Forensic Technician

Note: Current Employees must use the Workday Dashboard career section to apply for this position.

Employee Type:

Regular

Department:

Sheriff

Salary:

$59,571.20 - $82,971.20 Annually / $4,964.27 - $6,914.27 Monthly / $28.64 - $39.89 Hourly

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Overtime Eligibile:

Yes

Job Posting Date Range:

09/01/2026 - Until Filled

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS CHECKLIST:

1.      THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED WITH YOUR APPLICATION:

• Copy of Valid Driver's License (front side only)

• Copy of DD-214 Member-4 Form, NGB-22 Form, or equivalent (if applicable; see RCW 41.04.010 as to how Veteran's Preference is applied)

• Copy of Permanent Resident Card AKA "Green Card" (if applicable; front side only)

• Copy of Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card / Form I-797 (Notice of Action) / Form I-821D (if applicable; Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients)

2.      OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE SCHOOL REGISTRAR OR THEIR THIRD-PARTY AFFILIATE:
Official transcripts from the school of your highest level of education and/or transcripts showing proof of your highest degree obtained must be submitted to the Civil Service office in order to move forward in the hiring process. All transcripts must be official documents; they cannot be uploaded to the application by the applicant.
   
Examples: If your highest level of education is high school or equivalent (GED), you would order ONLY your high school/GED transcript; if you graduated high school and have some college credits, but no degree, you will need to order BOTH high school and college transcripts; if you have an Associate's or higher degree and no additional college, then ONLY order the transcript showing proof of your highest degree; if you have an Associate's or higher degree plus additional college, please order BOTH college transcripts, etc. 
   
Accepted methods for transcript submission:

• PREFERRED - Electronic Submission: If your school distributes official, electronic transcripts, have your school registrar email the official transcripts directly to: [email protected] (electronic transcripts will ONLY be accepted if sent directly by the school registrar or their 3rd party affiliate; applicants may not email transcripts directly)

• Alternate Arrangements: Only if your school does not issue electronic transcripts, sealed official transcripts may be mailed to: Spokane County Civil Service, 13033 W. SR 902, Spokane, WA 99224.

If you have already submitted official transcripts to Spokane County Civil Service (including for previous applications), please do NOT resubmit. If you are unsure, please contact our office at 509-477-4711, extension 2 to verify.

ALL SECTIONS OF THE APPLICATION MUST BE COMPLETED. RESUMES ARE NOT ACCEPTED IN LIEU OF COMPLETE APPLICATIONS.

**IF ANY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS ARE NOT UPLOADED WITH AN APPLICATION OR SUBMITTED TO CIVIL SERVICE BY THE GIVEN DEADLINE, THE APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED INCOMPLETE AND WILL NOT  BE ADVANCED.**

Additional Information:

Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. The posting will close promptly at 12:00 AM on Thursday, October 22, 2026.

Job Summary:

The Forensic Technician is an entry-level technical, criminal identification position in the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Unit responsible for latent print processing and crime scene investigation.

Forensic Technicians perform extremely critical work in the identification of criminal offenders through the collection, preservation, and evaluation of physical evidence obtained from crime scenes. Primary functions of this position include latent print processing, photography, and crime scene investigation.

* This is not a remote-work position, all work will be performed in-person on site. *

Job Description:

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Must be a citizen of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, or a deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) recipient; must be able to speak, read, and write the English language; high school diploma or GED.

Applicants must be a minimum age of 21 years old at the time of application.

In addition to the above requirements, applicants must qualify in at least one of the following categories:

• Earned a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university with a major in forensic science, natural science, criminal justice or related fields having a close bearing on forensics. This degree requirement is not intended to disqualify friction ridge examiners and crime scene investigators who are already trained to competency. (certificates and training records will be requested to verify training)  

• Earned a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university in any field of study and be a current full-time employee with a law enforcement agency, working within the criminal justice field, with knowledge of either basic crime scenes or latent prints.

