A qualitative study of job satisfaction experiences of forensic scientists

The image often portrayed of forensic scientists is one of them always experiencing a glamorous and satisfying job. The purpose of this study was to comprehend the fundamental nature of what it truly means to work as a forensic scientist. This qualitative study used the Forensic Scientist Experiences Interview Guide to conduct one-on-one structured interviews with eight forensic scientists to learn more about their experiences. The forensic scientists' daily experiences were explored to determine whether these daily experiences influenced job satisfaction. This study demonstrated that the day-to-day job responsibilities forensic scientists experience does not influence overall job satisfaction. Implications of this study are that forensic scientists may not be experiencing the significantly high job satisfaction alluded to in the media, but they do experience some level of job satisfaction. Further implications are that what yields satisfaction to the forensic scientists are not necessarily the aspects of the job or salary but the joy of helping victims, the community, and society. The results of this study will contribute to the significant gap in the literature on forensic personnel literature.