Associate Principal/Digital Forensics (Forensic Services practice)

Charles River Associates

Washington, DC

Onsite · Lead/Principal · $140,000 - $170,000 a year

The Role

This senior-level position leads digital forensic investigations, primarily focused on trade secret theft matters. Day-to-day work includes directing onsite data collection, performing forensic analysis across multiple operating systems and mobile platforms, remediating data, and occasionally providing expert witness testimony in legal proceedings.

Skills & Experience

Candidates should bring hands-on expertise with MacOS artefacts such as plists, unified logs, FSEvents, and Spotlight metadata, alongside proficiency in mobile extractions on iOS and Android. Familiarity with file systems including APFS, HFS+, NTFS, and FAT, plus commercial and open-source forensic tooling, is essential. Leadership experience managing investigative teams is expected.

Who It Suits

This role suits a seasoned forensic professional ready to operate at a principal level within a consulting environment, advising clients and their legal counsel through complex investigations. Those comfortable working across both technical analysis and client-facing responsibilities, including potential courtroom testimony, will find this position a strong fit.

Typical advertised salary for Digital Forensics roles in United States: $90,000–$154,000 (median $120,000 — from 170 recent listings analysed by Forensic Focus).

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