Data Scientist Apprenticeship - Level 6 - Media Tech

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?

Data Science is evolving the way the BBC operates. Our data scientists help us to better understand the customers we serve, and the content served to them, turning raw data into valuable insights and products to better serve audience needs.

Whether audiences are watching on BBC iPlayer, listening on BBC Sounds, reading BBC News and BBC Sport articles or learning on BBC Bitesize, behind the scenes data scientists are at work...fancy being one of them?!  

Why join the team?

As a Data Scientist Apprentice at the BBC, you’ll join a supportive, forward-thinking community where your work has real impact. You’ll grow through a mix of hands-on projects and dedicated study, earning an industry-recognised qualification. You’ll be part of a culture that values curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, helping to shape the future of media while building a strong foundation for your data science career.  

The BBC’s Media Tech Group builds the apps and products that bring incredible BBC content to millions of audience members across the UK and beyond. Increasingly machine learning and artificial intelligence play a crucial part in delivering these services effectively and efficiently.

We are looking for individuals intrigued by how we use maths and code to deliver real-world impact, collaborating with hundreds of amazing colleagues to create the BBC’s digital future. You’ll get on-the-job experience with our brilliant teams of data experts while also studying towards a degree. A fantastic opportunity to kick-start your career, building the world’s most in-demand skillset!

Your key responsibilities and impact

As a Data Scientist (DSD27) apprentice, this is a brilliant opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute – you will:

• Learn about the value of data to organisations like the BBC. 
• Discover how the BBC uses data to both improve its connection with audiences and improve internal tooling and workflows. 
• Be part of a team using data to enhance the way the BBC operates, using AI and machine learning approaches to deliver valuable audience insights and products. 
• Learn about and contribute to all aspects of the Data Science lifecycle from inception to production deployment and beyond, including aspects such as cleansing and validating data and building and evaluating predictive models.   

You’ll study for your industry recognised apprenticeship qualification, learning both on and off the job. This means you’ll spend at least one day a week studying for a BSc (Hons) in Data Science with BPP University remotely studying topics including:   

• Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning
• Machine Learning
• Data Infrastructure & Tools
• Data Visualisation & Dashboards

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:

• Have a love of maths and a passion for data, machine learning and AI
• An excitement to embrace the latest AI and Machine Learning Technologies responsibly to transform working practices
• Have brilliant non-technical skills such as problem-solving, organisation and negotiation
• Flexibility and adaptability including a calm and focused approach to working within an evolving technical landscape and workplace.
• Can manage multiple deadlines and demands on your time
• Bursting with fresh ideas to introduce new perspectives with a keen interest in the BBC, its public service mission and values.

This scheme is aimed at non-graduates.

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:

• Have maths and English GCSE at Grade 4/C or above or National 5 (Scotland) at C or equivalent qualification
• Have achieved, or expected to achieve, by the start of the scheme, a minimum of 104 UCAS points.
• This must include A Level/Higher Maths, or an extended BTEC in Engineering with Engineering Maths, or an equivalent qualification.

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.

Ready to apply?

Don’t leave yourself wondering "what if?" this could be your chance to be part of something exciting. See yourself thriving in this role? Just click ‘Apply online now’!

You’ll create a candidate profile and answer a few questions - no CV or cover letter needed. If you're eligible, we’ll guide you through the next steps of the process and what to expect.

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.

You’ll need to live within a commutable distance of where this role is based. 

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. 

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