Studio Runner - Global Runners Programme
Universal Music Group
The Breakroom Take
- Great team mates
- People enjoy this job
- Good employer
- Paid breaks
- Respectful managers
- Proper training
- Learn new skills
- Proper breaks
About Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is a music company and record label.
Job description from Universal Music Group
It's the passionate and dedicated team at Universal Music who help make us the world's leading music company. From A&R to finance, legal to digital, sales to marketing, Universal Music is the place to grow and develop your career within a truly commercial and innovative business that leads in everything it does.
Everyone is welcome to apply for our roles, and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment because of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, age, marital status, background, pregnancy, or caring responsibilities. We also recognise the importance of diversity of thought within our teams and are fully committed to embracing the talents of people with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and other forms of neurocognitive variation.
We will always seek to make appropriate adjustments to recruitment, workplaces, and work processes to be fully inclusive to people with different needs and working styles. If you need us to make any reasonable adjustments for you from application onwards, including alternatives to the online form or to disclose a neurocognitive condition, please email UniversalMusicCareers@umusic.com.
The A Side: A Day in The Life
Abbey Road is the home of music making. The world's first and most iconic recording studio, and a leader in sonic innovation, with the expertise and craft to bring out the best music in any vision or idea. From the Beatles, Shirley Bassey, Kate Bush and John Williams to Sam Smith, Little Simz, Frank Ocean and James Newton Howard, we work with music makers to release their greatest potential.
As a runner at Abbey Road Studios, you will be more than just a participant; you will become an integral part of our legacy. Working alongside our team of seasoned engineers and immersing yourself in our unparalleled collection of audio equipment, you will experience first-hand the magic that happens behind the scenes of music's most iconic recordings.
The B Side: Skills & Experience
The Experience
Picture yourself walking through the same corridors as musical legends, soaking in the ambiance of our legendary studios, and contributing to the next chapter of Abbey Road's storied legacy. This isn't just a programme; it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make your mark on music history.
From the day-to-day setting up and packing down of sessions to assisting in studio sessions to contributing to ground-breaking projects, your role as a runner will be dynamic and diverse. Whether you're coiling cables, calibrating vintage gear, or collaborating with industry professionals, every day will bring new challenges and opportunities for growth.
Investing in Your Future
Throughout the duration of your programme, you'll embark on a transformative journey of learning and growth. Our comprehensive 12-month training programme is dedicated to improving your skills across a range of areas, including technical knowledge, practical application, and sessions with in-house engineers, management team, and experts across Universal Music Group.
Our training programme isn't just about the here and now; it's an investment in your future career success. Our 12-month programme will equip you with a diverse skill set, industry connections, and valuable hands-on experience, we're laying the groundwork for a fulfilling career in the music industry.
Commitment & Requirements
This role requires a high level of commitment and flexibility. Studio life does not follow fixed shift patterns, and sessions may take place during evenings and weekends, often at short notice. Candidates must be able to commit to the programme for the full 12-month duration and demonstrate a flexible, reliable approach to working hours.
Applicants should have some prior experience working in a professional studio environment, along with a solid understanding of audio equipment and studio practices. A genuine passion for audio, music production, and sound technology is essential, as well as a willingness to learn, support others, and contribute positively to fast-paced studio sessions.
Apply Now!
If you're ready to embark on this extraordinary journey and take your skills to the next level, don't miss out on this incredible opportunity. Apply now to join us at Abbey Road Studios and become a part of something truly extraordinary.
Just So You Know...
The company presents this job description as a guide to the major areas and duties for which the jobholder is accountable. However, the business operates in an environment that demands change and the jobholder's specific responsibilities and activities will vary and develop. Therefore, the job description should be seen as indicative and not as a permanent, definitive, and exhaustive statement.
Job Category:
Technology
What employees say
Pay
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Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do Universal Music Group pay a living wage?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
100% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are ÂŁ13.45 per hour, and ÂŁ14.80 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Good
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Most people are paid market rates
Do Universal Music Group pay market rates?
Most people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
100% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Good
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Most people get paid breaks
Do workers at Universal Music Group get paid breaks?
Yes. Most people get paid breaks.
How we know this
83% of people say they get paid breaks.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Good
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Most people get sick pay
Do Universal Music Group pay sick pay?
Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
100% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
At a minimum, everyone is entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from the government. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Hours and flexibility
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Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Universal Music Group?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
100% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Good
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Most people find it easy to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Universal Music Group?
Most people find it easy to take sick leave.
How we know this
100% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do people at Universal Music Group feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
83% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Good
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Most people get proper breaks
Do people at Universal Music Group get proper breaks?
Most people get proper breaks.
How we know this
100% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Good
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Most people aren’t stressed
Is it stressful to work at Universal Music Group?
Most people don’t feel stressed here.
How we know this
80% of people say they don’t feel stressed at work.Based on data from 5 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Good
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Most people enjoy their job
Do people at Universal Music Group enjoy their jobs?
Most people enjoy their job.
How we know this
100% of people report they enjoy their job.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Good
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Most people recommend their team
Do people at Universal Music Group recommend working with their team?
Most people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
83% of people report that they would recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Good
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Most people get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Universal Music Group?
Most people got enough training when they started.
How we know this
83% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Good
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Most people get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Universal Music Group?
Most people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 67% of people report being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Okay
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Head office only partly understands what’s happening
Do people think Universal Music Group head office understands what's happening where they work?
Some people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
60% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 5 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Good
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Most people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Universal Music Group is doing?
Most people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
100% of people feel that they are kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 5 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
What Universal Music Group employees say about their job
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Best thing
Working with interesting people and get to make own destiny in my role.
Worst thing
Communication is bad between the hierarchies. Staff are hired who are not the right fit for the job. Lack of structure leads to lots of mistakes made. Effective training is not given to staff to excel in their roles.
Report this reviewSenior facilities manager at Universal Music Group, March 2025
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