Digital Forensic Specialist (Forensic Scientist 4) | Medicaid Fraud & Abuse | Olympia

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington State Office of the Attorney General is recruiting for a permanent full-time Digital Forensic Specialist (Forensic Scientist 4) in the Medicaid Fraud & Abuse Division. This expert-level position serves as the forensic technical lead and directs operations in the Olympia DF Lab and MFAD mobile labs. The role involves applying research, method modification, or unique approaches to complex digital forensic casework, forensic acquisition, and advanced data analysis, while ensuring legal defensibility, evidentiary integrity, and compliance with applicable forensic, data governance, and laboratory standards. The Medicaid Fraud & Abuse Division focuses on both criminal and civil law enforcement, combating provider fraud, abuse, and neglect in residential facilities and involving Medicaid recipients in non-institutional settings. The division protects the Medicaid program and its vulnerable recipients, often working on cases with no precedent and being on the cutting edge of legal theories and issues. The staff is described as a highly professional, fun, and seasoned analytical investigative team, with attorneys, special agents, and data scientists assigned to cases, along with legal support. A Digital Forensics Specialist is assigned as needed to provide specialized technical expertise in cases involving digital evidence, contributing to a terrific team atmosphere.

Requirements

Six (6) years of experience in digital forensics or a closely related field.
At least four (4) years of technical experience working and managing and/or operating a lead role in a forensic lab.
Experience testifying in a court of law.
A Bachelor’s degree in forensic science or closely related field may substitute for two (2) years of experience in digital forensics.
Professional certifications such as GCFA, GCFE, CCO, CCPA, CCME, MCFE, FTK or CFCE.
Background in specialized areas such as SQL, SQLite, Python, and other programming languages, cloud forensics, IoT forensics, or malware reverse engineering.
Ability to apply knowledge of network computer systems, common communication software, including Outlook, and familiarity with electronic e-mail systems.
Knowledge of different operating systems, including Windows, DOS, Linux, and Mac OS.
Knowledge of the Internet; hardware in standalone computers; various electronic storage media including internal and external hard drives and data archiving technology; USB/Firewire technology.
Skilled in the use of various digital forensic software, including but not limited to Axiom Cyber, Encase and Forensic Tool Kit.
Knowledge of the physical sciences; principles embraced in the scientific method; theory and practice of forensic science as it relates to digital forensics.
Technical casework experience.
Demonstrated competency in coordinating and planning projects, programs, or task forces.
Healthcare Fraud and/or Abuse and Neglect experience.

Responsibilities

Serve as the forensic technical lead and direct operations in the Olympia DF Lab and MFAD mobile labs.
Apply research, method modification, or unique approaches to complex digital forensic casework, forensic acquisition, and advanced data analysis.
Ensure legal defensibility, evidentiary integrity, and compliance with applicable forensic, data governance, and laboratory standards.
Independently operate as the forensic technical lead at multiple search warrant sites and locations, often occurring simultaneously across WA state.
Maintain and run a mobile laboratory during onsite search warrants, ensuring quality processes and operational compliance with all certification, accreditation, legal standards, and requirements.
Assign, audit, and correct the casework of new digital forensics personnel in all laboratory and field settings.
Direct and stop casework processes at any time if a problem occurs in the laboratory, mobile laboratory, and/or out in the field.
Perform highly complex analyses of digital evidence from computers, mobile devices, cloud services, IoT devices, network traffic, and other storage media.
Interpret complex datasets, identify patterns and anomalies, and reconstruct events from multiple evidence sources.
Use forensic techniques and programming languages, and develop queries to identify and recover hidden, encrypted, unparsed, or deleted information related to the case.
Safeguard the integrity of data by following a chain of custody that ensures its admissibility in court.
Testify as an expert witness in legal proceedings when required.
Prepare forensic reports of digital evidence across numerous formats, detailing findings based on the interpretation of observations and analytical test results.

Benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s)
Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave
11 Paid Holidays per year
Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans
Life Insurance
Dependent Care Assistance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Tuition Waiver
Deferred Compensation
Employee Recognition Leave
Flexible schedules
Part-time/hybrid telework options
A Wellness Program
An Infants in the Workplace Program
The Employee Assistance Program (provides counseling, webinar, and other cost-free support resources)
Numerous employee-driven affinity groups to foster community and connection, including Bereavement, Elder Care, Parenting, POC, LGBTQ+, Veterans and more.