Digital Forensic Technician

THE FOLLOWING VACANCY HAS BEEN ADVERTISED EXTERNALLY

Digital Forensic Technician
Digital Forensics Unit
Protective Services, Crime
Numerous full-time permanent posts.
Various locations in West Yorkshire

The Digital Forensic Unit has a number of offices across the district, these are Calder Park (Wakefield), Normanton Police Station, Huddersfield Police Station, Elland Road Police Station (Leeds), Halifax Police Station and Trafalgar House Police Station (Bradford).

The role is Monday to Friday, flexi scheme working pattern.

To support the investigation of serious crime, West Yorkshire Police is looking to appoint multiple Digital Forensic Technicians for its Digital Forensics Unit. This is an ideal role as a first position for someone who has no previous experience of working in digital forensics but would like to start a career in this area.

Key Responsibilities:
- Inform investigations, use Forensic software and hardware to recover an image from witnesses or suspects digital devices, including mobile phones in accordance with NPCC guidelines and maintain a log outlining steps taken during the process. Where necessary photograph or video proceedings.
- Commence forensic processes on digital devices and images in accordance with DFU processes, and prepare reports for investigators. Data retrieved will be of a sensitive and confidential nature and is highly likely to contain material of an indecent, extreme and offensive material, including graphic child abuse imagery. Data must be
retrieved and dealt with in a professional and forensically sound manner; recognising and handling sensitive information with the utmost confidentiality, discretion and integrity at all times.
- Identify and collate the recovery of CCTV material using relevant software and hardware for intelligence and evidential purposes in line with requests, including fast-time assessment and recoveries; ensuring relevant legislations, policies and procedures are adhered to.
- Provide administrative and technical support to the team

Essential Criteria:
- Intermediate knowledge and expertise of common operating systems and applications, and ability to use software packages relating to Digital Forensics and CCTV recovery.
- Capacity to concentrate for long periods on technical tasks pay attention to detail.
- An aptitude for problem solving, in a methodical and orderly manner.
- Level 3 qualification or above in a technical based discipline or relevant experience and expertise in a technical environment.
- Willingness & ability to complete the core courses in relation to the recovery and analysis of digital evidence, as specified by NPCC.
- Physical and emotional resilience to deal with abusive and offensive imagery depicting extreme
violence, obscenity and depravity; including graphic images of child abuse. Post holder must be willing to undergo regular Psychological Assessments.
- Ability and willingness to work flexibly when required.

You must have the willingness and ability to travel for business purposes and be prepared to work flexibly to suit the requirements of the department.

Within this role, physical and emotional resilience is required to deal with abusive and offensive imagery depicting extreme violence, obscenity and depravity; including graphic images of child abuse. The jobholder must therefore be willing to undergo regular psychological assessment.

Benefits/What We Offer

West Yorkshire Police staff can access a wide range of benefits designed to support work life balance, wellbeing, development and financial security. These include:

Generous annual leave allowance -27 days annual leave, rising to 32 days after five years of service (plus bank holidays)

Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund, a secure Defined Benefit CARE (Career Average Revalued Earnings) pension scheme

Membership options for the Police Treatment Centre and The Police Children s Charity (eligibility-dependent)

Access to savings, discounts and cashback rewards through staff schemes, including eligibility to purchase a Blue Light Card

Option to sign up to our Cycle to work scheme (eligibility-dependent)

Access to a wide range of internal wellbeing services and support programmes

Opportunities for career development and training what can you offer to make the role appealing to potential candidates? For example, include paid for courses or qualifications such a Project Management course. Development is very important to candidates.

Supportive HR policies, including maternity, paternity and other family-friendly provisions

A meaningful career with a clear sense of purpose supporting policing services that protect communities

Opportunities to join staff networks, wellbeing groups, and sports clubs

The 2024 version of the Competency Values Framework applies to this process. Please disregard the old link to the 2016 version which is contained in the role profile.

This post will close at 23:55 hours on 19th July 2026.