This article originally appeared on ABACUS Alibaba is hiring. But you can’t apply for one particular job unless you’re over 60 years old. The e-commerce titan is looking for socially active grandmothers for a new online shopping product targeted at elderly people. The job description? To test the service and provide feedback. The role of “Senior User Research Specialist” has a rather unique set of requirements. Applicants must: Be older than 60 Have a good relationship with your children Have used online shopping for over one year (more than three years is preferred!) Community committee members and square-dancing “Key Opinion Leaders” will be considered first If that last point seems odd to you, it’s actually not as weird as you think. Square dancing is common in most Chinese cities. Groups of grannies gather in public plazas around dusk and dance in unison to pop tunes played loudly on a radio speaker. It’s one way these retirees exercise, socialize and feel part of a community. It’s not limited to women, either; men can sometimes be spotted joining in as well. Abacus is a unit of the South China Morning Post, which is owned by Alibaba. For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters , subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast , and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report . Also roam China Tech City , an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus .
