Researcher talent pool, BBC Studios NHU

Salary: £28,000 - £35,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights

Contract type: Various - Fixed term and Freelance PAYE

Location: Bristol

Working pattern: This is a hybrid role and the successful candidate will balance office working with home working.

Interviews: Expected to be held in-person week beginning 10th or 17th March 2025

Are you a storyteller with a love for wildlife? Bring your expertise to the BBC Studios NHU team!

BBC Studios Natural History Unit (NHU) is the best-known producer of natural history content in the world - responsible for some of the most successful factual content of the past 10 years. With pioneering technology, unprecedented access, and innovative storytelling, we inspire audiences across the globe.  

Our output includes everything from breathtaking landmarks (The Green Planet; Seven Worlds, One Planet; Dynasties; Blue Planet II; Planet Earth III), returning series (Big Cat 24/7), kids content (Andy’s Adventures and Deadly) and technically challenging live shows (Springwatch; Blue Planet Live), to Prehistoric Planet - the ground-breaking AppleTV+ Original, The Americas for NBCU, and Ocean Xplorers for National Geographic Disney+.   Programmes made by the NHU denote quality, originality, factual integrity and world-class storytelling.  

BBC Studios NHU is looking for a number of experienced and enthusiastic researchers to become part of a pool to be appointed as and when work starts on any new projects within the Unit.

About the role

• Researchers will need to be highly creative and organised with good storytelling skills. 
• They will have the ability to take an innovative, ambitious and imaginative approach to developing outstanding content ideas. 
• As well as researching and setting up stories and shoots, they will be a good team player offering practical support to the Producers and Assistant Producers throughout the series including pre-production; location and/or studio filming; and post-production. 
• They would also be expected to have great contacts in the field and experience of working with scientists.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

• You should be able to demonstrate a passion for wildlife and have experience working on behaviour-led, presenter-led or children's natural history for a mainstream audience.
• You'll need to be able to find new and emotionally engaging behavioural stories for television and be a good team player, working collaboratively but with the confidence to work independently as well.
• Excellent organisation and communication skills are essential, with an ability to build relationships with a variety of people from different backgrounds - including scientists, park rangers, trackers and fixers.
• You'll have experience in setting up international or UK filming shoots, liasing with on screen talent and a good understanding of new technology.

Desirable

• A specialist knowledge and experience of working in challenging environments.
• Experience of working on behavioural shoots on location. 

Life at BBC Studios

We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours here.

The BBC is committed to building a culturally diverse workforce, that represents the audiences we serve, and encourages applications from candidates from any background, especially people from diverse communities. Equity of opportunity is important to us, and we endeavour to make our processes equal, fair and meritocratic for everybody. More information on our D&I plan can be found here.

BBC Studios puts sustainability at the heart of everything we do both onscreen and offscreen, including delivering against the BBC Group’s science-based Net Zero targets. More information on sustainability at BBC Studios can be found here.

As a Level 2 Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. If you require any reasonable adjustments in order to apply please contact us on reasonable.adjustments@bbc.co.uk

What will you gain from working at BBC Studios?

• We offer a competitive salary package
• Flexible 35-hour working week for work-life balance
• Parental leave for new parents, regardless of gender, of up to a year with 18 weeks fully paid
• 26 days holiday (plus an additional day which is a Corporation Day) with the option to buy an extra 5 days
• A defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care, gym and much more
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Excellent career progression – access to courses, webinars, workshops and the opportunity to work in different areas of the organisation

Please note: Joining our Researcher Talent Pool will enable you to be offered work as and when opportunities arise. Appointment to the pool will not entitle candidates to permanent contracts in the BBC, those will have to be applied for in the normal way, and neither does it guarantee work.

Please state in your application that you found this role through Creative Access.