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Forensic Scientist resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what forensic scientists actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most forensic scientists should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Forensic Scientist with laboratory and crime scene experience across chemistry, biology and trace evidence analysis. Comfortable moving between bench work, structured reporting and courtroom testimony, with a strong focus on chain-of-custody integrity and defensible scientific conclusions.
Key skills
- Laboratory analysis
- Field research and sampling
- Statistical modelling
- Regulatory compliance
- Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)
- DNA sequencing equipment
- Optical microscopy
- Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
- Forensic imaging software
- Attention to detail
Experience: example bullet points
- Collected and preserved physical evidence at crime scenes following standardised protocols, maintaining unbroken chain-of-custody records across all samples handled
- Analysed trace, biological and chemical samples using GC-MS and DNA sequencing platforms, cross-checking results against reference standards before sign-off
- Prepared laboratory reports translating technical findings into clear conclusions for investigators and legal teams
- Gave expert witness testimony in court, presenting methodology and results under cross-examination in plain, defensible terms
- Logged and tracked evidence and case data through LIMS, reducing the risk of documentation errors during multi-agency investigations
Education
Bachelor degree in forensic science, chemistry or biology is the typical entry point, with many practitioners completing a postgraduate diploma, graduate certificate or honours year in forensic science before working independently on casework.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- Chain of custody
- AS 5388 forensic sample collection
- NATA accreditation
- Expert witness testimony
- DNA profiling
- Chromatography
- Mass spectrometry
- LIMS
- Coroner's Court
- Australian Federal Police
- State forensic science laboratory
- Trace evidence analysis
- Crime scene examination
- Toxicology screening
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.