Principal, Digital Forensics

Control Risks Group; Washington (IL); Hybrid; USD 230,000 - 255,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangements

Medical benefits

Vision benefits

401(k) retirement plan

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Control Risks is seeking a Forensics Principal to lead digital forensics delivery for law firms and corporate clients across the US, coordinating with global teams and driving revenue growth in the Technology practice.

The role requires senior technical expertise, mentoring ability, and strong client engagement to ensure high-quality investigations, reports, and testimony across complex engagements.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12+ years of hands-on digital forensics investigations experience.
• 7+ years of supervising employees
• 5+ years leading, building and maintaining a digital forensics program
• Experience with mobile device forensics using standard tools
• Proficient with Excel/PowerPoint/Word

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and guidance to dynamic teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Assist with day-to-day management of the US Digital Forensics team.
• Develop, own and deliver process-improvement initiatives in the Technology practice.
• Support on projects involving data collection and analysis of computer systems and sources.
• Serve as SME for digital forensics including affidavits and expert testimony.
• Develop data collection solutions for diverse environments.
• Assist clients in selecting technology to meet project objectives.
• Manage close-out processes including data return and archiving.
• Support business development with client relationships and proposals.

Skills

Digital forensics

Leadership

Client relationships

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Computer Forensics

Tools

EnCase

FTK

Tableau

X-Ways

Cellebrite Nuix

Relativity

Job description

This role may be based in San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, or Washington DC.

Our Forensics experts provide value and assist our clients in the area of digital forensics and eDiscovery.

The Forensics Principal is responsible for managing delivery of digital forensics services to our law firm and corporate clients, identifying and securing new opportunities for the Technology practice, and managing new and existing client relationships. The Principal should have a technical background, including extensive work in industry standard forensics tools and workflows. The Principal must have experience in leading and mentoring junior and mid-level forensics technicians across all aspects of the digital forensics lifecycle.

The Principal will support a range of forensic investigations and eDiscovery matters across many different industries, providing assistance with data collections, chain-of-custody documentation, proper evidence handling, forensic analysis, expert reporting, declaration/affidavits, and expert witness testimony.

A successful Principal will seamlessly transition new engagement wins into service delivery and work closely with the Digital Forensics, eDiscovery Consulting and Project Management, and technical Operations teams, through the full lifecycle of projects. The Principal will effectively apply their knowledge of litigation support, investigations and technology to bridge the gap between clients’ matter requirements and Control Risks’ production and technical resources to ensure work is done to client satisfaction and company standards across a portfolio of matters being supported by the U.S. team domestically and abroad. The Principal will define workflows, manage tasks and balance priorities across projects through active management, direction and coordination of the Digital Forensics team.

The Principal position will require collaboration with Technology practice teams outside of the U.S., including in Brazil, EMEA and APAC, and will help to develop and align on standards and best practices across the global project management team. The ideal candidate will have previous experience and knowledge of international markets and be able to leverage existing relationships to drive revenue for the Technology practice domestically and abroad.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide leadership and guidance to dynamic teams in a fast-paced, multi-task environment with critical deadlines.
• Assist with day-to-day management of the US and Mexico Digital Forensics team
• Develop, own and deliver across process improvement initiatives impacting the Technology practice
• Participate and support on projects involving the identification, collection and analysis of computer systems and electronic data sources
• Serve as a subject matter expert for digital forensics related matters, including the creation of affidavits, declarations, and expert witness testimony
• Develop solutions and strategies to collect data with special considerations for the unique environments and project-specific complexities of an engagement
• Assist clients with the selection of the appropriate technology to meet specific project objectives
• Manage project close-out process including data return and database archival, ensuring that clients understand the implications of on-going data retention relative to their company’s policies
• Assist the business development team throughout the sales process by building relationships with current and potential future clients, demonstrating firm technology and expertise to potential clients, and providing supporting documentation, including proposals and cost estimates, regarding our offerings
• Demonstrate business development acumen via networking and other business development activities, showcasing the ability to convert networking relationships to sales leads and new revenue
• Increase revenue on current engagements by identifying opportunities to cross-sell services offered by the Technology practice and Control Risks as a firm
• Industry awareness and contribution to business development efforts through participation in industry events, client demos and presentations, and internal technology initiatives
• Develop and implement new ideas and workflows to create customized solutions on a client-by-client basis
• Contribute to 3-5 whitepapers, webinars and/or panel discussions per year to increase brand recognition in the market.
• Perform computer forensic investigations with no oversight
• Produce finalized drafts of documentation and reports
• Perform quality control of draft reporting and analysis
• Utilize quality control and best practices to maintain high-quality work product on all engagements
• Develop and maintain client relationships, ensuring client satisfaction
• Data filtering, extractions and staging from forensics images for data processing
• Utilize off-the-shelf and proprietary data collection, analysis and reporting tools
• Collaborate with other business lines to develop and deliver innovative technology solutions to assist with adjacent offerings including privacy, cyber, information governance, compliance monitoring and insider risk
• Mentor junior team members on digital forensics practices

