Digital Forensic Analyst

South Yorkshire Police

Sheffield

On-site

GBP 33,000 - 37,000

Full time

1 hour ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Generous pension

Flexible working

Hybrid working

Career development

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

South Yorkshire Police is seeking Digital Forensic Analysts to secure and analyse digital evidence from devices, supporting investigations in line with national guidelines. The role requires clear reporting and the ability to present findings to officers, CPS and the Courts.

Located in Sheffield, the position offers a permanent contract with a competitive salary, extensive training opportunities, and a supportive team culture.

Qualifications

QCF Level 6 (degree) or equivalent industry training.
Strong IT hardware/software knowledge including PC architecture and builds.
Understanding of digital device examination processes and forensics guidelines.
Awareness of ISO17025 accreditation and Forensic Science Regulator codes.

Responsibilities

Secure and retrieve evidence from digital devices per DFU SOPs and standards.
Process and analyse recovered data according to DFU SOPs and ISO17025 standards.
Present findings and interpretation to Investigating Officers, CPS and Courts.
Attend court to present findings in a clear, concise manner.
Mentor and support digital forensic technicians and other staff.
Carry out quality assurance and peer review of work in the DFU.

Skills

Digital forensics

IT hardware & software

Reportable findings

Court presentation

OHU assessments

Data security & confidentiality

Education

QCF Level 6 (degree) or equivalent

Tools

Forensic software

ISO/forensics standards

Job description

Contract Type: Permanent

Job Description

Role: Digital Forensic Analysts

Department: Crime Services

Location: Sheffield

Salary: £32,613 - £37,020

Hours: 37

Contract Type: Permanent

We are currently recruiting a number of Digital Forensic Analysts to join our team. Are you analytical, detail-oriented and passionate about digital investigations, if so, this may be the role for you. In this role you will provide support to police investigations by securing and retrieving data from digital devices in accordance with national guidelines.

Key Responsibilities

Secure and retrieve evidence from a range of digital devices including mobile phones and computers in accordance with digital forensic unit (DFU) SOPs, ISO17025 Standards and Forensic Science Regulator (FSR) Codes of practice, utilising a range of forensic software and techniques.
Process and analyse recovered data in line with DFU SOPs, ISO17025 standards, FSR Codes of practice and industry recognised forensics software and techniques.
Present findings and specialist interpretation of evidence obtained in a format easily understood by Investigating Officers, CPS and the Courts.
Attendance at Court to present findings and evidence in a clear and comprehensible manner.
Recording of contemporaneous notes of all actions taken during analysis and examinations in line with ACPO Principles, ISO17025 standards, FSR Codes of practice.
Achieve and maintain competency for accredited processes within DFU in line with the ISO17025 accreditation.
To mentor and support digital forensic technicians and where required other newly appointed staff members, including analysts, technicians, and admin staff.
Perform supervisory peer review/quality assurance on work undertaken by other analysts/technicians within the DFU.
Follow the career development plan, as outlined for the role.
Provide technical support for Officers attending the unit to view and where necessary, grade data extracted from digital devices.
Assist Officers as appropriate in the execution of search warrants and provide specialist advice and guidance on the correct methods of seizing and removing digital devices.
Give presentations and briefings as appropriate, in support of investigations, including providing practical advice and guidance to officers on matters relating to digital forensic Investigations.
As directed by senior digital forensic analysts or the DFU management team, research, test and where appropriate recommend the implementation of new products/techniques within the industry.
Under the direction of the ISO Quality Manager/Technical Manager, carry out any necessary tasks in support of ISO accreditation such as internal audits or assisting with method validation.
Support digital forensic projects and training, such as mobile phone kiosk implementation and digital forensic awareness to other units within the Force.
Develop and maintain specialised and up to date technical knowledge of digital forensic procedures, keeping abreast of developments within the industry.
Work closely with other departments to ensure effective knowledge sharing and assist officers in the creation of digital forensic examination strategies.
Conduct other associated tasks considered appropriate given the rapid changes in technology.
Due to the nature of the work undertaken by DFU, the successful candidate will require physical and emotional resilience to be able to deal with material of a distressing nature including child sexual abuse material on a regular basis. The successful candidate will be required to undergo regular compulsory OHU assessments.

