Chemist

Chemist Needed - **Fire and Explosion Forensic Investigator**

Various Locations - London, Kenilworth, Basingstoke, and Stevenage

**What we need in the Fire and Explosion Forensic Investigator**
They presently have a number of vacancies for scientists and engineers to undertake forensic investigations of a wide range of fires and explosions. Investigations will usually be undertaken for insurance related purposes. Their clients include internationalinsurers, loss adjusters, solicitors, marine Protection and Indemnity clubs and insurance brokers. Our clients require clear and accurate technical advice regarding the cause of the fire or explosion and assistance with determining liability, sometimes atvery short notice.

**The Nature of the Work for the Fire and Explosion Forensic Investigator**
They are offering you a rare opportunity to enter a unique and very rewarding profession in which the variety and the nature of the technically focused work is extremely diverse and challenging, thus providing you with what we consider is unrivalled job satisfaction.A key attraction of this role is that you will typically have the opportunity to be responsible for seeing a technical investigation through from beginning to end from initially collecting the evidence on site to preparing the final technical report and ultimatelygiving expert evidence in Court.

You will have the opportunity to investigate a wide range of fires and explosions involving ultimately super tankers and commercial airliners but initially more probably house, office and appliance fires. The entirely unpredictable nature and location ofthe work are key attractions of this role.

The work will often require you to examine failed components and other physical evidence in a laboratory environment. There is a practical element to the job in that occasionally you will be required to carefully dismantle machinery, equipment or componentassemblies in a systematic manner to obtain the evidence that you require to determine the cause of the fire or explosion. This practical aspect of the work also extends to the requirement to devise and possibly undertake tests, possibly with outside agenciesor contractors, as and when the need arises.

**The role of a Fire and Explosion Forensic Investigator**
- Conducting site-based investigations to record and gather the available physical evidence.
- Liaising with Police, Fire Brigade, Health and Safety Executive personnel, who may be in control of the site.
- Obtaining details regarding the background and circumstances surrounding the incident by interviewing individuals associated with the incident.
- Undertaking telephone and Internet enquiries, possibly in liaison with our team of in-house librarians.
- Reviewing technical documentation that may include manuals and maintenance records.
- Consulting relevant standards, regulations and other published guidance.
- Undertaking technical literature reviews.
- Providing the client with timely preliminary verbal and/or written advice in a form that can be readily understood by a layperson and ultimately a Judge.
- Conducting detailed laboratory-based examinations.
- Devising and conducting tests.
- Preparing reports that may be in the form of a brief letter style report or in the form of a detailed, illustrated report for Court proceedings.
- Meetings with experts appointed by the other involved parties as part of the litigation process.
- Providing expert witness evidence in Court, which will involve being questioned in depth by a Barrister, who will have been briefed by a technical expert.

**Here few examples of the types of investigation undertaken**
- Explosion of a tanker whilst undergoing work in dry-dock.
- Fire in a commercial airliner during cleaning.
- Fire that caused the almost total destruction of a superstore.
- Deliberate fire involving fatalities in a hotel.
- Explosion in a house following a gas leak.
- Deliberate fire in a commercial premise to defraud the insurance company.
- Fire involving white goods; washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers etc.

**Their Requirements for a Fire and Explosion Forensic Investigator**
The fire and explosion investigator position are technically demanding, challenging and most rewarding role requiring not only a thorough understanding of basic chemistry and physics but also the ability to tackle problems from first principles.

**Ideally you will**:

- Have attained a good honours degree in a science or engineering discipline (Chemistry Preferred).
- Have gained several years of postgraduate experience.
- Have an aptitude and enthusiasm for problem solving.
- Be self-motivated and be able to work effectively under pressure.
- Be practical, meticulous and able to work in a systematic manner.
- Have common sense and be able to analyse information critically.
- Have the ability to communicate technical concepts clearly, both verbally and in writing, to others less informed.
- Be prepared to be flexible and work unpredictable hours, as and where the work demands, including occasionally overseas.
- Be prepared to provide expert witness evidence in Court when required.

**Package**
- company car.
- Where appropriate a relocation package is available
- London Office appointment have London weighting
- highly competitive starting salary
- unparalleled prospects.
- five weeks holiday
- a contributory pension schemes
- medical insurance
- life assurance
- permanent health insurance

Charles Francis Cooper celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for both employees and applicants.

(Charles Francis Cooper are acting as an employment agency)

**Keywords**

Fire, Explosion, Engineer, Engineering, failure investigation, Forensic investigation,