Casual Dietary Aide, Riverview Gardens

Municipality of Chatham-Kent; South Buxton; On-site; CAD 28,000 - 37,000; Part time

Job summary

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is hiring a Dietary Aide/Cook for Riverview Gardens in Chatham, Ontario. This permanent casual, part-time role supports residents with nutritious meals and snacks, following safety and sanitation guidelines and prescribed textures and diets.

Ideal candidates have a secondary school diploma or equivalent, plus a Food Services Worker training program completion or enrollment. The job requires physical ability for indoor work and participation in background checks.

Qualifications

• Secondary School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Must have or be enrolled in an FSW program in Ontario.
• Valid Safe Food Handling Certificate is required.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve meals and snacks to residents according to prescribed diets.
• Operate equipment in the dietary department and maintain sanitation.
• Record on QA records and report unmet criteria to supervisor.
• Follow Ministry regulations and internal policies for nutrition and hydration.
• Work day and afternoon shifts; may include weekends and call-in hours.

Skills

Food safety

Sanitation

Basic computer skills

Reading recipes

Education

Secondary School Diploma or equivalent

Food Services Worker (FSW) training program

Enrollment in FSW program (Ontario)

Job description

Job Category: Cook / Dietary (Long Term Care)

Requisition Number: CASUA001623

• Part‑Time
• On‑site

Locations

Showing 1 location

Chatham, ON N7M1G8, CAN

Description

Job Status: Permanent Casual

Union: UNIFOR (RVG)

Number of Positions: 2

Hours of Work: 22.5 hours/weekly

Closing Date: October 28 ,2026 at 11:59pm EST. Applications received after this deadline will not be accepted.

The Dietary Aide contributes to the well‑being of residents by providing nutritional meals and snacks to residents and visitors at Riverview Gardens in a timely fashion, in accordance with Safe Food Handling Practices, Ministry of Health, Public Health Regulations and Sanitation Code and departmental policies and procedures.

• Demonstrate Chatham‑Kent’s core values and competencies
• Prepare and serve meals and snacks (meat and dairy products, fruits and vegetables, snacks and desserts) to residents
• Operate all equipment in the dietary department
• Clean and sanitize all food service equipment and wares
• Use all provided tools and information to ensure every resident receives their prescribed diet and texture of meals and snacks
• Discuss resident meal service requirements with health care team members
• Make sure food is hygienically and correctly prepared and attractively presented
• Set and clean dining areas and ware washing
• Record on Quality Assurance records, and report unmet criteria to coordinator or supervisor
• Report resident meal service issues to registered staff supervising dining room meal services
• Strict adherence to the Ministry of Long‑Term Care and Fixing Long‑Term Care Act and Regulations for Nutrition and Hydration, Occupational Health & Safety Act, Public Health Regulations, and the Sanitation Code is required
• Ensure that nursing home and dietary department policies and procedures are followed
• Secondary School Diploma or equivalent education (e.g. GED certificate) required
• Dietary Aides must have:
• Successfully completed a Food Services Worker (FSW) training program at an established college or registered private career college in Ontario (Fixing Long‑Term Care Act, 2021)
• OR be currently enrolled in a Food Services Worker (FSW) training program at an established college or registered private career college in Ontario (Fixing Long‑Term Care Act, 2021)
• For applicants currently enrolled in the FSW course, they must successfully complete the program within three (3) years from the first day of employment
• Must be knowledgeable with respect to the nutritional/dietary needs of geriatric residents
• Knowledge of good sanitation and food handling techniques to avoid infection or the spread of contagious illnesses
• Basic computer skills

Other qualifications

• Previous experience working as a Dietary Aide or Cook in a Long‑Term Care setting an asset
• Previous experience working as a Food Service Worker/Dietary Aide in a non‑long‑term care setting an asset
• Experience on a work committee (i.e. health & safety, education, wellness, etc.) an asset
• Previous experience providing training to new staff preferred

