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Forensic Quality Officer (Headquarters, Chelmsford/Office Based)
Location of Role: Chelmsford
Advert Closing Date: 11/07/2025
Starting Salary: £29,109.00(pro-rata for part-time vacancies)
Part/Full Time:Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Mon-Fri
Digital devices and information communication technology are present in almost every investigation the Police Service undertakes. These range from complex computer platforms to mobile phone handsets, games consoles, digital CCTV systems and satellite navigation.
Essex Police and Kent Police have recently transformed their Digital Forensic Service (DFS) to adapt and take advantage of the latest technology and infrastructure available. We are seeking a Forensic Quality Officer to join our team.
Main Purpose of The Role:
Support the Digital Forensic Service with the implementation and maintenance of ISO standards and the Forensic Science Regulator’s Codes of Practice and Conduct, providing specialist quality support to ensure the effective delivery of a comprehensive Quality Management System (QMS) in line with Forensic Science Regulators Requirements (Codes of Conduct, ISO 17025 / 17020). Working closely with technical leads and staff to ensure that the quality standards in place comply with these requirements.
As a Quality Officer your main responsibilities will include:
* Assisting the Digital Forensic Quality Lead with the implementation of quality policies and associated documents, regularly reviewing such documents for accuracy and continued suitability to identify where improvements to the Quality Management System can be made.
* Undertaking internal audits of Digital Forensic methods, helping to maintain the internal audit schedule and ensuring that audit findings are reviewed and recorded in a timely manner.
* Monitoring and coordinating the implementation of all opportunities for improvement.
* Reviewing and processing corrective and preventive actions, change requests, complaints and other QMS functions as required to ensure effective tracking of such requests within the strict time scales, and providing updates to customers in order that a high quality and efficient service is delivered.
* Assisting with the organisation of Proficiency Testing and Inter Laboratory Comparison work to ensure that the accredited standards are met and maintained.
* Administering and supporting work streams from incoming communications and correspondence, and undertake tasks/actions within the deadlines set to assist with the efficient and effective running of the QMS.
* Assisting in ensuring Quality Standards are maintained, understanding the implications to both service delivery, reputational harm and the wider Criminal Justice System should this not be achieved.
* You will have relevant experience of working in a Quality Management environment.
* You will have experience of internal auditing, preparation and delivery of presentations/training.
* You will have awareness of International Standards.
* You will need excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to produce clear and concise audit reports and assist in the production of documented procedures, processes and policies.
* Excellent interpersonal and IT skills including Microsoft Office with the ability to work effectively with people at all levels and with different levels of technical understanding. Working under pressure and to deadlines.
* Training, experience or a qualification in a forensic discipline.
* A recognised auditing training qualification or a certificate in Quality Management/auditing from a recognised body.
Flexibility will be required of the post holder. While based mainly at Chelmsford Police Headquarters, they will be required to work from different locations across the Forensic service in Essex Police and Kent Police. This will be agreed in advance in conjunction with management and the post holder.
The Digital Forensic Quality Officer role operates to flexi-time working and 37 hours per week. Please complete in full the Reason for Application, in regard to the following areas;
Location of Role: Chelmsford
Advert Closing Date: 11/07/2025
Starting Salary: £29,109.00(pro-rata for part-time vacancies)
Part/Full Time:Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Mon-Fri
Weekend/Evening Working: No
Digital devices and information communication technology are present in almost every investigation the Police Service undertakes. These range from complex computer platforms to mobile phone handsets, games consoles, digital CCTV systems and satellite navigation.
Essex Police and Kent Police have recently transformed their Digital Forensic Service (DFS) to adapt and take advantage of the latest technology and infrastructure available. We are seeking a Forensic Quality Officer to join our team.
Main Purpose of The Role:
Support the Digital Forensic Service with the implementation and maintenance of ISO standards and the Forensic Science Regulator’s Codes of Practice and Conduct, providing specialist quality support to ensure the effective delivery of a comprehensive Quality Management System (QMS) in line with Forensic Science Regulators Requirements (Codes of Conduct, ISO 17025 / 17020). Working closely with technical leads and staff to ensure that the quality standards in place comply with these requirements.
As a Quality Officer your main responsibilities will include:
* Assisting the Digital Forensic Quality Lead with the implementation of quality policies and associated documents, regularly reviewing such documents for accuracy and continued suitability to identify where improvements to the Quality Management System can be made.
