Trainee Forensic Collision Investigator
| Posting date: | 27 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £30,333 to £32,613 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 16 March 2026 |
| Location: | Gloucester, Gloucestershire |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Gloucestershire Constabulary |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: |
Summary
Do you have a passion for problem solving using maths, physics and logic? Do you have the desire to keep people safe from harm?
An exciting new opportunity has arisen within our Forensic Collision Investigation Unit to become a Forensic Collision Investigator.
This is a challenging and rewarding role where, once fully trained, your expertise will provide important answers to how collisions occurred, providing much needed answers to families and producing expert witness evidence to both the Coronial and Criminal Courts of England and Wales.
Initially, you will undertake a structured trainee programme which will result in becoming qualified and achieving independent FCI status through a tutorship alongside a qualified FCI. Study is undertaken on an initial 4-week residential course, with additional study undertaken in your own time (approximately 16-18 hours per week), however, full support will be given by all of our qualified collision investigators.
In addition to mandatory skills such as photography, surveying using laser scanners, and evidence analysis, Forensic Collision Investigators are trained in many other technical disciplines, such as lightbulb analysis, and digital data interrogation.
Being a Forensic Collision Investigator isn’t for everyone. The nature of the job means that this role will be emotionally challenging. A 7-day 12 hour shift pattern and being part of a 24-hour on-call rota means the days can be long and nights cold. The successful candidate will require high levels of motivation and emotional resilience, and be prepared to work shift work, including weekends and bank holidays.
Evidence gathering is time sensitive, meaning that Forensic Collision Investigators are required to successfully complete a standard police response driving course.
The application process will consist of an assessment process which will cover mathematics assessment, vehicle examination, and delivery of a presentation to an investigation team. If successful at the assessment stage, you will be invited to a competency value interview.
If you are interested in the role but want more information on what being a forensic collision investigator is like, watch our colleagues on the BBC documentary - Crash Detectives here.
Need help with your application?
If you need any support while completing your application, whether it’s understanding the questions, gathering the right information, or just having someone to talk it through with, then our Better Together Team is here to help. We’d be happy to support you at any stage of the process.
For support with your application, please contact Better Together at BetterTogetherTeam@Gloucestershire.police.uk
At Gloucestershire Constabulary we recognise the benefits of increasing diversity across our force and the value of building a representative workforce. That is why it is important that people from ethnically diverse backgrounds and under-represented groups, including those with a disability, apply and help us deliver excellence in policing throughout Gloucestershire. We are a proud Disability Confident Employer and are committed to providing equal opportunities. You may wish to register with our Talent Bank- the link can be found here: https://gloucestershireconstabulary.tal.net/vx/appcentre-External/brand-3/candidate/so/pm/8/pl/12/opp/457-Register-your-interest-with-Better-Together/en-GB
An exciting new opportunity has arisen within our Forensic Collision Investigation Unit to become a Forensic Collision Investigator.
This is a challenging and rewarding role where, once fully trained, your expertise will provide important answers to how collisions occurred, providing much needed answers to families and producing expert witness evidence to both the Coronial and Criminal Courts of England and Wales.
Initially, you will undertake a structured trainee programme which will result in becoming qualified and achieving independent FCI status through a tutorship alongside a qualified FCI. Study is undertaken on an initial 4-week residential course, with additional study undertaken in your own time (approximately 16-18 hours per week), however, full support will be given by all of our qualified collision investigators.
In addition to mandatory skills such as photography, surveying using laser scanners, and evidence analysis, Forensic Collision Investigators are trained in many other technical disciplines, such as lightbulb analysis, and digital data interrogation.
Being a Forensic Collision Investigator isn’t for everyone. The nature of the job means that this role will be emotionally challenging. A 7-day 12 hour shift pattern and being part of a 24-hour on-call rota means the days can be long and nights cold. The successful candidate will require high levels of motivation and emotional resilience, and be prepared to work shift work, including weekends and bank holidays.
Evidence gathering is time sensitive, meaning that Forensic Collision Investigators are required to successfully complete a standard police response driving course.
The application process will consist of an assessment process which will cover mathematics assessment, vehicle examination, and delivery of a presentation to an investigation team. If successful at the assessment stage, you will be invited to a competency value interview.
If you are interested in the role but want more information on what being a forensic collision investigator is like, watch our colleagues on the BBC documentary - Crash Detectives here.
Need help with your application?
If you need any support while completing your application, whether it’s understanding the questions, gathering the right information, or just having someone to talk it through with, then our Better Together Team is here to help. We’d be happy to support you at any stage of the process.
For support with your application, please contact Better Together at BetterTogetherTeam@Gloucestershire.police.uk
At Gloucestershire Constabulary we recognise the benefits of increasing diversity across our force and the value of building a representative workforce. That is why it is important that people from ethnically diverse backgrounds and under-represented groups, including those with a disability, apply and help us deliver excellence in policing throughout Gloucestershire. We are a proud Disability Confident Employer and are committed to providing equal opportunities. You may wish to register with our Talent Bank- the link can be found here: https://gloucestershireconstabulary.tal.net/vx/appcentre-External/brand-3/candidate/so/pm/8/pl/12/opp/457-Register-your-interest-with-Better-Together/en-GB
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.