Kitchen Assistant

Douglas County School District•Prospect Village at Sterling Ranch, CO

1d•$17 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

The Kitchen Assistant supports daily preparation, service, and sale of the school lunch program and helps foster positive relationships with community members and school clientele. The role involves preparing food according to menus, recipes, portion requirements, and food-safety regulations; setting up and cleaning serving areas and workstations; serving meals; and assisting with deliveries and food storage. The Kitchen Assistant uses kitchen equipment and a Point of Sale system, follows HACCP and sanitation standards, and records required food temperatures and daily monetary reconciliations. The position requires a customer-service focus, effective communication, confidentiality when handling student information, flexibility, and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of people. The employee may travel to multiple schools when requested and may help train other kitchen staff. The position is regular, scheduled for 20 hours per week and approximately 172 work days per year.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders to support positive outcomes.
Effective oral and written communication skills in English.
Ability to read and comprehend written, graphic, and oral instructions.
Generally positive attitude and ability to observe District policies and procedures.
Strong organizational and time-management skills.
Ability to work with a wide variety of people, cooperate with others, learn new concepts, and adapt to varied assignments and conditions.
Ability to maintain confidentiality of student information.
Ability to perform frequent standing, walking, reaching, lifting, bending, kneeling, stooping, squatting, climbing, pushing, twisting, and pulling; lift items weighing 40 pounds or less, including occasional overhead lifting; and stand or walk for 95% of the workday.
Ability to occasionally climb and balance using a step stool.
Ability to perform repetitive motions, including lifting, keypad entry, chopping, and filling and sealing packaging, and make fast repeated movements with fingers, hands, and wrists.
Ability to use both hands to grasp, grip, move, or operate objects or equipment.

Responsibilities

Assist with the preparation, service, and sale of meals in compliance with department regulations, standard recipes, portion sizes, and verbal instructions.
Set up and clean serving areas for timely student service, including dishwashing and sanitizing workstations.
Follow HACCP standards and school food regulations, including taking and recording food cooking and serving temperatures as required.
Use kitchen equipment properly, clean it correctly, and follow safety precautions.
Follow menu and recipe instructions and meet requirements for food preparation, temperature, appearance, and portion sizes.
Assist with unloading and properly storing delivered food items.
Learn and operate the Point of Sale system and reconcile monies daily.
Build positive relationships with Nutrition Services staff, school staff, students, parents, and the surrounding community.
Communicate effectively in writing and verbally, including through email and computers, and maintain confidentiality of student information.
Participate in training, including PGI classes, and complete required annual USDA Professional Standards training hours.
May lead training for other kitchen staff members.
Stay informed about upcoming regulatory changes and provide sustainable solutions.
Travel to multiple schools when requested and adjust work schedules to meet kitchen-site needs.
Perform other related duties as assigned or requested.