Freelance Audio Engineer / Sound Designer
A project or contract position
Fully remote: working with a UK-based team at Blanchard House.
Salary range: £32.00 to £48.00 (hourly rate) - subject to experience
Location: Remote (some attendance at our London office required) Contract: Freelance project work, with possibility of developing into full/part time in-house role in 2026 Day rate: From £250 upwards depending on experience. Whole-project and in-house staff rates upon negotiation – we are open to both junior designers looking to grow in this field, and experienced engineers who would take more of a leadership role on projects. Deadline: 6 October 2025 Start: November 2025
About Blanchard House
We created Blanchard House with a singular vision: to tell the most captivating, acoustically immersive non-fiction stories. Our multi-award-winning team has created original narrative podcasts for global media networks including Apple, Wondery, Audible, Exactly Right and Corus. In everything we produce, Blanchard House represents the very best storytelling, the most trusted journalism and the highest production values which are truly cinematic in scale – with bold, original soundtracks and rich, arresting sound design.
Blanchard House tells true stories with the power to endure. Good stories never die.
Your Role
You will be part of a truly independent company working with global partners on critically acclaimed narrative non-fiction audio. You'll be joining a small, highly skilled team where differences are valued and we set the highest standards for ourselves – from the fundamentals of journalism to the creativity of our story telling. We’re industry leaders in our use of sound design and music and we’re looking for a freelance Audio Engineer / Sound Designer to join our growing team. The role will initially be on a freelance basis, with the possibility of joining the team in-house in 2026.
We’re looking for a positive team player who’s highly creative and passionate about audio. The majority of work can be carried out remotely, but occasional attendance at our office in Farringdon, London will be required.
See below for application details.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Creating captivating, immersive sound design for narrative podcasts Ability to choose music that enhances and supports storytelling, selecting, editing, and integrating bespoke music into episodes Mixing shows to the highest standard, meeting industry loudness specs Editing, cleaning and mixing dialogue with exacting attention to detail Iterating and refining mix and design of episodes with head of sound and music and executive producers Monitoring and ensuring quality of remote recordings (primarily via Riverside) Recording interviews in-person when required Supervising VO sessions in London Conducting field recordings, including willingness to travel when necessary Managing data backups and archiving sessions including an interest in improving production systems and processes where possible Maintaining and organising recording equipment at our London office when needed
The right candidate will have: A high level of experience in podcasting or radio with a proven track record of long-form and complex narrative work. Creative flair for sound design and use of SFX with the ability to craft complex, multi-layered narratives across 6, 8 or 10 episodes. Strong technical ability in mixing, audio restoration, and achieving a natural, balanced sound. Excellent sense of timing between dialogue, sound effects, and music. Comfort following scripted directions. Excellent creative instincts and ability to implement your own creative ideas. Strong attention to detail. Confidence working with producers, composers, executive producers and external stakeholders. Effective time management, working independently and responding positively to feedback. Strong working knowledge of microphone types and best practice recording techniques. Strong working knowledge of common edit and mix software, with willingness to work in Reaper as the primary DAW (training available if needed). A self-starting attitude to learning and commitment to staying up to date with the latest hardware and software advances in the industry. Some knowledge of Dolby Atmos is an advantage and an interest in advancing your knowledge in this field is appreciated. An ethos that values collective excellence over individual ambition, where each team member’s contribution and effort is valued and respected.
To apply
Please send us 2–3 short clips of your best work, illustrating your use of sound design, music and mixing (max 3 minutes each). Please attach a description of the work you did on each clip and be prepared to discuss this at the interview stage. We’d like to hear about the creative and technical decisions you made. Podcast/ audio-only work is essential, although one strong video example is fine, if it demonstrates your best work.
Please also send a CV, laying out key recent work with descriptions of the role(s) you played on each project.
Please send all applications to: hiring@blanchard-house.com with the subject APPLICATION: AUDIO ENGINEER / SOUND DESIGNER.
Successful applicants will be asked to proceed to an interview stage.
Applicants can be based anywhere in the UK but must be willing and able to come to our London office regularly (frequency to be agreed). Occasional overseas travel may be required for reporting and recording. You must have the right to work in the UK. We are an inclusive employer committed to building a diverse team and increasing access to the audio industry. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. If you need additional support to apply, please contact us at hiring@blanchard-house.com
Please mention podnews.net in your application.
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