Child Forensic Interviewer

Ignite HR Solutions and our Clients

13d•$100 - $150•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced child forensic interviewer to provide expert consultation and testimony services as an independent contractor. In this role you will evaluate the quality of child forensic interviews conducted by others — assessing adherence to recognized protocols and professional standards — and communicate your findings to attorneys, judges, and juries. This is a distinctive opportunity to apply your interviewing expertise in a legal setting. You will review recorded interviews and written reports, evaluate question type and structure, and identify issues such as suggestive or leading questioning, contamination, the effects of repeated interviews, caregiver influence, and departures from accepted practice. Your work directly informs how courts understand the reliability of a child’s statements. The interviews you review may have been conducted by trained forensic interviewers or, depending on the jurisdiction, by patrol officers, detectives, or child protective services staff. In either case the work is quality assurance: ensuring your peers are meeting the standards your field has established, so that a child’s statements can be reliably assessed. A poorly conducted interview can render a truthful disclosure unusable in court. The ideal candidate possesses strong critical thinking skills, deep familiarity with the peer-reviewed literature on child development, memory, suggestibility, and disclosure processes, and the ability to render objective opinions regardless of which party has retained us. In addition to case work, you will have the opportunity to share your expertise through Continuing Legal Education (CLE) presentations, delivered as webinars or in-person sessions, aimed at educating legal professionals on best practices in child forensic interviewing. This role offers a flexible part-time consultancy arrangement, allowing you to balance other commitments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, criminal justice, or a related field preferred.
Documented completion of a forensic interview training curriculum recognized by National Children’s Alliance for CAC accreditation, including NCA-approved state curricula.
Current professional license or certification in good standing, where applicable to your discipline.
Maintenance of appropriate certifications and continuing education requirements.
Minimum of 5 years of experience conducting child forensic interviews, with a documented volume of interviews completed.
Experience in a Children’s Advocacy Center, multidisciplinary team, child protective services, or law enforcement setting.
Prior experience testifying in court strongly preferred.
Previous expert witness or forensic consultation experience preferred.
Experience developing or delivering training or CLE presentations preferred.
Profound understanding of trauma-informed practices and child development.
Working knowledge of recognized forensic interview protocols and the peer-reviewed literature on memory, suggestibility, and disclosure.
Ability to explain complex interviewing and child development concepts in layman’s terms.
Demonstrated ability to maintain strict objectivity and to render opinions for either the prosecution or the defense.
Confidence articulating and defending an evidence-based opinion under cross-examination.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Professional demeanor and appearance for testimony.
Attention to detail and accuracy in documentation.
Ability to work independently and meet deadlines without oversight.
Proficiency with video review platforms, electronic case files, and computer systems.
Dedicated, quiet, and distraction-free working space.
Access to a high-speed internet connection capable of streaming and reviewing video recordings.
Ability to maintain a professional appearance and environment during video conferences and remote testimony.
Secure storage for sensitive and confidential case materials involving minors.
Availability to accept cases on short notice when needed.
Ability and willingness to travel out of state, including by air, for testimony and case-related work.
Availability to travel with reasonable notice.
Flexibility regarding testimony scheduling is essential.
Willingness to hold and protect scheduled testimony dates on your calendar, and to remain available throughout an assigned trial window.
Ability to be away overnight, and for more than one day where a trial requires it.
A valid driver’s license, required for driving on company business, together with identification meeting current TSA requirements for domestic air travel — either a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or a valid passport.
Personal automobile liability insurance in effect, as driving may be required for company purposes, including travel to courthouses, airports, and other case-related destinations. Proof of license and insurance must be furnished upon request.
Maintain current professional liability insurance — specifically errors and omissions (E&O) coverage for professional consulting services. This is not clinical malpractice insurance, and coverage provided by your primary employer generally will not satisfy this requirement, as most employer policies exclude outside independent consulting work.
Comply with all confidentiality and non-disclosure requirements, including those specific to records involving minors.
Maintain professional standards and ethical conduct.
Must be able to sit at a computer for extended periods while reviewing recorded interviews, and stand or walk during court appearances.
Ability to effectively communicate with clients, attorneys, and colleagues via phone, video conference, and in-person meetings, and to accurately hear and interpret recorded audio.
Must be able to see details on computer screens, read printed materials, and observe non-verbal behavior on video recordings.
Ability to operate a computer and video review software for extended periods.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, criminal justice, or a related field
Prior experience testifying in court
Previous expert witness or forensic consultation experience
Experience developing or delivering training or CLE presentations

Responsibilities

Interview Review & Analysis: Review video recordings, transcripts, and written reports of child interviews — conducted by forensic interviewers, law enforcement, or child protective services — along with related discovery materials.
Protocol & Standards Assessment: Evaluate interviews for adherence to recognized forensic interview protocols and current professional standards, and document specific departures.
Report Writing: Prepare comprehensive written reports and expert opinions based on interview review and analysis.
Expert Testimony: Provide expert testimony at depositions, trials, and other legal proceedings via telephone, video conference, or in-person appearance.
Case Consultation: Collaborate with attorneys to provide subject-matter expertise and strategic insight, including assistance identifying issues for cross-examination.
Continuing Legal Education: Deliver CLE presentations to legal professionals, by webinar or in person, and develop new presentation content when requested and authorized in advance.
Professional Development: Stay current with literature, research, and developments in child forensic interviewing, child abuse dynamics, and disclosure.
Documentation: Maintain detailed time records and submit accurate invoices in accordance with company procedures.
Travel: Travel out of state, including by air, for testimony and case-related work, accommodating changes to court schedules with reasonable notice.
Perform other duties as assigned.