Forensic Entomologist

Forensic Entomologist assesses people, records findings, and performs 19 concrete steps used in routine work. The tasks focus on communication with clients and colleagues and what matters most each shift. Each one shows where we found it, and comes with an AI prompt you can copy and use straight away.

19evidenced tasks
19ready prompts
7tools of the trade
19-4092.00O*NET-SOC code
19,120hold this job (US, BLS 2025)
$72,060median pay/yr (US)
Open Forensic Entomologist in the interactive atlas →

What it pays

Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.

Half of all Forensic Science Technicians in the U.S. earn more than $72,060 a year — the middle 80% land between $48,250 and $117,250. About 19,120 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Forensic Science Technicians”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$72,060typical pay / year
19,120people in this work
$117,250+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →

The work, task by task

These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.

Analysing4

Reconstruct crime scenes

+
Reconstruct the scene at 223 Birch Street from my field notes and photo cards, map insect recovery locations…
Reconstruct the scene at 223 Birch Street from my field notes and photo cards, map insect recovery locations to the body and perimeter, draft a timeline of colonization stages with uncertainty ranges, and send the reconstruction to Detective Morales by Tuesday midday for case review.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET

Examine and analyze blood stain patterns

+
Examine blood stain patterns photographed at 223 Birch Street, measure impact angles and stain distribution,…
Examine blood stain patterns photographed at 223 Birch Street, measure impact angles and stain distribution, model possible emitter positions with documented assumptions, produce annotated images and a short conclusion for the homicide serologist and Detective Morales by tomorrow morning.
The tools that do the workAdobe PhotoshopMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET

Perform tests on weapons or substances

+
Run presumptive and confirmatory tests on the powder recovered with the knife in evidence bag 12, document…
Run presumptive and confirmatory tests on the powder recovered with the knife in evidence bag 12, document reagent results, weigh and microscopically photograph particles, and compile a results memo for the crime lab supervisor and Prosecutor Lee within 48 hours.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET

Operate and maintain laboratory equipment

+
Carry out calibration and preventive maintenance on the incubators, stereomicroscopes and balances this…
Carry out calibration and preventive maintenance on the incubators, stereomicroscopes and balances this Friday, log serial numbers and calibration values, replace failing parts, and circulate the completed equipment certification to the lab manager and accreditation officer Monday morning.
The tools that do the workLinuxMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
Get approval1

Testify as expert witnesses in court

+
Prepare my expert witness packet for the September 8th preliminary hearing: statement of qualifications,…
Prepare my expert witness packet for the September 8th preliminary hearing: statement of qualifications, annotated timeline of insect evidence, key slides of recovery sites and methods, and send the packet to Prosecutor Lee and the defense by next Wednesday with a court-ready exhibit list.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
The daily work14

Wear appropriate protective gear

+
Put on nitrile gloves, a fitted lab coat, splash goggles, and a particulate respirator before entering the…
Put on nitrile gloves, a fitted lab coat, splash goggles, and a particulate respirator before entering the autopsy prep room; check glove integrity, tape cuffs, log the PPE batch number and time in the lab notebook, then proceed to sample handling.
The tools that do the workLinuxESCOsee the evidence ↗

Calibrate laboratory equipment

+
Run the standard calibration routine on the stereomicroscope and the thermal cycler, use the certified…
Run the standard calibration routine on the stereomicroscope and the thermal cycler, use the certified calibration weights and temperature probe, record pre- and post-calibration readings in the instrument log, and flag any drift over tolerance for service.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCOsee the evidence ↗

Observe laboratory activities

+
Observe the necropsy and insect rearing bench today, note any deviations from our sampling SOP, photograph…
Observe the necropsy and insect rearing bench today, note any deviations from our sampling SOP, photograph larvae stages with scale, record incubator temperature and humidity readings every hour, and flag anything that could affect postmortem interval estimates.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESCO

Support life science professionals

+
Meet with the homicide pathologist at 10:30 to review the insect evidence chain, explain collection limits…
Meet with the homicide pathologist at 10:30 to review the insect evidence chain, explain collection limits and optimal samples to gather, provide a one-page handling checklist they can use at the scene, and arrange follow-up calls for identification results.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookESCO

