Forensic Drug Analyst Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $40,286.40 - $70,800.83 Annually
Location : 61 - RANKIN COUNTY, MS
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 9657-0728-20260904RNK
Department: 0728 - Mississippi Bureau of Investigation
Opening Date: 09/04/2026
Closing Date: 9/9/2026 11:59 PM Central
Agency Minimum Salary: $40,286.40
Agency Maximum Salary: $70,800.83
What you'll need to be Successful: Information Management; Attention to Detail; Data Entry; Productivity; Ethics.
About the Agency: The Mississippi Department of Public Safety's goal is to make Mississippi a safer place for the state's three million residents. Our employees perform a variety of tasks, including issuing driver's licenses and firearm permits, patrolling our roads and highways, keeping drugs off the streets, providing training and certification to law enforcement agencies, conducting forensic analysis and investigations, and much more. For questions regarding this position, please contact humanresources@dps.ms.gov.
About the Position: This Non-State, Time-Limited (14) job opportunity is in the MS Office of Homeland Security, PEARL, MS, located in RANKIN COUNTY, and will serve as the Homeland Security Meth/Heroin Digital Forensic Analyst. The Meth/Heroin Digital Forensic Analyst performs specialized digital forensic examinations and investigative support related to the production, distribution, trafficking, and possession of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and other controlled substances. The incumbent analyzes digital evidence obtained during criminal investigations to identify, preserve, recover, examine, and document information that may establish connections among suspects, drug suppliers, distributors, trafficking organizations, financial transactions, locations, and criminal activities.Working in support of the Homeland Security Department and state and local law enforcement partners, the incumbent conducts forensic examinations of computers, cellular telephones, tablets, removable media, cloud-based data, GPS devices, digital storage devices, and other electronic evidence. The position applies specialized forensic methodologies and technology to recover and analyze deleted, hidden, encrypted, or otherwise difficult-to-access digital information while maintaining strict evidentiary and chain-of-custody requirements.The incumbent provides investigative intelligence and technical expertise to assist with complex narcotics investigations and may be assigned to multi-agency investigations involving methamphetamine and heroin trafficking organizations operating within Mississippi and across state or national boundaries.- Essential Duties and Responsibilities:• Conducts comprehensive digital forensic examinations of electronic devices and digital media associated with methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and other narcotics investigations.• Identifies, preserves, acquires, extracts, examines, and analyzes digital evidence in accordance with established forensic procedures and applicable legal requirements.• Examines cellular telephones, computers, tablets, hard drives, removable media, GPS devices, cloud-based accounts, digital communications, and other electronic devices.• Recovers and analyzes deleted, hidden, fragmented, or otherwise inaccessible digital data when technically feasible.• Examines text messages, emails, photographs, videos, internet activity, social media information, application data, contact information, location data, call records, and other digital artifacts for investigative relevance.• Analyzes digital evidence to identify relationships and communications among individuals involved in narcotics trafficking and distribution.• Identifies evidence that may establish the source, transportation, distribution, sale, purchase, or possession of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and other controlled substances.• Analyzes digital communications and transactional information to identify suspected drug suppliers, distributors, customers, facilitators, and associated criminal organizations.• Examines financial and transactional information contained within digital devices when relevant to narcotics investigations, including electronic payment records, transaction applications, digital wallets, and other available financial indicators.• Conducts timeline analysis to establish the sequence of communications, transactions, travel, meetings, purchases, deliveries, and other investigative events.• Performs geolocation and location-data analysis when appropriate to identify locations associated with narcotics activity.• Correlates digital evidence with information obtained from interviews, surveillance, physical evidence, financial records, controlled purchases, search warrants, and other investigative sources.• Utilizes specialized digital forensic software, hardware, databases, and analytical tools to conduct examinations and generate investigative leads.• Maintains detailed forensic examination notes documenting all procedures, tools, findings, observations, and conclusions.• Creates forensic images and working copies of digital evidence while preserving the integrity of original evidence.• Maintains strict chain-of-custody documentation for all evidence received, examined, stored, and returned.• Prepares comprehensive forensic reports describing examination procedures, evidence reviewed, significant findings, and conclusions.• Develops exhibits, charts, timelines, summaries, photographs, screenshots, and other demonstrative materials to assist investigators, prosecutors, and courts in understanding digital evidence.
