NYC seeks ‘blood thirsty’ rat czar to tackle rodents

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — New York City has posted a job for a “rat tsar” dedicated to “big slaughtering” while Mayor Eric Adams escalates the war on the city’s growing rodent population.

The city published a rat-pun-filled description of the job, director of rodent migration, on NYC.gov on Wednesday. Salary range is from $120,000 to $170,000.

The Post describes the position as “one of the most important jobs in city government.”

The ideal candidate should be “highly motivated,” “slightly bloodthirsty,” and have a “bold attitude, sly humor, and an overall aura of badassery,” according to the Post.

“Do you have what it takes to create the impossible?” the description says. “A virulent vehemence for vermin? A background in urban planning, project management or government? And most importantly, the drive, determination, and killer instinct required to fight the real enemy—the relentless rat population of New York City?”

Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi will directly oversee the position. She’s looking for a Pied Piper of sorts to take the lead in coordinating city officials to reduce waste and use pest control technology.

“Bring them all together so we’re consistent and efficient,” Joshi told 1010 WINS.

The tsar would find solutions to the rat problem through strategies such as “improving operational efficiencies, data collection, technological innovation, waste management, and mass slaughter.”

To that end, the city is experimenting with a pilot program using sensors.

“It’s an inexpensive and easy way for us to understand where there’s rat activity,” Joshi said.

A rat on the subway.

Photo credit Richard B. Levine

While the job description is a little tongue-in-cheek, Joshi said the rat infestation is a serious health, property and business problem.

The job posting comes as rat complaints rose 70% in the city in the first eight months of 2022 compared to two years ago.

In October, the city announced that starting April 2023, residents and businesses will be required to dispose of their trash four hours later to reduce the time rats have access to curbside trash. The city cleaning authority published the final rules for the plan on Thursday.

“Rat sightings are through the roof,” City Council member Shaun Abreu warned at the time as the city struggled to get the problem under control.

1010 WINS reported in October that the Department of Health and Sanitation monitors rat and rodent problems but does not proactively or routinely set up bait stations on city streets or use poison, instead responding to citizen complaints.

In November, Adams launched a Get Stuff Clean initiative to target 1,000 high-need areas.

Adams, who has repeatedly expressed his strong dislike for rats, said rodent hotspots would be one of the main targets of the clean-up initiative.

“There is NOTHING I hate more than rats,” the mayor tweeted Thursday as he encouraged people to run for the position of rat tsar.

“If you have the drive, determination and killer instincts it takes to battle New York City’s unrelenting rat population, then your dream job awaits,” he wrote.