The University of Wisconsin Wants To Hire 5 Part-Time Cheese Tasters. Here Are the Requirements

Cheese connoisseurs might have a leg-up in their next job interview, at least if they've applied to work as a taste tester for the University of Wisconsin's Center for Dairy Research.

The center is on the lookout for five part-time cheese tasters to evaluate the stretchiness, meltability, and flavor of Wisconsin's renowned cheeses.

Graduate students, cheese companies, and pizza makers rely on the center to conduct scientifically sound research on their products.

Competition is stiff: So far, about 250 people have applied for the five slots, according to NPR.

Applicants allegedly relied on cheesy techniques to convince the hiring managers they were right for the job.

"There were definitely some people very passionate, enthusiastic about, 'look at all the pizzas I've eaten, here's all my Domino's receipts or whatever, and you should hire me,'" Brandon Prochaska, the center's sensory coordinator, told the outlet.

Those with experience in sensory panels or a heightened taste sensitivity may have the edge, according to Pochaska.

One part of the hiring process asks applicants to detect subtle differences in various cheeses, including notes of acidity, bitterness, and saltiness.

Those who do walk away with the coveted job are beyond grateful for the opportunity.

One new tester, Kelly Kluck, said she was able to put her previous skills as a wine taster to good use.

"The thing that's great about this, I feel like I've taken a hobby, and I'm actually getting paid ($15 an hour) to do it now," she said.

The university had been hiring cheese tasters within its ranks for about a decade, but it decided to open up the application pool to the general public earlier this year.

The center's calls for a "Descriptive Sensory Panelist" have since gone viral, garnering attention on major networks, including NBC and CNN.

Similar to wine aficionados, cheese testers use a variety of unique descriptors to assess a cheese's aroma and flavor: sheepy, goaty, even "animal/wet dog" among them.

And like wine, cheese can go for big bucks: In July, a five-pound wheel of blue cheese sold for over $32,000 at an auction in Asturias, Spain, becoming the "world's most expensive cheese."