Preferred Qualifications: Typically requires a Bachelor's degree and 2-4 years of experience. - Hiring Agency Prefers: Experience in digital forensic examination, computer forensics, mobile device forensics, cybersecurity investigations, criminal investigations, intelligence analysis, or a closely related field is highly preferred.
No available description
Health/Prescription InsuranceEligible employees have the opportunity to participate in the state's health and prescription insurance program. Employees may select either single or family coverage with affordable co-payments. More detail can be found at Know Your Benefits.
Wellness Benefits
Employees are eligible for a wellness and health promotion program. This plan provides annual benefits for certain services with first-dollar coverage with no deductible.
Life Insurance
All eligible employees receive an actual term life insurance policy upon employment. The policy coverage is two times the employee's annual salary to a maximum of $100,000. More detail can be found at Life Insurance Choices.
Optional Insurances
Many agencies offer discounted premiums for dental, vision, and cancer insurance.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Many state agencies provide opportunity for employees to participate in pre-tax spending accounts. These accounts allow employees to withhold childcare expenses and unreimbursed medical expenses prior to application of state and federal taxes.
Paid Personal Leave and Sick LeaveFull-time employees receive paid time off for personal needs and for sick leave. Leave begins accruing after one month of employment and may be used as it is accrued. Employees earn approximately 18 days of personal leave annually and 12 days of sick leave annually.
Military Leave
In accordance with federal law, all employees serving in the armed forces or the military reserves are entitled to 15 days per year for military training.
Holidays
Employees receive up to 10 paid holidays to enjoy many of our nation's celebrations with family and friends.
Retirement Programs
The State of Mississippi provides all its employees a Defined Benefit/Defined Contribution Retirement Program. Employees become vested in the State's retirement system after 8 years of employment. Both you and your employing agency contribute toward your retirement. More detailed information regarding the State's retirement program can be found at http://www.pers.state.ms.us
Deferred Compensation
State agencies offer several opportunities for their employees to participate in a deferred compensation voluntary retirement savings plan. More information can be found at Deferred Compensation.
State Credit Union
All state employees are eligible to participate in the Mississippi Public Employees' Credit Union. This organization offers state employees special savings and borrowing plans. For more information about this program, call 601.948.8191.
Tuition Reimbursement
Many state agencies provide opportunities for their employees to achieve higher education through tuition reimbursement. Common programs include medical and nursing fields, accounting, and business/administrative fields.
Career Development and Training
The Mississippi State Personnel Board offers several management and administrative certification programs, as well as professional development courses to enhance employee value to the agency. Individual agencies also offer technical training and allow membership in professional organizations to employees in their specific fields of employment.
Promotional Opportunities
Employees who have completed 6 or more months of service are eligible for promotional opportunities within state government employment. Minimum qualifications must be met.
Career Ladders
Many job classifications provide career-ladder opportunities based upon attainment of competencies. These career ladders can increase an individual's salary, provided funds are available within the agency.
01
How many years of related experience do you have? (Refer to the job posting for an explanation of related experience.)

• No experience
• 1 year of experience
• 2 years of experience
• 3 years of experience
• 4 years of experience
• 5 years of experience
• 6 years of experience
• 7 years of experience
• 8 years of experience
• 9 years of experience
• 10 years of experience
• More than 10 years

02
What is the highest level of education (or semester hours of college) you have completed in a relevant area? (Refer to job posting for an explanation of relevant education.)

• None
• GED or High School Equivalency Diploma / High School Diploma
• 30 semester hours
• Associate's Degree / 60 semester hours
• 90 semester hours
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Specialist Degree
• Doctorate Degree

Required Question