Assistant Sound Designer
Breaking Barriers
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We are building 5 new roles for young adults (18-25) to become our Assistant Team, working alongside the core Creative Team to make, create and deliver our exciting commission for Rochdale Town of Culture.
About Breaking Barriers:
Breaking Barriers is a Rochdale-based, multidisciplinary production company whose work is rooted in amplifying unheard voices and bringing ambitious work to local streets and people.
We work with communities, young people and artists from a rich diversity of backgrounds and lived experiences, and through co-creation like to tell stories in ambitious digital formats that open minds, elevate appetite, and transcend socio-economic barriers.
Stories We Tell Rochdale
We are currently working on an exciting commission for Rochdale Town of Culture. Stories We Tell Rochdale will be an immersive guided audio tour through Rochdale Town Centre. Think of it like a roaming gallery or storybook, where the streets come to life with stories of the people who call Rochdale their home!
The streets become a canvas; using window fronts, video projections onto houses and binaural sound to create an immersive outdoor piece that brings magic and spectacle to local doorsteps. We’re working with local communities from across Rochdale to gather oral histories from neighbours and friends asking them what Rochdale means to them, capturing stories of belonging and hope.
After the success of the first edition of Stories We Tell in Deeplish in 2021, Breaking Barriers were invited into other communities such as Halifax, Nelson and Gosport to support them to create a similarly personalised and authentic view of their town and people’s stories.
Now, 5 years later, we re-visit the original piece in Rochdale asking ourselves what has changed, what has remained and what stories hide between the walls.
You can find past examples of Stories We Tell here.
Creative Team:
As part of ‘Stories We Tell’, we are building 5 new roles for young adults (18-25) to become our Assistant Team, working alongside the core Creative Team to make, create and deliver our exciting commission for Rochdale Town of Culture.
Our Creative Team will be there to guide and support you within your role. The Creative Team includes:
- Parvez Qadir: Director
- Jodie Ratcliffe: Executive Producer
- Ella Marshall: Producer
- Andy Hough: Production Manager
- Ed Waring: Sound Designer
- Matt Radcliffe: Videographer/Photographer
- Jaydev Mistry: Composer
Applicant Criteria:
- All candidates must be 18 - 25.
- Must live, work or study in Rochdale Borough
- We encourage applicants of all experience levels, including those without formal work experience or job titles, to apply. This is an opportunity to build or develop skills in Directing and storytelling for an exciting creative project in Rochdale.
- We actively encourage applicants from the global majority and artists underrepresented in the arts and would particularly love to hear from people from Rochdale.
Assistant Sound Designer Criteria:
- Want to gain more experience in Sound (creation and/or editing) and in learning how it can be used in a real-life production
- Have a strong interest, education or experience in sound, as well as an understanding or interest of using sound equipment such as microphones and editing.
- Have a passion/experience for working with underrepresented communities and with young people.
- Have excellent communication skills; written and verbal.
- Be excited by the prospect of exploring and creating a cultural project that uses digital technology and storytelling to engage communities and audiences.
- Have strong IT skills, organisational skills and time keeping.
- Be comfortable working from home on a semi-regular basis, and having online meetings on Zoom or Teams.
- Be comfortable travelling to different locations around Rochdale for the work, to meet with different young people, community groups and to work on location.
- Be comfortable with working with other Young Assistants, as part of the Young Company.
- The role might also require the need for Safeguarding Training and an updated DBS. (We can cover the costs of this if you haven’t already got one).
The Assistant Sound Designer will be working closely with the Sound Designer (Ed Waring), as well as the wider creative team, to plan and execute the delivery of the project. We’re looking for someone who can work well in a team as well as be able to work independently.
Location:
The work will be taking place in Rochdale. Breaking Barriers is based at Richard Street Studios. This will be a hybrid role with a mixture of working at home, in the studios and on-location.
Fee: £1,500
To include 10 days’ work between November 2025 - February 2026
As the delivery of the project will be during evenings and weekends, you will be required to work during this period whilst we are delivering the performances. Please note that when we reach production week, the performances will take place outdoors in the evenings in January / February 2026. Prior to the performance, our typical working days are Mon - Fri 10am - 5.30pm.
Terms:
As this role is offered on a freelance basis you will be responsible for your own tax and national insurance contributions.
How to Apply
How To Apply:
There are different ways to apply so that you can choose which one suits you best, please read the options below:
- WRITTEN: Please send a CV and supporting statement (no longer than 1-page)
- VIDEO OR AUDIO: If you’d prefer to send us a video or audio application, please send a clip no longer than 2-minutes.
PLUS,
- VISUAL: If you have any creative work (e.g. photos, social media, links etc) that you’re proud of, feel free to include this in your application at the end of your statement / clip. This can be a fun way for us to get to know a little bit more about you!
Your application should outline what makes you a great fit for this role and why you’re eager to apply for this position, even if you’re new to the field.
Send all applications to [email protected] with the subject line SWT Assistant Sound Designer
Deadlines:
Application Deadline: Friday 17th October, Midday.
Interviews: Monday 27th / Tuesday 28th October, @ Richard Street Studios, Rochdale
Start Date: Monday 10th November
While we have publicised this opportunity, please note that: (i) the application and selection process is managed by the advertising company/organisation; and (ii) we rely on them to: provide accurate, up-to-date details about themselves and the opportunity; ensure that opportunities are ethical and paid fairly. To report a listing, please email [email protected].