Senior Food Service Associate - Dining Services

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Senior Food Service Associate supports Food & Nutrition Services at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, providing food service, hospitality, cashiering, and operational support across patient meal delivery and retail dining environments. The role helps ensure dietary accuracy, food quality, service excellence, food safety, and compliance with institutional standards. It also supports workflow coordination, employee training, and resolution of customer and service issues. Duties include setting up food service areas, preparing and serving menu items, assembling and delivering patient trays, maintaining product quality and stock, operating POS systems, handling and reconciling cash, assisting guests, and maintaining clean and safe work areas. The associate may serve as Person in Charge when the manager is absent, guide and train coworkers, coordinate daily tasks, and resolve service concerns. The role requires maintaining patient confidentiality and meeting food safety certification requirements. The scheduled hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., including rotating weekends and holidays. The employer describes a comprehensive benefits package and opportunities to develop healthcare food service, leadership, and customer service skills.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Two years of experience in patient care, customer service, or hospitality services, or two years of experience as a waiter, server, or cashier in food service.
Current ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification from the National Restaurant Association within 30 days of employment, maintained throughout employment in Food & Nutrition Services.
Successful completion of the MD Anderson apprenticeship program, or nine months' completion of the program, may substitute for a maximum of one year of experience.

Nice To Haves

Some college.

Responsibilities

Set up hot and cold lines and café areas according to daily specifications and verify equipment readiness.
Check food temperatures, replenish food items, monitor holding quality, and rotate products to maintain freshness and appearance.
Prepare and serve menu items, including salads, sandwiches, simple bakery items, beverages, and specialized coffee drinks, following written procedures and standardized recipes.
Portion, garnish, and present food according to quality standards.
Assemble and deliver patient trays, ensuring correct portions, prescribed diets, restrictions, labeling, and accuracy.
Lead floor stock and nourishment preparation while maintaining par levels and rotating products.
Escalate equipment, product, vendor, customer, patient, and service issues.
Operate POS registers and payment devices; verify banks, provide receipts and change, reconcile transactions, secure deposits, and support opening and closing procedures.
Provide friendly, solutions-oriented service; assist customers with menu selections and seating; and maintain professional interactions.
Keep condiments, utensils, napkins, displays, and service areas clean, stocked, and compliant.
Follow food safety and sanitation standards, including hand hygiene, allergen separation, cross-contamination prevention, and safe food handling.
Complete temperature logs and equipment checks; clean work areas, equipment, utensils, and service stations; remove trash; respond to spills; and complete opening and closing cleaning routines.
Wear PPE, model safe work practices, and identify workplace hazards.
Support Joint Commission and institutional compliance requirements.
Replenish and rotate stock, monitor food and disposable inventory, and record production, work orders, and leftovers to support forecasting and cost control.
Use Outlook, Excel, and Word to complete logs, checklists, and simple reports.
Serve as Person in Charge in the manager's absence and provide mentoring, guidance, and training to employees performing related work.
Facilitate and resolve difficult service issues and customer concerns professionally.
Coordinate and assign daily Food Service Associate tasks to optimize efficiency and coverage.
Model UT MD Anderson Core Values and Standards of Conduct and use the HEAL framework to restore trust and resolve concerns.
Coordinate handoffs with kitchen, retail, and room-service staff to avoid service gaps.
Report patient, customer, guest, colleague, and safety concerns promptly and appropriately.
Maintain strict confidentiality of patient information and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30 or more hours per week.
Optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance.
Accrued paid time off and Extended Illness Bank.
Paid holidays and other leave options, including wellness and childcare leave.
Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service.
Access to wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups.
Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System.
Voluntary retirement plans.
Employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs.
Educational opportunities and individual and team recognition.