Hours: Full time - 37 Hours Contract Type: Fixed Term - 4 Years Location: Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, Warrington, WA4 4AD Closing date: 16th February 2025
At the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) you belong to a community of experts who are driving science and technology forward. STFC is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation where curiosity, blue-skies thinking meets practical, application-led science and engineering. Our goal is to deliver economic, societal , scientific and international benefits to the UK and its people – and more broadly to the world. Our incredible diversity of research, technology and engineering projects truly fire the imagination and lead to real-world solutions which shape societies and transform lives.
We have a rare opportunity to join us as a Digital Design Apprentice at Daresbury Laboratory, Cheshire. There are two roles available: Digital Services Team or Hartree Centre Digital Creative Services Team.
The Digital Creative Services team
The Digital Creative Services team is part of Digital Infrastructure Department. Digital Creative Services are experienced professionals using the latest technology to provide the most responsive and reliable multi-media services. Our services include:
Graphic design and visual communication
Website design and development
Illustration and Infographics
Animation - 2D and 3D
Video production and editing
Photography - onsite studio
Event displays and materials
With direction and support from the lead digital designer and senior graphic designer, you will undertake the following:
Meeting clients to discuss the business objectives and requirements of the job
Estimating the time required to complete a job and update clients.
Developing design briefs that suit the client's purpose
Thinking creatively to produce new ideas and concepts and developing interactive design
Using innovation to redefine a design brief within time constraints
Presenting finalised ideas and concepts to clients
Working with a range of media and keeping up to date with emerging technologies
Proofreading to produce accurate and high-quality work
Working as part of a team with printers, copywriters, photographers, other designers, account executives, web developers and marketing specialists.
Providing accessible design support to STFC
The Hartree Centre mission is to enable UK businesses and the public sector to explore and adopt innovative digital technologies for increased productivity, economic growth and innovation. Our aim is to shape the future of High-performance Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and emerging technologies by contributing our expertise to foundational research.
The Centre's Training Team is responsible for a portfolio of application focussed courses, designed to enable businesses and the public sector to take advantage of digital technologies to enhance the business processes and upskill their workforce. We are looking for enthusiastic and hardworking apprentice to join our team and work on the production of digital learning materials, web and video content and interactive elements for the on-line and live courses.
About an Apprenticeship at STFC
With training and support from experts in their fields, you’ll be enthusiastic about developing your knowledge, skills and behaviours, working towards completing your apprenticeship, gaining appropriate qualifications whilst making a real difference in your role.
If working with innovative technologies on world-leading research isn’t enough, you will develop both professionally and as a critical member of the team in an environment you won’t find anywhere else.
Our dedicated Apprenticeship Team will support you every step of the way, helping you make the most of your opportunities and to achieve the goals you already have – and those you have yet to discover!
We provide an opportunity to really pursue your interests and passion. You’ll have access to additional core skills development, access to a community of apprentices across the site, annual Apprentice awards evenings, a number of active sport and social groups across campus, and potential opportunities for overseas placements.
STFC offers a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, an outstanding index linked pension scheme, 10.5 public and privilege days, Christmas closure and flexible working hours.
Summary of key duties & responsibilities
As Digital Design Apprentice you will be working closely with our E-Learning Media Designer. Your key duties will be:
Under guidance from the eLearning Media Designer, ensure tasks are delivered to budget and on time
Design digital and print content for online learning and live events
Generating drafts and mock-ups of proposed designs for review and make revisions as requested.
Storyboard learning content based on media design principles.
Update and maintain the content, ensuring that it is accurate, version controlled, and quality assured.
Collaborate with Subject Matter Experts to gain understanding of the suitable, engaging and interactive media designs for the courses addressing variety of target audiences.
Work collaboratively and iteratively with the Business Development, Stakeholder Engagement and the Research Teams for the production of media materials.
The Digital Design Apprentice will undertake professional development and training through a mixture of online and in-person teaching with Manchester Metropolitan University completing the Creative Digital Design Professional (Integrated Degree) Level 6 Apprenticeship. There will be 18 days of teaching per year (3 days per unit), plus additional online touchpoints. attending in-person teaching at MMU’s ground-breaking School of Digital Arts (SODA).
The modules you will complete will develop in-demand skills in creative digital design.
In your final year, you will also complete your work-based project before undertaking your End Point Assessment. The End Point Assessment will include a presentation between the university and STFC, covering the work-based project, your approach, outcome and the skills, knowledge and behaviours demonstrated. This will be assessed as part of the overall project assessment.
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will achieve:
BA (Hons) in Creative Digital Design
Creative Digital Design Professional Level 6 apprenticeship.
In order to apply for the role, we are looking for the following:
Key - (S) will be measured at shortlisting, (I) will be measured at interview, (S&I) is both.
Achieved GCSE passes at Grade C/4 or above including Maths, and English (S)
A minimum of 104 points at A-level (grades BCC) or an equivalent, e.g. BTEC DMM (S) OR
Level 3 Junior Content Producer Apprenticeship
Level 3 Junior Advertising Apprenticeship
T-Level qualification (in a relevant occupational pathway preferred, but not essential)
Adobe CC knowledge (S&I)
Strong interest in digital design (S&I)
Ability to work using own initiative (I)
Able to work independently and within a team (I)
Good communication skills (S&I)
Good problem-solving skills (S&I)
Web Development skills (S&I)
HTML and CSS knowledge (SI&I)
Video editing experience (S&I)
1. To complete the apprenticeship, you will need to evidence passes at 9-4 or A*-C in GCSE (or equivalent) Maths and English. For those sitting their GSCEs in Summer 2025, we would need evidence of your predicted grades. 2. When applying for an apprenticeship, there is a set residency eligibility criteria that must be met by the applicant. 3. The training provider will also ask you to complete an initial assessment during the application process. If you already have a qualification in this subject area or similar please include, as an attachment, your transcript outlining the grade/s achieved and modules covered. By applying for this apprenticeship, you are giving permission for your details to be shared with the relevant training provider.
Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received.
What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe’s largest research organisations by your side?