Knowledge and experience

• Minimum of 12+ years of hands-on technical and/or computer forensic investigations experience. Understanding of best practices procedures and technological trends in the industry
• 7+ years of supervising employees
• 5+ years of direct experience leading, building and maintaining a digital forensics program
• Experienced in conducting digital forensic preservations and examinations on mobile device operating systems using industry-standard forensic tools
• Proficient in the use of industry-standard forensic and eDiscovery tools (preferably familiar with EnCase, FTK, Tableau, X-Ways, Macquisiton, Cellebrite Nuix, and Relativity)
• Communicate effectively to all levels of engagement and management teams
• Ability to absorb complex technical information and communicate effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Superior fundamental understanding of IT systems and infrastructure
• Knowledge of the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM)
• Preferred: Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Access, Word and PowerPoint
• Preferred: SQL, PowerShell experience
• Preferred: Experience in consulting on complex matters, solving problems, troubleshooting and working with clients while collaborating with internal stakeholders to provide exceptional service

Qualifications and specialist skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Forensics or related field
• Certified as a Certified Computer Examiner (CCE), EnCase Examiner, (EnCE) or Access Data Examiner (ACE) preferred
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills to effectively communicate with diverse audiences in different jurisdictions, with varying degrees of experience and technical acumen
• Ability to work well within a logistically diverse team through timely and effective communication
• Good interpersonal skills
• Organizational and project management skills
• Ability to work well under pressure and meet tight deadlines, while effectively managing competing demands and evolving priorities
• Strong work ethic, eagerness to learn, and motivation to succeed
• Flexibility to travel domestically and internationally with short notice
• Ability to travel and work in challenging environments (up to 50% of time).

Competencies

• Problem-solving: Owns problems, identifies and works with the right people to solve problems quickly within own remit and wider team(s)
• Results-oriented: Implements plans to ensure objectives are achieved or exceeded; focuses on delivery; Shows and encourages a determination to achieve high standards
• Client services: Anticipates the needs of clients and addresses them; Provides the best possible service to our clients, ensuring the client is at the heart of everything we do
• Know the business: Builds strong relationships through common goals, individual contribution and support in times of need
• Adapting to change: Operates effectively and with resilience in changing or ambiguous situations, contributes to changing environments, and actively assists those around them to adapt

Behaviors

• All employees are expected to display behaviors reflective of our company values: Integrity and Ethics, Collaboration and Teamwork, Commitment to People and Professionalism and Excellence.

The base salary range for this position is $230,000-$255,000 per year. Exact compensation offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Control Risks is committed to a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status. If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made in order to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.

Control Risks participates in the E-Verify program to confirm employment authorization of all newly hired employees. The E-Verify process is completed during new hire onboarding and completion of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, at the start of employment. E-Verify is not used as a tool to pre-screen candidates.For more information on E-Verify, please visit www.uscis.gov.

• Control Risks offers a competitively positioned compensation and benefits package that is transparent and summarized in the full job offer.
• Control Risks supports hybrid working arrangements, wherever possible, that emphasize the value of in-person time together - in the office and with our clients - while continuing to support flexible and remote working.
• Medical Benefits, Prescription Benefits, FSA, Dental Benefits, Vision Benefits, Life and AD&D, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Disability Benefits, Voluntary Benefits, 401 (K) Retirement, Nationwide Pet Insurance, Employee Assistance Program.
• As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us and are fully committed to equal treatment, free from discrimination, of all candidates throughout our recruitment process.