New York City Is Hiring an ‘Explorer in Chief’ to Spend This Summer Roaming Lower Manhattan

Spending a few months in downtown Manhattan sounds romantic until you start researching rent prices. This summer, the Alliance for Downtown New York is offering one lucky person the opportunity to not only live in the neighborhood rent-free, but to get paid to do it.

The Downtown Alliance's "Explorer in Chief" will be responsible for discovering everything Lower Manhattan has to offer and documenting their experiences. The description of the dream job reads: "Ideal applicants will have a camera-ready personality, a keen eye, a distinctive voice and the chops to produce compelling, entertaining content. They'll be someone who is charismatic and comfortable as the center of attention but who knows that the location is, ultimately, the star."

From June 1 to August 30, 2020, the urban explorer will spend their days visiting attractions around the neighborhood, from popular landmarks like One World Observatory to hidden speakeasies. The gig includes a salary of $2250 for every two weeks of work, with rent and some meals included. The all-expense-paid accommodations feature such amenities as co-working spaces, a library, a game room, and a kitchen stocked with cookware.

Wandering New York City for a summer may sound like the perfect vacation, but the Downtown Alliance emphasizes this is a full-time job. Candidates should expect to have a packed schedule dedicated to making content for the neighborhood's nonprofit business improvement district, which may including doing "an excursion late at night, or all day long, maybe even stay up for a sunrise or two."

To apply, upload a video application that's 60 seconds or shorter to YouTube and submit the link in the entry form here. You will also need to write two short essays about why you're the perfect person for the job and include your social media handles. You can apply anytime starting March 2 through March 15.