How do I become a forensic toxicologist
Get qualified to work as a forensic toxicologist with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.
Related career opportunities
Browse occupations related to Forensic Toxicologist.
Common questions
The weekly salary for a Forensic Toxicologist in Australia typically ranges from approximately $1,500 to $2,300, equating to an annual salary range of about $78,000 to $120,000. Increase your earning capacity by joining a professional organisation such as the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS) and pursuing a Master’s degree in a specialist field: genetics and DNA analysis, pharmacology, forensic biology, forensic chemistry, biomedicine, or similar.
Courses.com.au Team
There are no clear employment figures for Forensic Toxicologists working in Australia right now. They are employed by government health departments and police forces, though most Forensic Toxicologists aspire to work for the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Canberra in the Forensic Services Division.
Courses.com.au Team
You can launch your career as a Forensic Toxicologist in Australia with a Bachelor of Forensic Science (Forensic Biology and Toxicology) or Bachelor of Pharmacology and Toxicology plus a Master of Forensic Science (Professional Practice and Research).
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023
Courses.com.au Team
Further reading
What can you do with a Certificate III in Pathology Collection?
4th November 2021
Choosing a security licence course in Australia: A step-by-step guide for jobseekers
10th November 2023All forensic toxicologist courses
Forensic Toxicologist careers
Forensic Toxicologists are specialist scientists who source, analyse, and test biological samples (eg, blood, hair, body fluids, bone tissue, plants and insects) for traces of drugs and toxins to solve crimes. They usually work in the laboratory but may also be required to attend court, crime scenes, autopsies, and workplaces.
As a Forensic Toxicologist you could be processing a drug test on a driver who was involved in a fatal collision, assisting with a coronial post-mortem where the deceased may have overdosed, testing exhumed human remains for toxins in a cold-case investigation, conducting a drug test at a mine site after a dangerous incident, writing a report from your laboratory findings to submit to the state police department, appearing in court as an expert witness, or attending an international conference for Forensic Scientists.
Forensic Toxicologists create reports that are used in court as evidence to convict the perpetrators of murders and serious crimes, so attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy is essential to success.
