Post Production Technical Operator Apprenticeship - Level 4 - Studios Natural History Unit - Bristol

BBC; Bristol; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

25 days annual leave

Job summary

The BBC Studios Natural History Unit in Bristol is offering a fixed-term Post Production Technical Operator Apprentice (Level 4). This 16-month apprenticeship starts your career in post‑production with hands‑on learning and a dedicated scheme team.

You will learn on the job, study towards an industry‑recognised qualification, and gain experience across editing, media asset management, and transmission delivery for BBC platforms.

Qualifications

• Be 18 years old or over by September 2027.
• Have lived in the UK continuously for the last three years.
• Be legally eligible to work full-time in the UK for the entire duration of the apprenticeship.
• Not currently be enrolled in another apprenticeship programme.
• Not already hold a qualification in the same subject area at the same or a higher level than this apprenticeship.
• For candidates under 19 years on 7 September 2027: Maths and English GCSE at Grade 4/C or equivalent qualification, or Functional Skills Level 2.

Responsibilities

• Support the editing and preparation of content for BBC platforms and audiences.
• Digitise, organise and manage media assets throughout the production workflow.
• Deliver transmission files to playout providers, ensuring content is ready for broadcast.
• Develop teamwork and communication across post‑production and wider BBC departments.
• Gain hands‑on experience with industry‑standard tools and processes in a fast‑paced environment.

Skills

Passionate about media

Calm under pressure

Organisational skills

Multitasking

Proactive

Flexible hours

Job description

Post Production Technical Operator Apprenticeship - Level 4 - Studios Natural History Unit - Bristol

Job Description Job Requisition ID: 55679 Job Closing Date: 24 November 2026 Bristol, GBR, BS1 6BX

Contract Type: Fixed-Term Apprenticeship, Full-time for 16 months

Department: BBC Studios Natural History Unit

Location: Bristol - Bridgewater House

Salary: £24,650

WE ARE BBC STUDIOS

A globally renowned media company borne of the BBC. We make and distribute the world’s most sought-after TV, audio and digital content. Our ambition is to be the home of the most powerful, entertaining, and inspiring stories for people all around the world.

COULD A BBC APPRENTICESHIP BE THE NEXT ROLE FOR YOU?

Join us as an apprentice at the BBC to give yourself the opportunity to kick‑start your career in a job you'll love. We’re committed to your skills and talent development. You’ll learn on‑the‑job, developing your knowledge and skills in an area that interests you, whilst working towards your apprenticeship qualification with one of our learning providers.

WHY JOIN THIS SCHEME?

Kick‑start your career with the BBC through this exciting entry‑level apprenticeship opportunity.

Based across the UK, you'll gain hands‑on experience at the heart of content production, supporting fast‑paced newsroom operations and post‑production teams.

You'll work across a variety of environments, including ingest hubs, galleries, studios, post‑production facilities, and on‑location productions, developing valuable technical and operational skills while contributing to the creation and delivery of content for audiences nationwide.

Want to find out more? Watch recordings from our webinar series on our Life at the BBC YouTube playlist to learn more about this scheme and other opportunities we offer, and hear from current apprentices about their experiences.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM?

This apprenticeship is an exciting entry level opportunity to join the BBC in cities across the country; working at the front end of post‑production in the newsroom ingest hubs, galleries, studios, post‑production areas, and out on location.

BBC Studios is a world‑renowned content studio and channels & streaming business, powered by British creativity, with a reach that touches audiences in every corner of the globe.

We work with outstanding creative talent who are responsible for platform‑defining shows from Strictly Come Dancing to Bluey, Prehistoric Planet to Planet Earth III.

This apprenticeship is an exciting entry level opportunity to join the BBC in Bristol; working at the front end of post‑production within the Natural History Unit.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

As a Post‑Production Apprentice (PPA27), this is a brilliant opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute – you will:

• Support the editing and preparation of content for a range of BBC platforms and audiences
• Digitise, organise and manage media assets throughout the production workflow
• Deliver transmission files to playout providers, ensuring content is ready for broadcast and systems are maintained accurately
• Develop strong teamwork and communication skills while collaborating with colleagues across post‑production and wider BBC departments
• Gain hands‑on experience with industry‑standard tools, processes and technologies within a fast‑paced production environment.

