Data Scientist Apprenticeship

Analyses commercial and advertising data, develops dashboards and predictive models, improves data quality, and uses data science, AI and machine learning to generate insights and support business decisions.

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 BBC Studios 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, while 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?

Ad Sales Strategy & Business Intelligence Team: 

The BI Data Solutions team sits within BBC Studios’ Global Ad Sales Strategy & Business Intelligence function. We turn advertising and sales data into trusted information that helps teams understand performance, identify opportunities and make better commercial decisions. We develop the datasets, reporting tools and analytical capabilities that support our global advertising business.

As a Data Science apprentice, you could help explore and analyse commercial data, investigate trends in advertising performance and turn findings into clear insights for colleagues.

You could also support the development of dashboards, help check and improve data quality, and contribute to datasets and automated reporting on our Snowflake data platform.With support from experienced analysts and technical colleagues, you’ll develop practical skills in data analysis, coding and visualisation, while learning how to work with business teams to answer real commercial questions.

As your skills grow, there may also be opportunities to contribute to forecasting and explore how AI-assisted analytics can support the team’s work.

Data Analystics & Data Science Team: 

The apprentice will move between the data analytics and the data science team in Studios. The analytics team focusses on preparing data from a wide range of sources, understanding the meaning behind it and making it available to stakeholders.

The data scientists work with the same data, building statistical models or using AI to gain insights into the underlying structure or make predictions. The apprentice will start in the analytics team, learning the fundamentals about our data and its applications. They will then spend some time with the data scientists to gain experience with the different modelling and machine learning techniques.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

As a Data Scientist (DSD27) apprentice, this is 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, it’s public service mission and values. 

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.