Food Service Assistant: Federal Way, WA

Bezos Academy•Federal Way, WA

6d•$22 - $33•Onsite

About The Position

As a Food Service Assistant at Bezos Academy, you’ll help provide nutritious, compliant meals to children at our tuition-free, Montessori-inspired preschool and provide direct support with a variety of additional tasks both in and out of the classroom. You will manage all aspects of food preparation and service with strong attention to detail, organization, and adherence to safety protocols. Key responsibilities include preparing CACFP-compliant menus, placing food orders and managing food costs, receiving and verifying food deliveries, ensuring all meals are delivered to classrooms on time, and managing all clean-up, organization, and documentation. Assuming full ownership of the kitchen and food operations at the school, you will serve meals in accordance with USDA requirements, Bezos Academy policies, and local childcare regulations. Beyond the kitchen, you will assist school staff and administration with a variety of tasks including inventory checks, laundry, and other ad hoc duties. As needed, you will also occasionally step into classrooms to provide direct supervision and support to the children. You will become an integral part of your school team working to improve processes and provide an excellent preschool experience where we nurture every child’s full potential. LOCATIONS & START DATE We are actively hiring for a Food Service Assistant at our Federal Way – Lakeland ( 3600 S 344th Way, Federal Way, WA 98001 ) location. SCHEDULE, BENEFITS, & COMPENSATION School schedules vary depending on community needs but generally range from 7:30am-5:30pm. You will work an 8-hour shift within this timeframe Monday through Friday. Your specific schedule will be determined with your school leader when considering all staff, student, and community needs. This is a full-time (40 hours per week), benefits-eligible, non-exempt/hourly position. Compensation for this position is $22 - $33 per hour (~$47,000 - $69,000 annually). The upper third of the compensation range is typically reserved for existing employees who have been in the role for multiple years and demonstrate strong performance over time. Starting compensation will vary by qualifications and prior experience. This role includes 32 paid days of scheduled breaks, 3 paid days of personal time off, 9 paid days of sick (care) time, 10 paid holidays, and additional time off if required by applicable law. Benefits for this role include medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, a 401(k) plan with a 4% employer contribution match, paid parental leave, an employer-matched flexible spending account for dependent care, and more. Please see here for details.

Requirements

Age 18 with high school diploma or GED
Ability to pass background checks and complete all trainings required by the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families upon hire
Knowledge of cooking methods and procedures, including various types of preparation
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, stand for long periods of time, and perform a variety of repetitive tasks to prepare and serve food safely
Experience working in an institutional or highly regulated kitchen/food setting with a clear understanding of food preparation best practices and protocols
Active and current food worker card
Understanding of Washington food and beverage worker manual
Ability to speak, read, and write English fluently
Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)

Nice To Haves

Experience working within the guidelines of the US Department of Agriculture and Child and Adult Care Food Program (USDA/CACFP)
Two or more years of experience working in a school (preschool, early childhood education, daycare, or K-12 environment) or similar kitchen setting
Working knowledge of food allergens, intolerances, preferences, and accommodations
Prior experience as an Assistant Teacher in a preschool setting
Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education or two years of post-secondary coursework in Early Childhood Education
Experience with Montessori pedagogy
Experience with children with special needs
Fluent in Spanish

Responsibilities

Place weekly food orders with the vendor based on student attendance trends and food waste analysis
Receive and verify daily food deliveries to ensure accuracy with order quantities and alignment with the approved menu. If meals are non-compliant, follow the Emergency Food SOP
Manage all aspects of routine vendor performance to ensure the vendor is meeting or exceeding expectations
Ensure all meals served to students are complaint and document any menu changes on menu. Track food consumption and waste daily to ensure food costs remain as lean and efficient as possible
Prepare and serve meals and utensils to classrooms for each scheduled meal service
Maintain compliance with strict food hygiene and safety protocols at all times
Ensure the kitchen, equipment, serving utensils, cookware, and dishes are consistently cleaned, sanitized, and well-maintained
Manage and organize food inventory, including proper labeling, dating, rotating stock, and discarding items nearing expiration in accordance with food safety guidelines
Record and log food temperatures prior to each meal service to ensure compliance with safety regulations
Accommodate children’s special dietary needs, including allergies, medical restrictions, and cultural or religious food requirements
Assist in serving meals during family engagement and school events as needed
Place weekly groceries orders based on the menu and current inventory
Receive and verify food delivery and follow up with vendor if food delivered is incorrect based on the order or spoiled
Prepare meals according to the planned menu and adapt recipes for dietary restrictions (allergies, religious diets, vegetarian, etc.)
Prepare meals on a schedule (breakfast/lunch/snack)
Adapt the menu (make substitutions) to avoid food spoilage and waste following the Menu Substitution SOP
Help plan menus that are nutritious, budget-friendly, and appealing to students
Ensure vendor provides a delivery receipt and keep it for 3 years
Children receive the appropriate portion sizes for each meal pattern component by providing correctly sized serving utensils and clearly communicating the required serving sizes to classroom staff upon meal delivery
Review meal counts for accuracy and upload into SharePoint weekly
If there are any menu substitutions, provide the necessary menu-supporting documentation (CN label, product formulation statement, Nutrition Facts, standardized recipe)
Attend the required annual sponsor CACFP training that includes meal pattern, reimbursement, meal counts, claims, recordkeeping, and civil rights
Clock in/out of Workday based on food-related responsibilities
Provide classroom coverage as needed
Assist teachers with the full implementation of Bezos Academy’s performance standards, policies, and procedures
Support Bezos Academy classrooms by following regulations and guidelines in the day-to-day operation of the classroom (i.e., cleaning materials, meal prep, nap time transitions, etc.)
Organize materials and clean the workspace to facilitate the learning process for each child
Support children’s increasing independence with daily living skills (i.e., washing hands, using the bathroom, eating meals and snacks, cleaning up, etc.)
Provide 1:1 support for children who are experiencing big feelings
Assist the Head of School and school staff in other operational duties in the school as necessary when the kitchen work is complete (e.g., support with laundry, front desk support, and other duties as assigned by the Head of School)
Participate in team meetings, center activities, and staff development