Certifications, memberships, licenses

• Enrollment in a Food Services Worker Program required to start
• Safe Food Handling Certificate-Public Health required

Work environment/hours of work

• This position works mostly indoors
• There are no guaranteed hours for this position
• This position works day and afternoon shifts on weekdays and weekends
• Must be able to accept call‑in hours for day and afternoon shifts (both weekday and weekend), which may include four (4) hour shifts and statutory holidays

Background check requirements

Successful candidates will be required to complete a background check prior to commencement of employment. A background check may include the following: education/certification verification and employment reference check. This position works with vulnerable residents in a position of trust and authority, on a sustained and regular basis, in a largely unsupervised capacity. A Vulnerable Sector Screen is required (Fixing Long‑Term Care Act Section 252 O. Reg. 246/22) prior to being accepted for employment. You must be 18 years of age or older to obtain a vulnerable police check.

As per the Fixing Long‑Term Care Act, all staff members shall promptly provide the employer with a signed declaration disclosing new charges, convictions, orders and restraining orders, consistent with Ontario Regulation Section 253 O. Reg 246/22, with respect to the period since the date the person’s last criminal reference check under subsection (2) was conducted.

Essential physical and/or safety requirements

• Annual Flu immunization is required
• 2 step TB skin test to be completed within two weeks of starting position
• The employer may request a “Physical Task Analysis”
• Provides regularly scheduled meals and snacks; prepares food and provides meal service:meat and dairy products, fruits and vegetables, desserts, may include potential allergens to individual staff
• Bending: frequent stooping (up to 4.55 kgs or 10 lbs) (prepares food and provides meal service to residents; performs cleaning duties as scheduled; sets up tables in the dining rooms with utensils and ware for breakfast, lunch and supper; manual and mechanical ware washing of all dishes, utensils, pots/pans, etc.; stocks work areas with required food and non‑food items)
• Walking: frequent walking on level surface, balancing (up to 13.64 kgs or 30 lbs) (delivers/returns food items/non‑food items and equipment to work areas using hatch carts, cambro carts, dessert cart, nourishment cart, three tier carts etc.; sets up tables in the dining rooms with utensils and ware for meals; stocks work areas with required food and non‑food items)
• Reaching: frequent reaching forward; constant reaching below shoulder, handling (up to 13.64 kgs or 30 lbs) (provides regular scheduled meals and snacks; prepares food and provides meal service to residents; performs cleaning duties as scheduled; manual and mechanical ware washing of all dishes, utensils, pots/pans, etc.; stocks work areas with required items)
• Lifting: frequent lifting floor to waist, waist to shoulder, carrying, transferring, pushing below shoulder, pulling below shoulder (up to 13.64 kgs or 30 lbs) (performs cleaning duties as scheduled; manual and mechanical ware washing of all dishes, utensils, pots/pans, etc.; stocks work areas with required food and non‑food items)
• Standing: constant standing (up to 4.55 kgs or 10 lbs) (food preparation, cooking and cleaning routines; long periods of sustained standing)
• Hands: constant fine finger dexterity (movement), gripping, pinching (up to 4.55 kgs or 10 lbs) (Prepares food and provides meal service to residents; performs cleaning duties as scheduled; documentation (temperature and cleaning checklists); manual and mechanical ware washing of all dishes, utensils, pots/pans, etc.; stocks work areas with required food and non‑food items)

Asper the UNIFOR (RVG) (2022-2024) collective agreement, this permanent casual position would receive $19.92 - $26.92 per hour in addition to 15% in lieu of benefits and 4% vacation pay.

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The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain talented employees in a workplace that is inclusive, supportive, and reflective of the diverse community we serve.

Should you require accommodations during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources & Organizational Development (HROD) at 519-360-1998. Applicant information is collected under the authority of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy legislation and will be used strictly for the purpose of candidate selection.