What is a Forensic Engineer?

A forensic engineer is a person who uses science and engineering principles to investigate an incident or failure for the purpose of reaching conclusions regarding the events surrounding the incident or failure. The work of a forensic engineer is typically related to criminal or civil court proceedings. After all, the root word for forensic is the Latin word “forensis” which means “in open court”.

Forensic engineers are often used as expert witnesses in legal cases. These cases can be civil, criminal, or regulatory.

A forensic engineer's investigation can help lawyers, judges, and jurors understand complex issues. This is important when they lack a scientific or engineering background. So, a good forensic engineering description must include both the application of scientific principles to reach conclusions about an incident and the possible presentation of such conclusions in a legal context. Forensic engineers are also hired by private individuals and companies to investigate an incident to better understand what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it in the future.  

Engineering is the branch of science concerned with the design, construction, and operation of machines and structures. In these areas, engineers must hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.

When something goes wrong with that mandate, the forensic engineer must look into the details of the design, construction, or operation of machines or structures for the purpose of evaluating an incident or failure. The purpose of the investigation and analysis is first to determine if, in fact, something failed or went wrong, and then to determine how and why it went wrong. Most importantly, the forensic engineer must be able to communicate the technical details of the investigation to a lay audience in a court of law.

In practice, a forensic engineer will choose an area of specialization based on their training, experience and background. Engineering science forensics examples include accident reconstruction, crash investigation, structural failures, medical device failures, fire and explosion investigations, biomechanics, and many others.

A mechanical engineer may focus on vehicles or on fires/explosions. A biomedical engineer may focus on medical device failures. Forensic civil engineering looks at structural failures in buildings and other load-bearing structures or issues related to roadway design.

How to Become a Forensic Engineer?

Most universities do not offer a Forensic Engineering undergraduate degree. Most engineers who practice forensic engineering begin their careers in other fields where they develop specialized knowledge. Civil and mechanical engineers may begin investigating car crashes due to the overlapping engineering principles practiced earlier in their careers. Similarly, biomedical engineers studying or designing medical devices may transition to investigating medical device failures to use their work experience in a new way.

In addition to studying general physics and engineering, forensic engineers must also stay updated on new technology and software. This helps them reach the most accurate conclusions using state-of-the-art tools and technologies. Most will regularly take online, or in-person courses related to their expertise to stay at the forefront of their field.