attach same for your submission to be complete.
Applications close 11:59pm Thursday 18th June 2026.
Applications will not be accepted via email.
For further information on this role please contact: Kaye Ballantyne via email [email protected]
We welcome applications from people with disability and aim to support an inclusive recruitment experience. If you require a copy of this advertisement and attached documentation in an accessible format or would like to discuss an access requirement/reasonable adjustment for the recruitment process, please contact the Recruitment team via email [email protected]
Victoria Police is a contemporary and agile workplace and support flexible working arrangements.
About Us:
Victoria Police have a dedicated workforce of more than 22,000 employees consisting of police, protective services officers, police custody officers, and public service staff. Each employee plays a vital role in providing the 24/7, 365 days a year emergency response and public safety capability the organisation delivers to its community. As a Victoria Police employee, you have a dedication and commitment to community safety.
Victoria Police is committed to creating a workplace that is safe and inclusive of all our people. We empower and expect our people, at all levels, to develop interpersonal connections and collaborate, use sound judgement, and create and innovate.
In alignment with the principle of self-determination, Victoria Police is dedicated to enhancing our collaboration with the Aboriginal community in Victoria as we build a culturally safe and inclusive workplace for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. We continue to engage and build relationships with local Aboriginal communities and work closely with them to enhance opportunities and services aimed at empowerment, equality, and equal participation across all areas of the organisation.
We value the diversity and differences of our employees, including their age, gender, culture, religion, sexual orientation, abilities, and life experience. We celebrate these diverse experiences and perspectives as each person brings an informed and contemporary approach to our work which enhances the wellbeing of all. We aim to provide a safe place that is reflective of the community it serves, allowing everyone to bring their whole selves to work."
Find out what it is like working as a Victorian Public Servant for Victoria Police: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/vps
