Chick sexer, train pusher, beer smeller: The eight weirdest jobs you can apply for in 2016
Want a new direction for your career in the new year? How about becoming a chick sexer?
With January just around the corner, plenty of us start thinking about a fresh start. But maybe these weren’t exactly the dream jobs you had in mind.
From beer sniffer to train pusher, CV site StandOut CV has put together the weirdest jobs you can apply for in 2016.
1. Chick sexer
You may think your current job is pretty weird sometimes, but we’re willing to bet you’ve never been asked to make a chicken defecate, less still been told to do it on a day-to-day basis.
That’s all part of the job description for the UK’s chick sexers (i.e. the people whose job it is to determine if a chick is male or female, get your mind out of the gutter). So maybe it’s not surprising that the British Poultry Council is struggling to fill the positions, despite offering £40,000 a year for the job.
(If you were looking for more detail, the role is described as: “delicately squeezing a little poo out of the chick which then enables the chicken sexer to check for a bump. If a bump is found, the chick is male and no bump indicates the chick is a female”.)
2. Placenta chef
Love cooking? A new London restaurant is taking “natural ingredients” to a new level.
Eating the placenta after birth is an ancient Chinese tradition that has hit the west hard in recent years. Apparently, sometime next year a restaurant is opening in an undisclosed London location specialising in this unusual delicacy.
Applicants “must have previous experience in cooking with placenta”.
3. Astronaut for 2030 Mars mission
NASA is getting in early on this one. The human mission to Mars won’t be launched until at least 2030, but the job is already being advertised.
It’s not for everyone, mind. You must have a degree in either biological or physical science and “over 1,000 hours experience piloting a jet”.
4. Train pusher
Busy commute? London’s rush hour has got nothing on Tokyo’s, where the underground gets so busy that people need to be pushed onto trains by professional train pushers.
Yes, it’s a real job.
It’s usually part-time, mind, but if you don’t mind touching strangers and working only between 7am-9am and 7pm-9pm this could be a winner.
5. Master Lego Builder
Only 40 people in the whole world can call themselves Master Lego Builders. You have to go through a rigorous training programme, starting out as an Apprentice Lego Builder (obviously) before moving up the ranks, and, if you’re good enough, being handpicked by Lego to become a Master.
Once you’re there though, your job will be to create the lego designs at one of the toy firm’s theme parks, pocketing a cool £37,500 per year. Talk about a dream job.
6. Dog poop picker upper
Always wanted to move to the US? Here’s your chance: Poop Troops are looking for people to join their dedicated team of “pet waste removal” personnel. Expect up to $12 an hour for this envious position, no experience necessary.
The ideal candidate should not be afraid of dogs, the ad helpfully specifies, like to work outdoors, and “be able to pick up dog poop”.
7. Beer smeller
If you’re a beer fan, BrewDog’s got a great opening for you. The Scottish brewer is looking for someone to “smell and drink beer” to help them develop the best-tasting products
The technical term is “sensory analyst” but we prefer beer smeller. The ideal candidate will have a science degree and experience (of drinking beer?) is essential.
8. Manager of Chelsea
We hear Chelsea are in the market for a new manager, after sacking Jose Mourinho.
Desirable traits: Win-at-all-cost mentality, coming up with witty one-liners and always being ready to give journalists the run around.
Salary: Probably in the millions.