10 Digital Forensics Jobs & the Experience Required to Land Them

Digital forensics is where tech expertise meets detective work. If you're interested in combating cybercrime or recovering digital evidence, this is an area that is growing. It offers plenty of career paths and chances to specialize in many different disciplines. Digital forensics investigators recover and analyze data from devices to solve crimes or security incidents, but that’s not all, as you’ll soon discover.

Let's look at eight digital forensics jobs, what they’re all about, and what you need to land them.

What is Digital Forensics?

Digital forensics covers a lot of ground, but generally, it involves collecting, analyzing, and preserving digital evidence for investigations. Its focus is on finding any evidence left behind by users, using specialized tools to recover data that has been deleted, corrupted, or intentionally hidden.

A digital forensics investigator examines most digital devices, such as computers, phones, storage devices, and networks, to find evidence of crimes or other serious violations. This evidence has to stand up in court, so attention to detail and proper documentation are must-have skills. This is important because any lapses in the process could lead to evidence being thrown out of court, potentially jeopardizing criminal cases. 

Digital Forensic Investigator I (Entry-Level)

At this level, you'll help collect and analyze forensic data, usually under supervision. This is an excellent starting point where you are led by more senior investigators and learn the ropes. Employers could be from government agencies and state law enforcement or corporate security teams looking for new talent.

To get your foot in the door, you'll need:

• Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, cybersecurity, or IT (having a law enforcement background helps too)

• Entry-level certifications like CompTIA Security+, EnCE, or Certified Computer Examiner (CCE)

• Some experience with forensic tools like Autopsy, FTK, or EnCase

Salary range: $53,000-$94,122 depending on location and employer.

Here’s an example of one of these positions.

Computer Forensics Specialist (Federal Role)

There are many levels of digital forensics. Federal computer forensics specialists dig deeper into cybercrime, and their investigations sometimes involve high-profile cases that cross state lines. You'll find these jobs at agencies like the FBI, NSA, DHS, and military cyber units. It is not an entry-level role, so you’ll need to have quite a few prerequisites before applying.

You’ll have to have experience and certifications to get one of these positions:

• Bachelors in cybersecurity, criminal justice, or digital forensics

• Advanced certifications like GCFA, CCE, or CISSP

• Security clearance (which means a clean background)

• 2-4 years of forensic experience

Salary range: $83,000-$121,000 plus federal benefits. 

Some related job titles include: Computer Investigative Forensic Specialist (CIFA).

Police Digital Forensics Examiner

If you want to see your work directly impact criminal cases, this role lets you recover and analyze evidence that helps solve local crimes. These positions can be found in local police departments, sheriff's offices, and state crime labs, where you'll work alongside traditional investigators. You’ll need to interact with real crime scenes and evidence, so you’ll want to make sure that you have the right experience and fortitude for this kind of work.

To qualify for this role, you'll need:

• Law enforcement background or forensic/IT experience

• Certifications like CCE or CFCE

• Strong understanding of criminal procedure and evidence handling

• Patience for detail-oriented work

Salary range: $79,000-$134,000 depending on jurisdiction. 

There are a lot of police digital forensics roles available if you know where to look.

Digital Forensics Analyst (State & Federal Cybercrime Units)

These analysts focus on cybercrime, data breaches, and digital fraud that often cross jurisdictional and state boundaries. You'll work for state police, the FBI, the Department of Justice, or specialized cyber task forces that tackle major digital crime rings.

Landing this role typically requires:

• Degree in cybersecurity, IT, or criminal justice

• Certifications like GCFA, EnCE, or CCE

• 3-5 years of forensic experience

• Strong investigative thinking skills

Salary range: $42,679 - $98,422

Here is an example of a job posting for one of these positions.

Digital Forensics Lab Technician

Lab techs get involved with all kinds of investigations by processing and analyzing digital evidence. Forensic lab techs often work in access-controlled labs that ensure the chain of custody for physical evidence remains intact. Forensic lab technician positions are usually part of law enforcement agencies and sometimes private forensic firms. Handling sensitive evidence that will be used in a legal setting is the name of the game, so following best practices is a non-negotiable part of the job.

The typical path includes:

• Degree in computer science, cybersecurity, or forensics

• Entry-level certifications like CompTIA Security+ or EnCE

• Detail-oriented personality and strong documentation skills

• 0-2 years of related experience

Salary range: $53,000-$79,000

Here is an example of a Digital Forensics Lab Technician job posting.

