The Rat Czar: New York City’s New Hero

If you have a “swashbuckling attitude”, are “somewhat bloodthirsty”, and have a “general aura of badassary”, you may be perfect for New York City’s latest job listing: the Rat Czar. Mayor Eric Adams is looking for someone to kill “New York City’s relentless rat population” that have made the city their own. This job is rather important to the mayor, who seems to have a vendetta against the rats, and for him, this is war. 

The director of rodent mitigation, the true job title, will partner with other government agencies like the Department of Sanitation and Transportation to effectively exterminate the rats infesting the streets of NYC. While abnormal, the salary for this job ranges from $120,000 to $170,000 and requires a background in urban planning, project management, or government. The director is expected to use various methods and techniques such as technological innovation, data collection, trash management, and wholesale slaughter, so if you thought this job wouldn’t be hands-on, guess again. 

Since October 2020, rat sightings in NYC have risen by 71% and while they’re normally just harmless pests, the rats have sent some to the hospital with infections. There’s an estimated 2 million rats in the city and Mayor Adams is ready to eliminate them all.