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LABORATORY DIVISION
The FBI Laboratory is one of the largest and most comprehensive crime laboratories in the world. It provides forensic and technical services to FBI and other duly constituted law enforcement agencies to support investigative and intelligence priorities. Laboratory activities include crime scene searches, special surveillance photography, latent-fingerprint examinations, forensic examinations of evidence (ranging from blood and other biological materials to explosives, drugs, and firearms), court testimony, and other scientific and technical services. The FBI offers these services, free of charge, to all law enforcement agencies in the United States. In addition, FBI Laboratory Specialists provide training to other state and local crime laboratory and law enforcement personnel.
For career-related information on the Laboratory Division, please see:
Learn more about the Laboratory Division.
Types of Work Performed
Laboratory examiners provide expert witness testimony in court cases regarding the results of forensic examinations, and specially trained teams assist domestic and international law enforcement agencies in large-scale investigations and disasters. Additional information regarding our services
can be found on the FBI Laboratory Web site.
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Useful Educational Backgrounds
Depending on the particular field of interest, the most useful educational background is forensic science, in particular biology and chemistry. Various other educational backgrounds in areas such as photography, firearms, hazardous materials, and explosives are also advantageous.
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Critical Skills/Desirable Backgrounds
Prior work experience in other forensic laboratories or certain military experience is desirable. The military background is particularly beneficial in areas such as hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction, as well as incendiary/explosives devices.
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Career Advancement Opportunities
Career advancement within the Laboratory Division is dependent on time in grade and successful completion of the various Laboratory training programs required within the different units. The majority of grades in the Laboratory go to rise as high as a GS-13 level to include Physical Scientists, Biologists, Photographers, Cryptanalysts, Chemists, and Management and Program Analysts.
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Training Requirements and Opportunities
Training requirements are different among the various units, but usually require at least 18 months of on-the-job training. Opportunities abound for attendance at other training venues within the employee's area of expertise, as well as through the Bureau's Continuing Education Program.
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Travel Requirements
Due to the nature of the work we do within the Laboratory Division, travel is required as operational requirements necessitate. Laboratory Division Our employees have traveled to assist with many high-profile incidents, both in the United States and abroad, including Desert Storm; Waco, Texas; the Oklahoma City bombing; the September 11th attacks; the Value Jet plane crash into the Florida Everglades; the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia; the TWA flight 800 crash; and most recently the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Forensic Examiners also provide expert witness testimony in many of the cases the Laboratory receives, and travel to provide training to not only other FBI personnel throughout the country, but also to other law enforcement agencies in the United States and abroad.
Further, members of the Latent Print Unit's Disaster Squad provide assistance in the identification of military dead from Afghanistan and Iraq. Also from February to April 2005, the Disaster Squad, members of the Evidence Response Team Unit and Hazardous Materials Response Unit traveled to Thailand to assist other Disaster Victim Identification teams from other countries with victims from the tsunami.
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