Dept. Q is a Scottish-noir detective series for Netflix. It became a global hit and reached the top spot in global viewership charts in its first season. The hotly anticipated season two will be filmed in Scotland in 2026.
Available roles
Applications are currently open for a Grips Trainee, with a closing date of 10am on Friday 15 May 2026.
About
The Dept. Q TV series, based on the books by Jussi Adler-Olsen, was a huge hit with audiences when Season 1 screened on Netflix in 2025.
With Season 2 filming in Scotland in 2026, the Dept. Q Training Programme has been established to extend training opportunities to new entrants to the film & TV industry.
The Dept. Q Training Programme is supported by Screen Scotland, Sony Pictures Television and Netflix.
Dept. Q are recruiting up to 20 trainees, across various departments. As a trainee, you will be learning from some of the finest technicians and creatives working in the film and television industry. The experience of training within a real filming environment will create a strong platform for trainees to embark on successful careers within this industry.
Eligibility Criteria
The Dept. Q Training Programme supports diversity and encourages applications from across all sections of the community. No formal qualifications are required. However, in order to be eligible to be considered for a traineeship, applicants must:
- Be eligible to work in the UK
- Be 18 years old or over
- Be normally resident in Scotland and provide proof of this residency
- Have a basic understanding of the film and television industry, preferably with some relevant work experience
- Have no more than 12 months paid experience within the department they are applying to
- Preferably have a full clean driving licence (this is essential for some roles; please review the criteria for each role carefully)
Roles
The following roles are now closed for applications:
- Art Department
- Assistant Director
- Camera
- Construction – Joiner
- Construction - Scenic Painter
- Costume
- Lighting
- Locations
- Make-up
- Production
- Props
- Script Supervisor
- Set Decoration
- SFX
- Sound
- VFX & Post Production
Key Dates
Deadline for applications: 9am on Wednesday 29 April 2026
Interviews: From 5 May onwards
Induction Days: 21 & 22 May 2026 (TBC)
Trainees start: Start dates vary depending on the role; please see the links above for more details. All trainees will be in post by 25 May.
Placements last approximately 5-6 months, depending on the role.
Trainees will be paid salaries of £750.00 per week (inclusive of holiday pay).
The traineeship is for a fixed term and does not guarantee employment beyond the placement.
The focus of the training programme is to prepare trainees to enter a freelance environment.
For enquiries about the programme, please email: [email protected]