Throughout the apprenticeship, you'll be supported by experienced professionals, building valuable technical and professional skills that will help you launch a successful career in the media industry.

You’ll study for your industry recognised apprenticeship qualification, learning both on and off the job. Your learning with the National Film and Television School will introduce you to a wide variety of skills across both TV and Radio, including:

• Audio and Vision Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• IP Networks
• Computer Science

For more information on what you will study during the scheme, please see the Post Production Technical Operator standard.

YOUR SKILLS AND ELIGIBILITY

We’re interested in your passion for working at the BBC and your enthusiasm for delivering world‑class content and operational excellence to our audiences. We’re not focused on your qualifications; instead, we look for potential and offer you the opportunity to apply your transferable strengths and experience to work in different ways.

If you can bring some of these skills and experiences, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply:

• Passionate about media and content production
• Able to remain calm and focused in a fast‑paced environment
• Strong organisational and problem‑solving skills
• Capable of managing multiple priorities, deadlines and competing demands
• A proactive self‑starter with a positive attitude
• Flexible and adaptable, with a willingness to work outside standard hours when required.

This scheme is aimed at non‑graduates. If you have a degree and you’re interested in similar roles at the BBC, we recommend applying for jobs at the BBC careers site or having a look at our other apprenticeship schemes.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible for an apprenticeship at the BBC, you must:

• Be 18 years old or over by the time the apprenticeship begins in September 2027
• Have lived in the UK continuously for the last three years prior to the start of the apprenticeship
• Be legally eligible to work full‑time in the UK for the entire duration of the apprenticeship
• Not currently be enrolled in another apprenticeship programme, whether with the BBC or another organisation
• Not already hold a qualification in the same subject area at the same or a higher level than this apprenticeship.

To apply for this scheme, you must also:

• Not have completed or hold qualifications in the apprenticeship subject at level 4 or above
• For candidates under the age of 19 years on 7 September 2027: To complete the apprenticeship, you must have achieved Maths and English GCSE at Grade 4/C or above or National 5 (Scotland) at C or Functional Skills Level 2 or equivalent qualification. If you have not achieved these qualifications by the start of your apprenticeship, you will be required to achieve Functional Skills Level 2 before the apprenticeship assessment when you take your end‑point assessment.

READY TO APPLY?

This is a fixed‑term apprenticeship - your contract lasts for the duration of the scheme. Once you have completed your apprenticeship, you will be able to apply for any suitable open vacancies at the BBC or outside in the wider creative industry. You’ll be supported with career development, employability training, and networking opportunities to help you take your next step.

For apprenticeship opportunities, disabled applicants who choose to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and who meet the minimum criteria for the role will normally be progressed to the next stage of the recruitment process. For most of our campaigns, this would be an online assessment designed to assess your skills, motivations and suitability for the role. Further details can be found in the FAQs section of our careers site.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Our apprenticeship roles are also subject to you having the require qualifications that we have deemed to be necessary for your role and the requirement of the training provider for your scheme. The offer would be subject to you undergoing and meeting the requirements of a skill scan process with the BBC nominated training provider to determine your eligibility.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Recruitment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

This is your BBC

At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the world’s best loved content, and the BBC’s mission to inform, educate and entertain.

Life at BBC

Here you will benefit from:

• Excellent career and professional development.
• Fair pay and flexible benefits including a competitive salary package, a 35‑hour working week, 25 days annual leave (26 days for BBC Studios), a range of policies to support your work/life balance, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care and gym.
• A values‑based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.

As an Apprentice you will also receive:

• An industry recognised qualification.
• Industry‑leading training through the BBC Academy and our learning providers (this may involve travel to locations across the UK).
• A dedicated Team Manager and Scheme Specialist to help with your development.
• Training and Mentoring by industry professionals.
• A bespoke BBC apprenticeship experience including apprenticeship development days and membership of the BBC Apprenticeship community.
• Employability and networking training and support to help you secure your next role.
• The opportunity to apply for financial support for relocation subject to eligibility.

You belong

We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual’s unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.

Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.

Disability confident

We take inclusivity seriously and want to ensure all candidates who are disabled or have long‑term health conditions receive the support and adjustments they need. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the recruitment process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via the Early Careers Recruitment contact form and we’d be happy to discuss how we can support you through the process.