Rats are an absolute menace in New York. To battle back against the rodents, the government is now searching for someone to lead the city in the right direction.
Mayor Eric Adams’ administration posted a job listing seeking a “director of rodent mitigation,” otherwise known as the rat czar and they’re willing to pay for it too. The salary range is listed as being between $120,000 to $170,000.
“The ideal candidate is highly motivated and somewhat bloodthirsty, determined to look at all solutions from various angles, including improving operational efficiency, data collection, technology innovation, trash management, and wholesale slaughter,” the job posting reads.
Although the job might seem like a change in pace for most, the task at hand is daunting. Multiple New York City leaders have attempted to control the rodent population for years and none of the results have been super positive. Sightings of rats in parks, sidewalks and other places in the city have only increased.
Some of the methods used to attempt to cut down on the rat population were focusing on more trash pickups, better housing inspections and a program to use dry ice to suffocate rats in their hiding spots. There was even a trap that used a bucket filled with a toxic soup to drown rats lured by the scent of food.
Now, the government is looking for a top rat bureaucrat to become the public face of the city’s eradication and education efforts. “Cunning, voracious, and prolific, New York City’s rats are legendary for their survival skills, but they don’t run this city – we do,” the posting reads.
Applicants are expected to have a cunning sense of humor and “to lead from the front, using hands-on techniques to exterminate rodents with authority and efficiency.” Even with an endless amount of resources available, this might be easier said than done.