If you've ever wanted to drive a Zamboni for a living, here's your chance: The New York Islanders are looking to hire.
But be warned: The NHL team has an incredibly long, detailed list of requirements for the job.
As the franchise plans its move from Long Island to Barclays Center in Brooklyn, it's looking to fill a number of positions. Perhaps none of them carry the novelty enjoyed by its listing for "assistant manager of arena operations," among whose requirements is driving the arena's ice resurfacing machine.
From a spectator's view, it seems like an easy enough job: Drive Zamboni onto ice, smooth out ice, leave.
But the Islanders hold their driver to a higher standard. According to the New York Times, the team's ideal ice resurfacing candidate will have a college degree, three years of experience in a hockey arena, and five years of experience driving a Zamboni.
That's not all, though. The listing goes into much greater detail about the team's expectations for this driver, including the ability to "use hands to finger, handle or feel objects."
Ideal candidates will either be able to "talk or hear" and either "taste or smell." The ability to taste and smell is, presumably, a bonus.
For as hyper-attentive to detail as the job listing seems, though, there's some credence to the notion that driving a Zamboni is a tough job. Chris Jennings, who manages the ice rink for the Philadelphia Flyers, told The New York Times that he took four to six months before he felt comfortable behind a Zamboni.
"Imagine driving your car, but sitting in your trunk," he tells the NYT. "You can't see the entire right side." It takes time and close attention, he explains, to get a feel for driving the Zamboni straight, and not crashing into the boards.
Even so, one would think that the inability to taste or smell would not preclude you from driving an ice resurfacing machine. Then again, maybe the Islanders know something we don't. Or maybe the job listing was written specifically to rule out someone in particular.
The provision regarding hand dexterity almost certainly rules out one individual with Zamboni experience:
