DFU Technical Manager

Durham Constabulary; Chester-le-Street; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Durham City Safety Group is looking for a proactive supervisor to lead the digital forensics team, validating methods to ISO17025 standards and producing SOPs for all digital work. You will manage workloads, ensure quality and timely delivery, and maintain suitable equipment and software to keep the unit efficient.

The role requires a degree in a relevant subject, supervisory experience, and ISO process knowledge, with extensive data-handling and report-writing responsibilities.

Qualifications

• A degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.
• At least 3 months supervisory experience.
• At least 2 years technical experience including the downloading of data from devices and an understanding of the component elements of computer devices.
• At least 1 year's administrative experience including writing reports.
• At least 1 year's experience of ISO process or similar audit procedures.

Responsibilities

• Supervision of forensic examiners and technicians and allocation of workloads.
• Ensure methods under ISO17025 are validated for purpose.
• Produce and maintain Work Instructions and SOPs for digital forensic work.
• Ensure work meets quality and timeliness; perform regular quality checks.
• Ensure adequate equipment and software is available and up to date.

Skills

Supervision experience

Data download from devices

Report writing

ISO process knowledge

Education

Degree in a relevant subject

ISO audit experience

Job description

Salary: SO2 £42,612- £45,765 plus 5% weekend working allowance. (please note your starting salary will be on the lower end of the scale)

Hours/Contract: Permanent, Full-time, Average of 37 hours per week working in line with the below shift pattern. (please note that this shift pattern is currently being reviewed and is therefore subject to change)

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Total

wk1

0800-1700

0800-1700

0800-1700

0800-1700

0800-1700

RD

RD

45

wk2

0800-1700

0800-1700

0800-1700

0800-1700

0800-1700

RD

RD

45

wk3

0800-1700

0800-1700

0800-1700

RD

RD

0800-1600

0800-1600

43

wk4

0800-1700

RD

RD

0800-1700

0800-1700

RD

RD

27

Vetting: MV

Closing Date: 5pm, Friday 27th November2026

The Role

To ensure that DII is accredited to ISO17025 and the Forensic Regulators Codes of Practice. To ensure forensic work undertaken by DII meets those standards.

What You’ll Do

• Supervision of DII forensic examiners and technicians and allocation of workloads.
• Ensure that all methods falling under ISO17025 have been validated as fit for purpose.
• Produce and maintain Work Instructions and Standard Operating Procedures for all digital forensic work undertaken by the department.
• To ensure that work undertaken consistently meets the standards required for both quality and timeliness. Ensure regular quality checks are carried out on work produced.
• Ensure adequate and suitable equipment (including software) is available for use. This will involve keeping pace with advances in technology and making recommendations on equipment usage to ensure that the unit continues to be equipped in a manner that provides an effective service.

What You’ll Bring

• A degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.
• At least 3 months supervisory experience
• At least 2 years technical experience including the downloading of data from devices and an understanding of the component elements of computer devices
• At least 1 years administrative experience including writing reports
• At least 1 years’ experience of ISO process or similar audit procedures

If you hold a higher qualification than those required above or minimum 5 years relevant experience, please evidence this on your application and it will be reviewedby our recruitment team.

For further information, please view the Job Description and Person Specification attached.

Candidates must have indefinite leave to work and live in the UK and be free from any restriction. Any successful candidate will be asked to provide evidence of this.

Applicants must have been a UK resident for at least three years prior to the date of application.

If applicants have not been a resident in the UK for at least three years and can provide a VERIFIABLE certificate from the police of any country where they have taken temporary residence. The certificate must indicate that they have not been convicted of any offence whilst in that country or involved in any investigation by a Law Enforcement Agency.

Any tattoos deemed to be obscene, or advocates sexual, racial, ethnic, or religious discrimination, by written word or design is prohibited and the presence of such a tattoo would preclude an applicant from passing the recruitment process for employment with the Constabulary.

We are committed to equal opportunities, we therefore encourage you to complete and return the equality monitoring form. This form is optional, and your responses will be kept confidential and for statistical purposes only.

Please note: some documents may not currently be suited for use with assistive technology. If you require information in an alternative format, please contact us .

Further information

Any offer of employment will be subject to appropriate vetting checks which will be maintained/updated throughout the period of service.