Kind of Work

Lead level professional, technical and administrative work in the forensic examinations of firearms, ammunition components, toolmarks, serial number restoration, gunshot residue, bullet trajectories, and other closely-related physical evidence. Work includes examining and testing of recovered firearms, spent bullet casings, items with gunshot residue and related evidence using forensic methods of analysis to identify and substantiate proof of matched identification links as part of criminal investigations. Work also includes testifying in court as an expert witness and related work as required.

Minimum Qualifications

A Master's Degree* from an accredited college or university with a major in a Natural Science (biology, chemistry, physics), Criminalistics, Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, or closely related field AND three (3) years of experience performing firearms examinations.

OR

A Bachelor's Degree* from an accredited college or university with a major in a Natural Science (biology, chemistry, physics), Criminalistics, Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, or closely related field AND four (4) years* of experience performing firearms examinations.

OR

An Associate’s Degree* from an accredited college or university with a major in a Natural Science (biology, chemistry, physics), Criminalistics, Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, or closely related field AND six (6) years of experience performing firearms examinations.

OR

A High School Diploma or GED*, issued by a US State Department of Education AND eight (8) years of experience performing firearms examinations

Completion of a related certification or equivalent is desired.

• Prior to appointment, the hiring agency is required to verify education and/or certification claimed by the applicant to qualify for this classification. If selected for hire based on education, applicants must provide original documents of their qualifying credentials to the hiring agency prior to their start date in this job classification.

NOTE: Civil Service reserves the right to determine which degrees are considered closely related.

Kind of Examination

A rating of training and experience, weighted 100%. All related previous experience will be considered for qualification purposes, however credit on the rating of training and experience will only be given for experience gained within the last ten (10) years.

This is an original entrance examination.

General Information

THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, AGE, PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, CREED, CULTURE, OR ANCESTRY. REQUESTS FOR ALTERNATE FORMAT OR ACCOMMODATIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO SHANA PARKER AT (504) 658-3516 OR TTY/VOICE AT (504) 586-4475 or (504) 658-4020.

DOMICILE REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT: Domicile requirements are currently waived for the purpose of application. However, all new full-time employees hired into this classification on or after January 1, 2013 must be domiciled in Orleans Parish within 180 days of hire. Airport and public safety employees are excluded from this provision.
Additional exceptions to the domicile requirement may be made on a case-by-case basis. We encourage you to apply for this position and discuss your need for a domicile exception during the interview process.

DOMICILE REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT (SEWERAGE AND WATER BOARD):

Domicile requirements are currently waived for the purpose of application**. Residency requirements are waived for all Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans positions vacant and advertised for at least 90 days. Employees hired under this waiver remain exempt from the city's residency requirement for the duration of their employment at the Sewerage and Water Board. (La R.S. 33:4076). **Additional exceptions to the domicile requirement may be made on a case-by-case basis. We encourage you to apply for this position and discuss your need for a domicile exception during the interview process.

BACKGROUND CHECK: The hiring department will conduct interviews of qualified individuals prior to requesting a criminal background check, and no job application submitted prior to such interview shall inquire into an applicant’s criminal history. If this position is subject to a background check for any convictions related to its responsibilities and requirements, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history. Criminal history will not automatically disqualify a candidate.

APPLICATIONS: Applications will not be accepted if received after the closing date or after the stated maximum number of applications has been received, as specified on this announcement. All minimum qualification requirements for examinations must be met by the final filing date unless otherwise specified on this announcement. PAPER APPLICATIONS must be submitted on the official application form AND MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CITY CIVIL SERVICE, 1340 POYDRAS STREET, SUITE 900, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, BEFORE THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THE FINAL FILING DATE.

DELAY IN THE MAIL: The Department of City Civil Service cannot be responsible for failure of the applicant to receive an admission slip to an examination or for failure of the Department to receive material mailed by the applicant. Applicants should notify the Department of City Civil Service in writing of any address changes

The minimum age limit is 18 years for any class of work requiring hard physical labor, operation of or proximity to hazardous machinery, exposure to hazardous chemicals, or participation in any other processes or procedures which are prohibited or limited by the Louisiana State Child Labor Law.

WORKING TEST PERIOD: Effective August 1, 2023, the working test (probationary) period for all positions in the classified service is one year.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE TESTING: The City of New Orleans has a comprehensive program of substance abuse testing. Candidates for employment for certain positions where the health, welfare and/or safety of the public, co-workers and the individual employee is at risk will have to undergo pre-employment substance abuse screening. Candidates for all other original entrance positions will have to undergo an unannounced substance abuse screening during their working test period. For further information, see Civil Service Rule V, Section 9.

A MEDICAL EXAMINATION is required for all original entrance probationary appointments to ACTIVE classifications, and may be required for re-employment, promotions and/or transfers.

A MEDICAL SCREENING, which may result in a medical examination, is required for all original entrance probationary appointments to non-active classifications.

GOOD MORAL CHARACTER is required of all applicants. Any applicant may be disqualified if his/her character or past employment record is found to be unsatisfactory as determined by the Department of City Civil Service. Forgery, misrepresentation of facts, or cheating on examinations is punishable by disqualification, fine and other penalties.

IMPORTANT: Applicants who are licensed to drive should have a current license on their person for purposes of identification during all phases of an examination. In lieu of such license, the Department of City Civil Service may require that applicants have some form of picture identification.

VETERANS PREFERENCE: On original entrance examinations, veterans (as defined in Article X, Section 10(2) of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana), disabled veterans, certain spouses and parents of veterans shall receive additional credit if claimed as provided on the Veterans Preference claim form which can be obtained in this office. To obtain credit, this form must be submitted with the required proof (at the minimum, a DD214) before the final filing date.

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND GENERAL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA (GED) must be issued by a state Department of Education or an institution recognized by a state Department of Education. Certificates of completion, high school diplomas and GED from institutions not recognized by a state Department of Education, and high school diplomas from foreign countries are not acceptable.

ACCREDITED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: An accredited college or university is an institution that is accredited as a college or university by an organization that is recognized by the USDE (United States Department of Education). College diplomas from foreign countries will be accepted if the applicant submits a statement of educational equivalency from one of the evaluation services accepted by the Department of Civil Service. A list of the accepted evaluation services can be found on the National Association of Credential Evacuation Services (NACES) website (www.naces.org).

EXPERIENCE:
Applicants will not receive credit for unpaid work unless specified on the job announcement.
Partial credit only will be given for related part time employment.
Civil Service reserves the right to determine which degrees, education, or other credentials are related or closely related.
Experience credit will be granted for related provisional appointments (internal applicants).

PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE: The Civil Service Department defines this experience as experience gained in a position that required a Bachelor's Degree upon entrance.

OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT OR PROMOTION:
Prior to appointment, the hiring agency is required to verify education, driver's license, and/or professional licenses/certifications claimed by the applicant to qualify for this classification. If selected for hire, applicants must provide original documents of their qualifying credentials to the hiring agency prior to their start date in this job classification.
Offers of employment or promotion are required to be withdrawn for applicants who are found to have misrepresented their credentials during the application process.

Revised 1/91, 4/03, 7/05, 2/07, 8/10, 2/12, 8/15, 6/16, 1/17, 1/19, 2/23, 8/23, 3/24, 6/24.