• Job Description

  Req#: 4323924
  The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) is seeking to fill a Criminalist position within the Division of Criminal Investigation’s Criminalistics Laboratory.
  
  Organization Background
  The mission of DPS is to serve the people of Iowa by providing public safety services with leadership, integrity and professionalism through the core values of courtesy, service and protection. The Department is a statewide law enforcement agency and includes the Administrative Services Division, the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Iowa State Fire Marshal and the Division of Intelligence. The Department works in conjunction with federal, state and local jurisdictions of the criminal justice community to provide for the safety of persons living in, or traveling through the State of Iowa.
  
  The DCI Criminalistics Laboratory provides professional forensic scientific services and support to the criminal justice community throughout Iowa. The Lab is accredited through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ISO-based Forensic Accreditation Program. The Lab provides forensic science capabilities to the Iowa criminal justice community in the following disciplines: Arson and Explosives, Crime Scene Response/Processing, Breath Alcohol, Drug Identification, DNA (casework and offender profiling), Impression Evidence (latent prints, tire tracks, footwear), Firearms and Tool Marks, Photography and Video Enhancement, Questioned Documents, Toxicology, and Trace Evidence.
  
  Benefits
  The Department of Public Safety, as a State of Iowa Executive Branch agency, offers exciting benefits:
  • Health/Dental and Life Insurance
  • Paid time off - Nine paid holidays plus generous paid vacation and paid sick leave which begin to accrue on your first day of employment
  • Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS) defined benefit program
  • Employee discounts from a variety of vendors
  • Collaborative, creative, positive work environment
  • Paid opportunities for professional growth and development - including training, courses and conferences
  
  Job Description & Other Information
  • This position collects and preserves evidence and performs scientific analysis of physical materials in the investigation of crimes for the Division of Criminal Investigation Crime Laboratory and performs related work as required. This position will be assigned to the DNA section of the laboratory and performs forensic science analysis, to include: serology, DNA testing, DNA data interpretation and comparison and reporting. This position compares unknown DNA profiles to known DNA profiles and reaches conclusions based upon those comparisons. This position performs screening tests, robotic sampling, direct amplification, DNA extraction, quantitation, amplification, and capillary electrophoresis. This position interprets DNA data, makes interpretations if data is suitable for comparisons, writes DNA reports and testifies to inclusions and exclusions. The position also performs and testifies to statistical calculations performed on DNA evidence.
  
  • The candidate shall have a bachelor's (or its equivalent) or an advanced degree in a biology, chemistry, or forensic science related area and shall have successfully completed college coursework (graduate or undergraduate level) covering all of the following subject areas: biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. The candidate shall have a minimum of nine cumulative semester hours that cover the required subject areas of biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. The candidate shall also have successfully completed college coursework covering statistics and/or population genetics.
  
  • Applicants must be able to pass through a background investigation conducted by the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
  
  • Applicants must be able to travel and may be required to stay away from home overnight during assignments.
  
  • Applicants must possess or be able to obtain and maintain a valid Iowa Driver's License.
  
  • Applicants are encouraged to attach a cover letter and resume within the NEOGOV application.
  
  Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and meet all selective requirements will be placed on the eligible list. 950 DNA
  College coursework or class from an accredited college or university covering the subject areas of biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology.Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree in Forensic Science, Chemistry, Biology, Physics or a closely related physical or natural laboratory science;
  OR
  an equivalent combination of education and experience substituting one year of experience in a crime laboratory performing firearms identification, latent print identification, document examination, trace evidence, forensic toxicology, forensic serology, forensic photography, or crime scene investigation and forensic training, for one year (thirty semester hours) of the required education.
  
  For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description. All applicants for this class must be able to pass a thorough background investigation conducted by the Division of Criminal Investigation.
  
  Applicants must be available to travel and may be required to stay away from home overnight during assignments.

• About the company

  Iowa (/ˈaɪoʊwə/) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west.

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