A junior researcher job is often the first step up from being a runner which is generally the role that most people do when they enter the entertainment industry.
It is an editorial role which involves assisting the casting team in sourcing and contacting potential contributors for the show.
I love that it is fast-paced and really varied. It keeps it exciting for me!
Day-to-day the job really varies. At the moment it consists of dealing with applications and supporting the casting team with anything they might need for the contributors.
How I became a TV researcher
I started as an intern for a television sports network whilst I was at uni and then completed a few different short-term freelance contracts before starting this one.
Having worked on a few different shows, I knew I wanted to progress in the editorial side of television, so the junior researcher role was a natural progression.
Read more: What it’s like being a film and TV editor
I probably didn’t know I wanted to work in television until about second year of uni. And then when I got my internship, I knew within the first week that TV was the career I wanted to be in.
The future
It’s hard to say where I’d see myself in five years. At the age I am now, I want to spend the next couple of years taking the opportunity to travel with work and not be tied down to one job, hence why being freelance works for me! I would hope to be an assistant producer by then.
My advice if you want to work in TV
I think when you first start out in TV, it’s so important to say yes to every opportunity because it really is the best way to learn and pick up the best contacts.
Networking is really important in TV, as with any job, so I would also say to be polite and respectful to anyone and everyone.
