Internship: Forensic Science Laboratory

Full Job Description

Hennepin County’s Sheriff’s Office is seeking an intern to gain hands-on experience within the Forensic Science Laboratory.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Forensic Science Laboratory is an ANAB ISO/IEC 17025 accredited forensic testing laboratory that provides forensic services to 35 law enforcement agencies, the Minnesota State Patrol, and multiple federal law enforcement agencies.

All Forensic Science Laboratory personnel are required to have a buccal sample collected for the purpose of generating a DNA profile to be included in a laboratory DNA contamination database.

Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into an open competitive position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus. For more information visit employee referral program.

Find us here at upcoming career fairs!

Location and hours:

This internship is onsite and will be located at the Forensic Science Laboratory at 531 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55415.

Work hours will be Monday through Friday during laboratory business hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking is not provided.

Interns will work either full-time (40 hours per week) or part-time (20 hours per week).

This internship is intended to begin in June 2026 and last 3 months with the potential to extend on a case-by-case basis.

About this position type:
This position is full time or part-time, limited duration, non-benefit earning internship.
This position is internally classified as an Intern II.
Click here to view the job classification specification.

Note: You must attach a resume in addition to your application materials to be considered for this position.

In this position, you will:

• Participate in a validation project within the Latent Print Section.
• Digitize the Latent Print Section distortion database.
• Participate in other projects and/or observe other laboratory section work as time permits.
  

Need to have:

• Current enrollment for the Fall academic school year of 2026-2027 as a junior or senior in a bachelor’s degree program or higher in the field of criminal justice, forensic science, chemistry, biology, microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, or another related field.
• Access to reliable transportation, which may include access to public transit, biking, rideshare, or other means.
• Complete and pass the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Training.

Nice to have:

Experience with:

• Validation processes and technical writing.
• Applying scientific principles to the examination and testing of physical evidence in an educational or laboratory setting.
• Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) in an educational or laboratory setting.
• Working as an intern or employee at another forensic science laboratory.
• Presenting technical information and opinions to non-technical audiences in a clear, concise, and understandable manner.
• Forensic Science to include processes and workflow in projects/tasks.
• Examining physical evidence using analytical instruments and forensic science techniques in an educational or laboratory setting.
• Microsoft Office 365 suite of products or Google equivalent products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Docs, Sheets, Slides, GMail).
• Forensic or science lab courses.

Ability to:

• Maintain confidentiality and demonstrate professionalism.
• Work in fast-paced environments.
• Communicate effectively in both verbal and written formats.
• Demonstrate adaptability in managing multiple simultaneous tasks and collaborate with the supervisor to establish priorities to meet deadlines.
• Take initiative in identifying and solving problems using sound judgment in the process.

Candidates with fluency in another language in addition to English are encouraged to apply.

About the department:

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office serves the county's 1.2 million residents.

State law mandates most of the sheriff's office duties, including managing the county jail, providing security to the district court, and patrolling the waterways in the county.

The Sheriff's Office also runs specialized initiatives like Criminal Information Sharing and Analysis (CISA), Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF), Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Investigation, Community Outreach and Employee Wellness.

The mission of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is: Providing quality professional services while building meaningful relationships that are sustainable within our communities, and with our partners, to ensure justice and safety for all.

About Hennepin County:

Hennepin is the largest county government organization in Minnesota. Our employees work every day to improve the health, safety and quality of life for our residents and communities.

All of our jobs align with our mission to serve residents through transformative services that eliminate disparities, eliminate inequities, and create opportunity for all and our vision of a community where all people are healthy, all people are valued, and all people thrive.

Hennepin County envisions an organization where our commitment to diversity and the reduction of disparities is fundamental in providing excellent service to our community.

Your future. Made here. This posting may be used to fill current and future vacancies. Invitations to interview will be based on an assessment of education and experience.

Job offer will be contingent on passing a drug test that may including testing for cannabis, employment history/reference check, criminal background check including fingerprinting prior to employment.

Under State of Minnesota law, certain criminal convictions disqualify persons from employment in this job classification. Watch this video for application best practices and tips.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Talent Acquisition division
Hennepin County Human Resources department
Submit a request at hennepin.us/ask-hr or 612-348-7855

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