Due to the nature of the work undertaken by DFU, the successful candidate will require physical and emotional resilience to be able to deal with material of a distressing nature including child sexual abuse material on a regular basis. The successful candidate will be required to undergo regular compulsory OHU assessments.

Skills And Experience

QCF Level 6 (degree) relevant qualification or equivalent industry training.
Excellent understanding of IT hardware /software, including PC architecture, maintenance, operation, connectivity and builds and an awareness of relevant digital forensic guidelines and legislation, including ACPO, Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, Principles of Human Rights, Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act.
Understanding of the processes, procedures and best practice guidance underpinning the examination of digital devices and excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to present findings in a clear concise manner to Officers, Staff and the Courts.
An awareness of different digital device operating systems and be able to deal with material of a distressing nature and undergo regular compulsory OHU Assessments.
An awareness of forensic hardware and software.
An awareness of ISO standards and the impact of these on Digital Forensic Investigations and maintain a high degree of confidentiality.

What We Offer

A highly competitive salary and access to a generous pension scheme
Generous annual leave allowance
A wide range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
Flexible working arrangements including flexitime and hybrid working
A transparent and collaborative team culture underpinned by our core values of Fairness, Integrity & Trust
Comprehensive range of development and leadership courses to develop your career with South Yorkshire Police
Employee Assistant Programme (accessible 24/7) offering confidential support and advice
Flexible lifestyle benefits such as: Blue Light Card, Company Shop, Cycle to work scheme
Committed to embedding sustainability: South Yorkshire Police Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 (yhrn.police)
Membership to the Sports and Social Club
Access to a wide range of staff support groups and networks

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the minimum requirement checkable history criteria, which must be taken into account for individuals applying to work with South Yorkshire Police in any capacity. A minimum checkable history of 5 years is required for this role and successfully undergoing recruitment vetting procedure is a pre‑requisite of employment with South Yorkshire Police.

Appearance & Standards

South Yorkshire Police is committed to striking a proportionate balance between self-expression and the need to maintain role sensitive professional standards in dress and appearance. Officers, staff, and volunteers of South Yorkshire Police are permitted to have tattoos visible whilst on duty provided the tattoo is not considered to be unacceptable or otherwise inappropriate. Tattoos will be reviewed as part of the recruitment and selection process.

South Yorkshire Police’s overarching aim is to deliver an excellent police service to support safer communities. The public’s assessment of our excellence is influenced by the level of trust and confidence in us, as an organisation and as individuals. In comparison to the general public, police officers and police staff are held to a higher standards of behaviour and accountability. In applying to join the police, applicants are accepting of these higher standards and understand the implications on their right to privacy.

South Yorkshire Police’s Key Values

At South Yorkshire Police we have 3 key values which run through everything we do Fairness, Integrity & Trust, the attached document details the key behaviours we expect all employees to adhere to.

Smarter Ways Of Working

South Yorkshire Police is committed to developing working practices which assist staff to balance their personal and professional lives, whilst meeting the needs of the organisation. This in turn enables SYP to provide an outstanding service to the community.

There are 3 different categories as part of this which are: Fixed, Field and Hybrid.

This role has been evaluated as a Fixed role.

Fixed: This is a traditional arrangement, applicable when the work is mostly required to be undertaken at a fixed single place of work (on police premises) for most of the time. The work can only or is more effectively delivered from a police premises or other agreed organisational/partner premises.

Contact Details

For further information about the role, please contact: Sam Hale on 0114 2921705.

Closing Date

Closing Date: 10th September 2026

Closing dates are not normally extended, other than in exceptional circumstances and agreement is made between the Recruitment Manager and the Line Manager for the role.

Candidate Information

Please note that, should you be successful at the interview stage and before appointment, the relevant pre-employment checks are required. These include references, medical clearance, vetting clearance and sickness absence criteria check.

Diversity & Inclusion

Applications are particularly welcome from female and ethnic minority candidates.

It is really important to us that the department represents the community we serve, in order for us to provide the best service, utilising a range of backgrounds, experience and skills. We support and value all officers and staff and the unique experiences they bring to the role. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from these valuable underrepresented groups.

If you are from an underrepresented group and want to find out more about the support we can offer, please contact our dedicated team on positiveaction@southyorks.pnn.police.uk

In addition, we will look to support anyone who requires Part Time/Job share working hours.

Documents To Review