Record test sequences

+
Log the test sequence for batch 47: list each sample ID, specimen stage, preservation method, incubation…
Log the test sequence for batch 47: list each sample ID, specimen stage, preservation method, incubation start and stop times, instrument calibrations performed, and sign the sequence so it can be admissible in court.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCO

Prepare samples for testing

+
Prepare the soil and larval samples from case 2026-114: isolate larvae, rinse and separate by instar, label…
Prepare the soil and larval samples from case 2026-114: isolate larvae, rinse and separate by instar, label vials with unique IDs, add preservative at correct concentration, and record mass and preservation time in the case file before refrigeration.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESCOsee the evidence ↗

Laboratory techniques

+
Run the standard tissue digestion and mounting protocol on the collected specimens, check and log microscope…
Run the standard tissue digestion and mounting protocol on the collected specimens, check and log microscope and balance calibrations, measure anatomical landmarks for age estimation, and note any contamination or equipment anomalies.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESCOsee the evidence ↗

Operate scientific measuring equipment

+
Calibrate the incubator and precision balance before using them on case samples: perform the multi-point…
Calibrate the incubator and precision balance before using them on case samples: perform the multi-point temperature check, run the balance verification weights, record results with timestamps, and quarantine the equipment if variances exceed tolerance.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCOsee the evidence ↗

Train new technicians in forensic techniques

+
Train the three new technicians on insect evidence handling: run the morning lab orientation, demonstrate…
Train the three new technicians on insect evidence handling: run the morning lab orientation, demonstrate kill-and-preservation methods, supervise two sample preparations, check PPE and calibration logs, and sign their competency checklist by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET

Review forensic reports for technical merit

+
Review the three incoming forensic entomology reports for technical merit: verify species ID methodology,…
Review the three incoming forensic entomology reports for technical merit: verify species ID methodology, check measurement calibration, confirm life stage interpretations, annotate procedural gaps, and return a redlined report to Dr. Morales by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET

Compare objects and impression marks

+
Compare the two insect impression casts and footwear marks from case 22-117: photograph under scale, measure…
Compare the two insect impression casts and footwear marks from case 22-117: photograph under scale, measure tread and striation patterns, note matching unique features, write a short comparison statement for the case file before noon tomorrow.
The tools that do the workAdobe Photoshopjob descriptionsO*NET

Examine firearms to determine mechanical condition and legal status, performing restoration work on damaged firearms to obtain information, such as serial numbers.

+
Examine the recovered firearm to assess mechanical condition and legal status: perform function check,…
Examine the recovered firearm to assess mechanical condition and legal status: perform function check, document serial restoration steps, photograph damaged areas, run the chain-of-custody update, and draft a findings memo for Sgt. Alvarez by end of day.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelO*NET

Create photographic and sketch-based documentation

+
Create photographic and sketch documentation for scene 23B: shoot scale-calibrated close-ups of larvae…
Create photographic and sketch documentation for scene 23B: shoot scale-calibrated close-ups of larvae clusters, draw two annotated sketches showing body placement, label all images and sketches, and upload the package to the evidence folder before 5pm.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft VisioAdobe Photoshopjob descriptions

Operate digital media analysis tools

+
Operate the digital media tools to extract time-stamped camera metadata from the two evidence images,…
Operate the digital media tools to extract time-stamped camera metadata from the two evidence images, validate timestamps against lab logs, export a metadata report, and attach it to case 23B with a short verification note for Detective Park.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions

Says who?

These are the pages we read to build this. Open any of them and check us.

O*NET 19-4092.00BLS pay surveyBLS OEWS 2025UK NOS SFHHPC5UK NOS SFJCN803UK NOS SFJCN403ESCOwarnerpacific.eduwvu.eduonlineprograms.appstate.eduwhat people in this job say

The logs, files & records this job keeps

Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.

casecalibration

Related careers

Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.

Forensic ChemistForensic ScientistCrime Scene Investigator CsiForensic PathologistForensic ToxicologistForensic BiologistDna AnalystFingerprint ExaminerTrace Evidence AnalystBallistics Examiner
The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.

The rest of the map

Same library, five ways in.

Work Atlasthe whole map, interactiveCareers1,949 jobs and their real tasksSoft skillsthe human part of the workSoftwaretools, by the work they doActivities500 things people doPrompt Librarybrowse every prompt
Copyright © LLOS.ai · 2026 — original pedagogy, voice, and design — all rights reserved.
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses