In 2020, Apolitical published a shortlist of weird, wonderful and little-known government jobs. Over the past four years, governments worldwide confronted new challenges, prompting the creation of roles and positions addressing them. The Covid-19 pandemic underscored the need for disease detectives and veterinary investigators focused on preventing and controlling emerging diseases. Managing the impact of a climate crisis requires roles aimed at understanding altered weather patterns and animal behaviour in shifting climates. As a result, we decided to update the list and share how government workforces are evolving to tackle 21st-century challenges.
This list underscores the diversity and breadth of government positions, highlighting the myriad issues governments tackle daily. We hope it encourages public servants to think creatively and explore the most extraordinary roles amongst their peers.
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This job doesn’t belong to one individual but to a whole taskforce. It’s an entire government mission requiring a lot of public servant energy. As bat populations decline, finding themselves struggling for a place in which to build a home, they’re finding new solutions. Churches are emerging as a preferred option; they’re quiet, dark and cold. Anyone working as part of the Bats in Churches taskforce will help bat populations thrive and relieve the burden of care from church communities. This role is yet another reminder of the interventions required by government to help communities and the planet.
New York City’s rats are “enemies that must be vanquished by the combined forces of our city government”, and it’s the Rat Czar’s job to do so. Their official title is Director of Rodent Mitigation — they will work to solve New York’s growing rat problem by convening all parts of the city government responsible for rodent control, from rodent biologists to sanitation experts and city inspectors. If you’ve visited New York, you’ll be unsurprised to learn that curbside food waste is the most significant contributor to the problem.
Not all weird and wonderful roles are reactive. Some are relics of the past, still managing to negotiate an essential place for themselves in the present. This job requires best-in-class handwriting and a keen eye for detail. A bit of flair, too. The White House Chief Calligrapher is responsible for the design and execution of a wide range of social documents, from invitations and place cards to official greetings and proclamations.
It’s hard to imagine a more important job in any snowy, mountainous region. An avalanche forecaster has to determine if a particular area's conditions are safe for residents and visitors. If you don’t live somewhere mountainous, a daily avalanche forecast may not be something you look out for or even know exists. It would be wildly unhelpful to anyone working in a city. But this job may be for you if you like spending time in the snow and want to remain a public servant.
For most of us, daylight savings time is a mundane event. Our electronic clocks update automatically without us having to turn a dial or make any changes. But let us not forget that some of the greatest — and most exciting — clocks worldwide are not electronic and require a careful attendee to ensure time resets appropriately. Think Big Ben or all those beautiful sidewalk clocks that adorn New York streets. It’s no small feat, so, unsurprisingly, cities appoint dedicated clockmasters.
Inefficient use of space is a problem. It’s an even bigger problem on public transport, especially during rush hour. You probably have first-hand experience of this particular role, as it exists worldwide, from Frankfurt to Tokyo, and New York. Passenger pushers encourage commuters to use the whole train, not just some of it, to accommodate more passengers. You may detest being squished into a train car like a sardine, but passenger pushers ensure it’s done safely and you get where you need to go on time.
There are a lot of big words in the job description for a seismic interpreter. It’s a highly scientific, specialised and critical job. By assessing the amount of oil and gas that might be contained inside a rock structure, seismic interpreters evaluate the likelihood of encountering hazards or problems during the extraction process. The bottom line is that they help keep people safe.
It takes 300 people to decorate the White House for Christmas. Most of them are volunteers, of course, but each year, a swathe of people descends onto the famous building to ensure it exudes the holiday spirit. And this is just Christmas — let us not forget other holidays which require a lot of decoration, like the US President's yearly Turkey Pardon or Easter Egg Hunt.
The Great Crested Newt — Britain’s biggest amphibian — is a wonderful dancer. But its population is in decline. The UK government is appointing district-level strategists to roll out licencing and protection for these protected and necessary species. The position is another reminder of how, as the climate changes, so too do the jobs required to maintain and protect our ecosystem and planet.
The Government of Wales describes this role as a “career of the future.” So, if you’re looking to get ahead and start preparing, this job may be for you. A Nostalgist is an “interior designer who recreates living environments for people after they have retired.” These spaces are based on their individual memories. This position will become an essential part of elderly care, helping anyone suffering from mental and physical illness to recreate special parts of their lives through film, photography, furniture, etc.
Finally, not all government jobs are for humans. Thousands of canine public servants are out there detecting bird flu and helping park rangers manoeuvre treacherous environments. More than five thousand German Shepherds work for the US federal government alone.
With the rise of AI, we’ll certainly need to update this list again soon — while “virtual reality creator” and “AI technician” aren’t listed here yet, we’re pretty confident they will be. Be on the lookout for the next version, sure to be published sometime in 2025.
Done reading? Have you come across a weird and wonderful government job recently? Let us know by leaving a comment below ⬇️
(Image credit: Unsplash)
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