New York City unveiled its latest eyebrow-raising effort to rid the city of the thousands of pesky rodents that plague its streets, metro stops and buildings.
“Do you have what it takes to do the impossible? A virulent vehemence for vermin? A background in urban planning, project management, or government? And most importantly, the drive, determination and killer instinct needed to fight the real enemy – New York City’s relentless rat population?” asks the job description, which the city posted Wednesday.
The position’s qualifications range from the mundane (a bachelor’s degree or experience in urban planning) to the outlandish (a “swashbuckling attitude, crafty humor, and a general aura of badassery”). (RELATED: PETA Horrified With NYC’s New Plan For Rat Problem)
The position could pay anywhere from $120,000 to $170,000 a year and requires three references.
New York City has seen a 71% increase in rat-related complaints since 2020. In 2019, when he was still Brooklyn borough president, current Mayor Eric Adams introduced an unpopular method to rid the city of rats. The proposed method involved a trapdoor which rats would fall into and drown in a mixture of alcohol solution. Videos of the method showed dead reads floating atop the sludgy material as individuals scooped them out with plastic utensils.
jesus christ pic.twitter.com/gqv0Z52jac
— Jake Offenhartz (@jangelooff) September 5, 2019
Adams signed legislation in November to combat the city’s rat infestation. The legislation required new buildings to undergo a rat extermination and designated certain “rat mitigation zones.”