A valid driver’s license is required at the time of application and must be retained throughout employment.

Applicant is required to undergo and successfully complete a full background investigation with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office’s Background Investigation Unit prior to being hired by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

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TESTING INFORMATION

Written Exam: 

DATE: Thursday, November 12, 2026  

TIME: 9:00 AM -OR- 1:30 PM
LOCATION: Spokane, WA 99224 (by invitation only)
 
Applicants who meet the minimum requirements and submit complete applications will be sent instructions to self-schedule for one of the written exam sessions.
 
All Civil Service written exams must be conducted in-person at the applicant's expense. No online, over-the-phone, or outside testing facilities are permitted. No exceptions. This position doesnotallow for remote testing; applicants will be required to travel to Spokane, WA, to take a written exam in-person.
  
Suggested subjects to study for the written exam: 
 Pattern Recognition
 General Crime Scenes
 Photography
 Fingerprinting
 General Forensics
 
*There is no suggested study material for this test.

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ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as an exclusive list of all essential job functions performed by all employees in this classification, but only as a representative summary of the primary job functions and responsibilities. Incumbent may not be required to perform all job functions and may be required to perform additional, position specific tasks.

Process and document crime scenes with or without the assistance of additional Forensic staff by taking all necessary photographs and/or video, searching for latent fingerprints, collecting items of evidence and preserving them for further analysis.

Recognize evidence and have a working knowledge of the potential evidentiary value of ballistics, soils, blood, DNA, poisons, fibers, document examinations, etc.

Process evidence for latent fingerprints using techniques such as powders, chemicals, various light sources, and photography.

Run qualifying samples in Rapid DNA instrument for presumptive profile generation or matching.

Perform employee portrait and public relations photography. 

Maintain accurate documentation and generate reports of findings.

Provide expert testimony in court.

Be available for callouts on evenings and weekends, as required.

Perform other duties as assigned.

DEPARTMENTAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Vision correctable to 20/20 with normal color vision.
• Hearing correctable to normal ranges.
• Strength sufficient to safely lift up to 50 pounds, occasionally.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time.
• Respond to scenes that may be considered graphic and/or grossly offensive to human senses.
• Be available for evening and weekend call outs.

BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS:

All employees of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office are responsible for contributing to a safe, productive, and positive work environment, by being self-motivated and actively demonstrating the core values of the Sheriff’s Office in their daily work and interactions:
 

• Respect: Appreciating and valuing customers, co-workers, managers, other County employees and County leadership by showing courtesy, friendliness, and fairness. Communicating in a productive and professional manner.
• Accountability: Honoring and delivering on commitments by taking responsibility for personal actions and results; a team player that helps the organization meet its objectives by taking initiative; being a responsible steward of public resources and the trust County residents have placed in each of us.
• Integrity: Positively represents the organization and the County by modeling transparent and ethical behavior and demonstrating it with honest and trustworthy behaviors and actions; leading by example and performing work to the highest standards.
• Innovation: Striving for excellence by actively pursuing opportunities for new and improved methods, procedures, or technologies; fostering an environment of engagement, empowerment, and embracing continuous improvement.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of:

• Friction ridge skin - pattern types and the use of fingerprints for identification
• Processing and documentation of latent fingerprints
• Crime scene processing and documentation to include photography

Skilled in:

• Exercising independent judgement and thinking on your feet
• Working as a team and performing duties in concert with other investigators

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Operate computer using specialized programs such as Adobe Photoshop or other photographic reproduction systems
• Become Crime Scene Certified through International Association for Identification

Testing Requirements:

Written Exam

Total Compensation:

$76,251 - $106,203 Annually

Total compensation is an estimate based upon base compensation, median retirement fund contributions, and current employer-paid health and related benefit contribution rates (including medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability, and leave). The actual total will vary depending upon each employee's enrollment choices.

Please select the link below to view Spokane County Benefits:

• Benefits | Spokane County, WA