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Join Police Digital Service as a Digital Forensics Validation Technical Manager - starting salary £60,000
This role is currently an initial fixed term until 31st March 2025, with a view to making permanent if funding allows.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide digital forensic subject matter expertise, consultancy and advice on digital forensic tools and methods, validation and accreditation.
- Design and deliver forensic tool validation activities for the digital forensic tools within the services portfolio, including tools from Cellebrite, Magnet and MSAB. This will include preparing and drafting documentation, planning, risk assessment, hands on tool validation, root cause analysis, report, and quality assurance.
- Develop, iterate and maintain validation documentation, including but not limited to, ground truth data (GTD) specifications and indices, risk assessments, validation plans, validation reports and statements of completion.
- Review, provide feedback and approve/sign off documentation prepared by supporting team members.
- Ensure that all validation activities are compliant with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and the Forensic Science Regulator’s Codes of
- Practice. Oversight must be provided to ensure team members’ inputs are compliant as well.
- Manage and/or oversee the management of a database of GTD assets, including devices and extractions. Ensure assets are up to date and active, securely stored, and facilitate the shipment of assets between PDS, police forces, and third parties as needed.
- Serve as the lead point of contact between the PDS Validation Team and third parties, including Forces, other Government Organisations (FCN, Home Office, etc.), and third-party suppliers providing GTD and validation services.
- Support the population and refresh of GTD carried out by third-party suppliers.
- Ensure that all validation materials are up to date and accessible in the validation library. Oversee updates to and maintenance of the validation library SharePoint repositories.
- Identify new and emerging digital forensic technologies for inclusion in the tool validation portfolio to best support policing accreditation efforts.
- Identify and assess industry and technology trends, consumer behaviour and policing end-user requirements to determine the specification of GTD and devices required for validation.
- Work closely with project manager to provide bi-weekly updates on activities, planning, timelines, and progress to completion.
- Input into project management processes such as RAID logs, project plans, and deliverables.
- Liaise with other internal stakeholders, including DDaT, Cyber and commercial teams to ensure alignment across PDS.
- Provide on-site training, development, leadership, and motivation to junior team members.
- Develop and approve external communications to key stakeholders, including the policing and digital forensics community. Lead webinars to policing community when validation materials are finalised and released.
- Provide regular feedback to Validation Team members to aid their professional growth and development, and input into formal performance evaluation processes.
Key Criteria
- • In-depth knowledge of the capture, preservation, processing and analysis of data from mobile phone devices.• In-depth Knowledge of the capture, preservation, processing and analysis of data from mobile phone devices.• Thorough understanding of how to generate, record and refresh ground truth data on computer and mobile phone devices.• Strong knowledge of the requirements for accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2017, ILAC G19 and the FSR Codes. • Thorough understanding as an end-user the functionality and limitations of commonly used digital forensic tools.• Attentive to detail• Extensive experience managing a team of 4+ individuals• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and professional demeanour• Ability to manage time and prioritise tasks effectively• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and support the team’s goals above individual goals• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment while handling multiple tasks through to completion
Please download our candidate pack to read the job description and essential criteria in depth
All applicants must be eligible for NPPV3 and SC clearances. Successful applicants will require NPPV3 clearance to have been approved before starting with PDS.
Why Join us?
- Balance is important and we want you to take time off to recharge – we offer 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, rising to 30 days after 5 years of service. Holiday Purchase also available
- Flexible working hours - We trust you to do your job and we appreciate that life doesn’t always fit around a 9 to 5 workday. We operate core hours of 10 to 4, Monday to Friday (37hr week)
- We care about your well-being – we have an EAP that offers not just welfare benefits but also retail discounts
- Plan for the future – we offer an excellent pension scheme and life assurance cover
- Put your mind at rest regarding your health – offering remote GP, mental health and physiotherapy appointments via video consultation
- Family - Enhanced maternity and paternity pay along with a flexible return to work
You can find out more here:Benefits – Police Digital Service (pds.police.uk)
Diversity, equity and inclusion
We are committed to equal opportunity for all and will not discriminate on any grounds. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible span of experience. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates and people with disabilities.
Working Arrangements
This is a remote role.
Please note, we may choose to close the advert early if we receive a high volume of applications for this role so please endeavour to to complete your application as soon as possible
