Toxicologist

Key Forensic Services Warrington United Kingdom Toxicology
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Company Description

KFS are one of the leading forensic providers in the UK. We pride ourselves on delivering a quality service and building strong working relationships with our customer base. Our team of forensic scientists are experienced in the interpretation and reporting of a wide range of evidence types in support of criminal investigations.


We are passionate about supporting the Criminal Justice system and want to hear from potential employees who share that same passion.


Please read the requirements of the job carefully as your application will be measured against them. Please ensure you have the experience we are looking for. This is a specialist role and as such we will only shortlist those with the relevant experience and attributes.


Position

Purpose of Role


Responsible for the case assessment, management and interpretation of forensic toxicology casework and the provision of expert witness testimony.


Duties & Responsibilities



· Effective management of resources, including a personal case load and case exhibits.

· Sets an appropriate, cost-effective forensic strategy which addresses the case requirements and translates this strategy into clear, appropriate instructions for the analytical toxicology section to follow.

· Reviews, collates and interprets toxicological findings in the context of the case and considers alternative explanations.

· Formulates meaningful, succinct conclusions to analytical findings.

· Prepares clear, well-structured and unbiased reports.

· Attends Court and provides oral expert witness testimony in a clear, intelligible and even-handed way.

· Consistently strives to meet ≥95% delivery date compliance for all contracted toxicology casework.

· Liaises with other departments where appropriate to advise on appropriate forensic strategies.

· Proactive in maintaining one’s own continued professional development.

· Supports the analytical toxicology section where appropriate.

· Assists with mentoring and development of junior staff.

Requirements

Skills & Competencies


· A good background knowledge of toxicology supported by a degree or higher degree.

· An awareness of the principles of drug extraction techniques (e.g. LLE, SPE and PP).

· An awareness of the principles of common analytical techniques utilised in toxicology (e.g. LC-MS/MS, HRMS, HS-GC-FID, GC-MS, HPLC-DAD and immunoassay).

· Adept problem-solving skills and the ability to deal with complexity coupled with managing a varying workload.

· Able to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.


Personal Attributes


· High level of honesty and integrity and always takes responsibility for own actions.

· Strong work ethic and able to deal with confidential and sensitive information.

· Team player with well developed interpersonal skills, a positive attitude and a proactive willingness to support and share information with others.

· Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to focus and prioritise varying tasks.

· Demonstrates a flexible approach and able to work methodically and reliably under pressure and uses own initiative to achieve timely completion of work within contractual deadlines.

· Acts as an exemplar to more junior members of the department to uphold best scientific practice based on toxicological principles and international quality standards .

· Professional business disposition and of smart appearance.


Qualifications


· A minimum of a scientific degree level qualification (or equivalent) is essential.


Experience



· 2 or more years’ experience in interpreting and reporting toxicology results in the Criminal Justice System, healthcare or related sectors

· Experience of peer reviewing forensic toxicology reports is desirable

· Some experience in analytical toxicology is desirable.

Other information

In return, we offer a competitive salary (dependent upon experience) in addition to numerous company benefits, which are listed on our careers page https://www.keyforensic.co.uk/forensic-science-careers/.


Hours - Full Time (37 hours per week) preferable. Part Time hours considered. Based at our laboratory in Warrington.


IN ORDER TO PASS OUR STRINGENT SECURITY VETTING, YOU MUST HAVE RESIDED IN THE UK FOR THE PREVIOUS 5 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF YOUR APPLICATION. WE CANNOT CONSIDER APPLICANTS THAT HAVE NOT LIVED IN THE UK FOR THE PREVIOUS 5 YEARS AND YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY REJECTED.



KFS is committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce. Our aim is that our workforce will be truly representative of all sections of society and each employee feels respected and able to give of their best. One of our goals is to work within an environment free from discrimination, harassment and prejudice. We aim to embed this in all of our recruitment and selection policies, procedures and practices.