Senior Digital Forensic Specialist (Colchester Police Station)

Essex & Kent Police; Colchester; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A law enforcement agency is seeking a Senior Digital Forensic Specialist for Colchester Police Station. The role involves supervising a digital forensic team and ensuring compliance with ISO standards while providing expert advice on digital data extraction. The ideal candidate should have extensive technical knowledge and interpersonal skills, and be capable of handling sensitive information. This position offers a starting salary of £47,709, with potential increases based on performance.

Qualifications

• Experience within a Digital Forensic service provider.
• Good understanding of ISO 17025.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

Responsibilities

• Supervise a team of digital forensic practitioners.
• Provide advice on digital data extraction.
• Maintain competence under ISO requirements.

Skills

Technical ability across digital devices

Knowledge of computer/mobile hardware and software

Interpersonal skills

Education

A level standard or 2 years experience in Digital Forensic

Tools

Leading digital forensic tools

Job description

Location of Role: Colchester Police Station

Advert Closing Date: 14/10/2025

Starting Salary: £47,709.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies)

Part/Full Time: Full Time

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Shift not 24/7

Weekend/Evening Working: No

Kent Police and Essex Police have recently transformed their digital service to adapt and take advantage of the latest technology and infrastructure available. An exciting opportunity has arisen for an individual to undertake the role of Senior Digital Forensic Specialist within Kent and Essex Digital Services, based at Colchester Police Station.

The new Digital Services' structure has been designed to provide the best possible career progression and CPD framework to ensure you will have the tools and necessary experience to carry out first class digital forensic investigations.

Digital devices and information communication technology are present in almost every investigation the Police Service undertakes. These range from complex computer platforms to mobile phone handsets, games consoles, digital CCTV systems and satellite navigation. As digital devices continue to evolve it will be critical that you are able to adapt & learn new emerging technologies to meet the requirements of the role.

The role involves the day-to-day supervision of a team of digital forensic practitioners to ensure service delivery against published SLAs in support of investigations, ensuring compliance with ISO standards and relevant legislation.

You will be able to provide advice and assistance to officers and staff concerning the proportionate extraction of digital data. This role requires you to utilise streamlined, targeted extraction techniques or triage capability of sized digital devices to enable faster charging decisions.

You will have an understanding of the quality standard ISO 17025 and how this affects the role. You will be required to develop and maintain your competence under these requirements ensuring best practice is shared amongst colleagues. It is expected that you will update your technical knowledge of specialised Digital Forensic procedures and advancements within the Digital Forensic field.

To balance these technical attributes, you will need to be a highly motivated team player with the ability to manage a high caseload and be able to utilise coaching methods to provide an environment that is both supportive and constructive to other members of the team.

In this role you will be dealing with highly sensitive and distressing information which requires you to have a high degree of emotional resilience. You will also be required to work to tight deadlines and be able to multi-task, dealing with competing demand and court requests.

Requirements

• Technical ability across a range of digital devices, knowledge of computer and/or mobile phone hardware, software, and operating systems.
• Educated to A level standard or have at least 2 years' recent experience within a Digital Forensic service provider (law enforcement or private sector), to include experience of the leading digital forensic tools currently employed nationally.
• Good understanding of ISO 17025.
• Interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

The Senior Digital Forensic Specialist role is shift based, you will be working a 6-week pattern where you will be required to work 1 weekend in 6. The shifts are detailed below:

• AM shift: 0700 - 1500
• PM shift: 1200 - 2000
• Weekend shift: 0800 - 1600

This recruitment process consists of 2 stages which involves a presentation and a competency-based interview.

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Andrew Richards or Andrew Marbrow for further information regarding the role on 01622 654783, 01245 49149 ext 489201, or via email on [e-mail].

Essex Police offer incremental increases within this salary band, therefore the salary for this position will rise to a maximum of £51,291.00.

Kent Police and Essex Police have separate salary grading systems therefore the salary for this position will be dependent on which home office force you are appointed to. This will be discussed with the successful applicant before a final offer is made.

Application Process

Your application for this role will be shortlisted on the content you provide within the reason for application question, within the application form itself. CV's, covering letters or attachments are not included in the shortlist. Within your reason for application answer, please refer to any experience, skills, and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for this role, based on the role criteria stated in the job advert or job description.

Diversity and Inclusion

Essex Police and Kent Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.

Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at [e-mail] stating 'Application Support and Adjustments' in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833.