Thank you for your interest in becoming an intern in the Westchester County Forensic Laboratory exclusively located in Valhalla, New York.  We feel that we have an excellent unpaid academic orientated internship program.  Internships can be very beneficial to the student's academic growth.  Our laboratory has been offering school sponsored internships since 1977.  We provide a mature, highly respected and extensive program which involves a number of Forensic disciplines.

College Students
Since we receive numerous requests for internships throughout the year, only a limited number of students actually become interns.  We ask that you fill out the prospective intern application and send it along with an updated resume to the laboratory.  Upon receipt, the application and resume will be processed and judged by personnel in the laboratory.  Selected students will then be contacted to come into the laboratory for an interview, after which final selections will be made by the department. During the interview, be prepared to answer scientific and technical questions.

If a resume is not received, the application will not be processed. 

Current students who apply for an internship must be in good academic standing in a Forensic Science program or a closely related field. Three out of the following five classes should have been taken:  General Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Instrumental Analysis, and/or a Forensic Science course (exceptions may be made at the discretion of the laboratory personnel).  Please note that Westchester County residents will take precedence over non-Westchester County residents.  Please also note that residents of the tri-state area will take precedence over non-tri-state area residents (NY, NJ, CT).

If selected, college students who require the internship to graduate must complete a minimum of one hundred sixty (160) hours.  Note: your school program may require a longer internship period. 

There are four terms in which you can carry out your internship: winter intersession, the spring semester, summer, and the fall semester.  The deadlines (postmark date) for application are as follows:

Winter Intersession – September 15^th  
Winter Intersession period runs ~ December - February

Spring Semester – November 1^st  
Spring semester period runs ~ March - May

Summer – February 1^st  
Summer session runs ~ June - August

Fall Semester – June 1^st  
Fall semester runs ~ September - November

As an intern you will observe the analysis of physical evidence in the following areas: Forensic Biology, Trace Evidence, Forensic Chemistry, Forensic Toxicology, and Forensic Photography.  Research projects in these areas are not guaranteed.

We appreciate your interest in our laboratory.   We look forward to receiving your completed application and updated resume.

High School Students
High school students may be granted a "shadowing experience" in which they spend one day viewing the various aspects of the laboratory. This shadow day takes place every second Tuesday of the month (excluding July and August). High school students are required to submit an application and resume. Students that apply should have an interest in going into the field of Forensic Science. If you are granted a shadow day, you will be at the laboratory from 9am - 4pm spending two hours in each of the following sections: Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry and Forensic Trace Evidence. Only high school students in their junior and senior years will be considered for the shadowing experience. 

The laboratory is a professional environment and proper attire should reflect this. Sleeveless shirts and shorts are not  permitted in the laboratory. Sandals and/or open-toed shoes are not permitted in the laboratory as well. Jewelry should be kept to a minimum. Long hair must be appropriately secured. Improper dress will not be permitted and the shadow may be sent home if necessary.

We appreciate your interest in our laboratory.   We look forward to receiving your completed application and updated resume.

Sincerely, 

Westchester County Forensic Laboratory Staff

Go to college student application (in PDF format)

Go to high school student application (in PDF format)