Corporate Digital Forensics Investigator

These investigators handle internal threats and data breaches, often involving intellectual property theft. Because businesses need to protect their trade secrets, a lot of the data and evidence will be confidential, so discretion is going to be a priority here. Potential employers are corporations, financial institutions, and cybersecurity firms that hire these specialists.

To break into corporate forensics, you'll need:

• 3-5 years in cybersecurity or IT security

• Certifications like CHFI or GCFA

• Experience with enterprise systems and corporate networks

• Understanding of business operations

Salary range: $79,000-$134,000 Here is an example of a Corporate Digital Forensics Investigator role.

Cyber Threat Intelligence Investigator

These specialists track cybercriminal activity, monitor advanced threats, and make connections between incidents that might seem unrelated at first. These investigations can reveal a lot of information that often uncover links to other cases. Cybersecurity firms, government agencies, and corporate security teams want these investigators so that they can stay ahead of new threats.

The role’s requirements are quite demanding:

• Experience in Security Operations Centers (SOC) or ethical hacking

• Advanced certifications like CISSP, CEH, or OSCP

• Strong analytical thinking and pattern recognition

• 4+ years in cybersecurity roles

Salary range: $64,500-$156,000

Here’s an example job post for a cyber threat intelligence role.

Incident Response & Digital Forensics Consultant

When organizations are hit with major cyberattacks or data breaches, these consultants step in during a crisis to contain damage and preserve evidence.

Cybersecurity consulting firms and independent contractors often provide these services to companies that don’t have in-house expertise.

This role requires significant experience:

• 5+ years in SOC or cybersecurity roles

• Advanced certifications like CISSP, GCFA, or CCFE

• Crisis management skills and ability to work under pressure

• Expert-level knowledge of forensic tools and techniques

Salary range: $111,150-$182,000+ depending on expertise and location

Here is an example of an Incident Response & Digital Forensics Consultant job post.

Digital Forensic Examiner (Federal & Intelligence Agencies)

These specialists run high-level forensic investigations that could directly impact national security and counterterrorism efforts. These positions are available at intelligence agencies like the CIA, NSA, and FBI and within military cyber units, where access to classified systems is part of daily work.

For these highly specialized roles, you'll need:

• Bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, criminal justice, or digital forensics

• Top-tier certifications like CCE, GCFA, or GREM

• Security clearance at Secret or Top-Secret levels

• 5+ years of professional forensic experience

• Strong understanding of nation-state threat actors

Salary range: $42,000-$98,000 plus federal benefits and allowances

Here is an actual job posting for a Digital Forensic Examiner role.

eDiscovery & Litigation Support Specialist

This role helps to translate digital forensics so that it makes sense in legal proceedings. These specialists help legal teams collect and analyze digital evidence in ways that are accessible to judges and juries and can stand up in court. Some experts even present their findings themselves in court when needed by legal teams, which is very important work.

Law firms, corporate compliance departments, and specialized legal service providers often hire these specialists to handle the technical aspects of legal cases.

Breaking into this field requires:

• Legal, IT, or cybersecurity background

• Certifications like CCE or EnCE

• Understanding of legal procedures and evidence requirements

• Experience with eDiscovery platforms and tools

• Strong communication skills to explain technical findings to non-technical audiences

Salary range: $89,000-$160,000 depending on experience and location

Here is a job posting that requires all of the eDiscovery & Litigation Support Specialist skills.

Conclusion

Digital forensics is becoming increasingly important as we use computers and smart devices online more and more every year. The roles we examined range from tracking cybercriminals to recovering important digital criminal evidence, and each requires different technical and personality skills. The main areas of focus are technical and investigation skills and extreme attention to detail. 

Digital forensics jobs are challenging because of the wide range of options available. You can work with law enforcement, corporate teams, or as an independent consultant. Digital forensics may seem daunting to break into, but you can get into it at different skill levels, from lab technicians to specialized intelligence roles. 

If you enjoy a challenge and you are interested in both tech and investigative work, then getting the right certs and practical experience with forensic tools can set you apart from the competition. The demand for skilled forensics pros doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.

Want to learn more about becoming a digital forensics investigator? This Digital Forensics and Computer Examiner online training is a great place to start.