Forensic Science Internships

What is a forensic science internship?

Forensic science internships are one to four months long and offer the chance to get a taster of what it’s like to work in a particular industry.

Unlike placement years, which are integrated into your degree, internships are extracurricular and usually take place in the summer holidays.

Doing a forensic science internship will give you plenty of insight into the following:

• Company culture, values and vision

• Operating high-tech software and equipment

• Working for a small, medium-sized or large organisation

• Collaborating across different teams

And you will get paid! Internships are also a great way to build skills, grow your CV, and make connections that can lead to future job opportunities. 

Why should you do a forensic science internship?

A forensic science internship during university offers invaluable real-world experience, allowing students to apply classroom knowledge in professional settings like crime labs or medical examiners' offices.

It helps develop both technical skills (such as DNA analysis or fingerprinting) and soft skills like communication and teamwork, making students more prepared for the demands of the field.

Internships also provide important networking opportunities, boost employability, and strengthen your CV for future job applications or graduate schemes.

They offer insight into different areas of forensic science, helping students clarify their career goals and, in some cases, even leading directly to job offers. Overall, an internship is a smart and strategic step toward a successful career in forensic science.

What’s also great about doing a forensic science internship is that you’re not normally expected to be studying a degree in forensic science or criminology! They offer internships to people from all degree disciplines.

Forensic scientists are generally in demand as well. The increasing reliance on scientific evidence in criminal cases and the complexity of modern investigations are driving the need for qualified forensic scientists. While entry to the field can be competitive, there are generally good career prospects.

What type of forensic science opportunities are there?

There are quite a few options out there, make sure you know what you want to get out of your internship before you start searching for one. Here are some ideas:

• Digital forensics. Involves the investigation (and often recovery of) evidence found in digital devices, mostly in cases of computer crime.

• Forensic anthropology. The examination of human remains helps explain how somebody died or solve a crime.

• Forensic archaeology. The study and examination of historic objects or human remains.

• Forensic botany. The application of plant science in criminal investigations, normally to help connect a victim to a suspect or crime scene.

• Forensic engineering. Concerned with explaining the reasons why particular products or systems fail, in case of personal injury or damage to property.

• Forensic linguistics. There are three main applications: the provision of linguistic evidence, understanding the use of language in judicial processes and understanding the language of the written law.

• Forensic pathology. A field of pathology focused on ascertaining cause of death.

• Forensic psychology. The intersection between psychology and the judicial system, understanding the psychology behind criminal behaviour.

• Forensic toxicology. A forensic toxicologist performs tests on tissue samples or bodily fluids to try and detect particular substances.

Who could I work for?

There are plenty of employers around the UK who offer forensic science internships, let’s look at a couple:

MI5

Yes, you’re reading that right. You could do an internship with MI5! This is what you could get up to:

Entry Requirements:

• In penultimate or final year of study at university 

• From Black, Asian, mixed heritifage or other ethnic minority background

• British citizen or hold dual British nationality

National Crime Agency (NCA)

You could work within their National Cyber Crime Unit and work with a variety of teams like Prevent, Tactical Partnerships, Cyber Skills and Development, Strategy & Performance and Cyber Engineering. It’s also good to note that they also do placement years within these teams as well.

Find out more on their website.

How much do forensic science interns get paid?

On average, forensic scientists get paid around £20,000 per year. However, this will depend on where you’re based and your company. It’s likely that if you’re based in London, you will get paid a bit more to help accommodate living expenses.

It’s important to note that this salary is only the beginning, in more senior roles your salary could reach £50,000 annually or more. 

How to apply

Firstly, make sure you work out what you want from an internship; that will help you when it comes to searching for one to apply to.

Make sure you have your CV and internship cover letter perfected. These are normally the first thing you are asked for when applying. Make sure these are personalised to the company and role to showcase that you are the best candidate.