* Undertaking internal audits of Digital Forensic methods, helping to maintain the internal audit schedule and ensuring that audit findings are reviewed and recorded in a timely manner.
* Monitoring and coordinating the implementation of all opportunities for improvement.
* Reviewing and processing corrective and preventive actions, change requests, complaints and other QMS functions as required to ensure effective tracking of such requests within the strict time scales, and providing updates to customers in order that a high quality and efficient service is delivered.
* Assisting with the organisation of Proficiency Testing and Inter Laboratory Comparison work to ensure that the accredited standards are met and maintained.
* Administering and supporting work streams from incoming communications and correspondence, and undertake tasks/actions within the deadlines set to assist with the efficient and effective running of the QMS.
* Assisting in ensuring Quality Standards are maintained, understanding the implications to both service delivery, reputational harm and the wider Criminal Justice System should this not be achieved.
Essential Skills:
* You will have relevant experience of working in a Quality Management environment.
* You will have experience of internal auditing, preparation and delivery of presentations/training.
* You will have awareness of International Standards.
* You will need excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to produce clear and concise audit reports and assist in the production of documented procedures, processes and policies.
* Excellent interpersonal and IT skills including Microsoft Office with the ability to work effectively with people at all levels and with different levels of technical understanding. Working under pressure and to deadlines.
Desirable Skills:
* Training, experience or a qualification in a forensic discipline.
* A recognised auditing training qualification or a certificate in Quality Management/auditing from a recognised body.
Flexibility will be required of the post holder. While based mainly at Chelmsford Police Headquarters, they will be required to work from different locations across the Forensic service in Essex Police and Kent Police. This will be agreed in advance in conjunction with management and the post holder.
The Digital Forensic Quality Officer role operates to flexi-time working and 37 hours per week. Please complete in full the Reason for Application, in regard to the following areas;
* Relevant experience of working in a quality management environment.
* Experience of internal auditing, preparation & delivery of presentations/training.
* Awareness of International Standards.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to produce clear and concise audit reports and assist in the production of documented procedures, processes and policies.
* Excellent interpersonal and IT skills including Microsoft Office with the ability to work effectively with people at all levels and with different levels of technical understanding. Working under pressure and to deadlines.
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Andrew Richards for further information regarding the role on andrew.richards@kent.police.uk.
Essex Policeoffer incremental increases within this salary band, therefore the salary for this position will rise to a maximum of£31,293.00.
For the full Kent Police job description please click here.
For the full Essex Police job description please click here.
Kent Police and Essex Police have separate salary grading systems therefore the salary for this position will be dependent on which home office force you are appointed to. This will be discussed with the successful applicant before a final offer is made.
Your application for this role will be shortlisted on the content you provide within the “reason for application” question, within the application form itself. CV’s, covering letters or attachments are not included in the shortlist. Within your “reason for application” answer, please refer to any experience, skills, and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for this role, based on the role criteria stated in the job advert or job description. Please provide as much detail as possible as insufficient content may mean you do not meet the shortlisting criteria, however please note this question is limited to 9000 characters and this system will count spaces and blank lines as characters. This count may differ from the Microsoft Word word count function therefore you may wish to use a different online character counter to check the characters used.
All of our posts require a level of vetting and security clearance. During the recruitment process you will be sent vetting information forms to complete.
Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.
Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at recruitment.business.services@ecis.police.uk stating ‘Application Support and Adjustments’ in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833. Where appropriate we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.
If you’re not from the UK, you must be a resident in the UK and have lived here continuously for the last three years. You must also be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain. If you’re from the UK you must have lived here continuously for the last three years. This doesn’t apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces.
Essex Police is a Disability Confident Leader, we:
* have subjected our Disability Confident self-assessment to externalchallenge and validation
* are taking an active leadership role in encouraging and helping otheremployers on their journey to becoming Disability Confident.
Diversity, Equality and Inclusionare central to the values of our organisation. At Essex Police we value and embrace the unique experiences, identities and abilities that each of us bring to our roles. We strive to empower everyone to bring their authentic self openly and safely to work.
Through the dedicated commitment of our support networks, DE&I team and wider HR departments, we are on a journey to embed our DE&I commitments, ensuring Essex Police is an employer of choice; where everyone feels included.
Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer. Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.
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