Forensic Anthropologist

**Role Purpose**

The Company Alecto Forensics is a key part of The Forensic Access Group, which is enjoying rapid growth and progression towards becoming the market-leading international forensics and criminal justice services organisation.

Alecto Forensics is a dynamic company focussing on the provision of forensic ecology services to police forces across the UK and overseas. Established in 2013, we are a team of forensic anthropologists, archaeologists and environmental scientists specialising in the detection, recovery and identification of human remains, and the analysis of pollen, soils, diatoms, and insects from scenes of crime. We also provide a wide range of professional training courses to police officers, CSIs and private clients.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated self-starter to join the team as a Forensic Anthropologist. You will be based at our headquarters/laboratory in Wantage, Oxfordshire. The role will predominately be based on-site a minimum 3 days per week, when not attending scenes or post-mortem examinations.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Attendance at major crime scenes and mortuaries to support forensic investigations.
- Forensic anthropology casework including:

- Species identification (remote and in the laboratory)
- Recovery of human remains from outdoor scenes and other locations
- Examination and identification of decomposed remains
- Examination and interpretation of burnt and fragmented remains
- Laboratory examination of fragmented skeletal remains
- Forming part of a 24/7 on-call service with colleagues.
- Producing expert reports and statements; attendance at court as expert witness.
- General administration duties, as required

**Knowledge / Experience / Technical Skills**

**_ Essential_**
- Full/Clean driving licence, with the ability to attend crime scenes across the UK. The role will involve travel at short notice so a flexible approach to working hours is required.
- Police clearance to NPPV3 / SC or the ability to qualify for such clearance (5 years’ continuous UK residency, no criminal convictions, no pending criminal convictions).
- Competence and experience in recovering and recording buried and unburied human remains from crime scenes or archaeological sites.
- Competence and experience in the examination and analysis of unidentified human remains from forensic contexts or extensive experience in post-excavation analysis of large assemblages of archaeological human remains.
- Experience in the examination and interpretation of burnt human remains from fatal fires or archaeological cremation burials.
- Proven ability to write clear and concise expert witness statements or complex osteology / osteoarchaeology reports.
- Ability to remain calm, think objectively, and behave professionally in stressful situations.
- Good administrative abilities.

**_Desirable_**
- Good archaeological field skills.
- Experience of deployment to crime scenes and mortuaries, or equivalent experience in humanitarian contexts.
- Awareness of scientific techniques relating to forensic anthropology, e.g. radiocarbon dating, isotope analysis, microscopy, postmortem imaging.
- Awareness of ecological evidence types, e.g. soils, pollen, insects, plants and diatoms.
- Knowledge of Quality Management Systems.

**Company Benefits**:
The company supports and encourages individuals to grow and develop with their career whilst balancing work and life, truly accommodating with life outside of the business. We are an ambitious, growing group of companies, but we maintain a small company culture. Every team member is valued, with each individual having access to all levels of management including the CEO who is onsite regularly.
- Company pension
- Healthcare benefit including employee assist program and 24-hour GP line
- Life insurance 3x salary
- Free on-site parking
- Flexible working
- Counselling support
- Employee recognition/long service awards
- Employee referral scheme
- Regular social events

**What Happens Next**

We want to ensure that you are excited to be joining us, as we are for you to be joining us

**_
Please note:_**_ Due to the nature of the role and our work, applicants will be required to be DBS checked, and able to pass a SC/NVVP3 security clearance check. To gain this level of security clearance you must have been resident in the UK for a continuous period of 5 years._