Casual Dietary Aide, Riverview Gardens

Municipality of Chatham-Kent; South Buxton; On-site; CAD 27,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is hiring a Dietary Aide for Riverview Gardens in Ontario. The role focuses on preparing and serving meals to residents in accordance with safety and health regulations. It requires FSW training or enrollment and knowledge of geriatric nutrition.

The successful candidate will work indoors in a long-term care setting, with emphasis on sanitation, documentation, and collaboration with health-care teams. A vulnerable sector check is required prior to employment.

Qualifications

• Secondary School Diploma or GED required.
• FSW training completed or enrollment in FSW program.
• Completion within 3 years if enrolled in the FSW program.
• Knowledge of geriatric nutrition.
• Understanding of sanitation and food handling.
• Basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve meals and snacks to residents.
• Operate dietary department equipment.
• Maintain sanitation and hygiene in dining and kitchen areas.
• Record on Quality Assurance records and report unmet criteria.
• Adhere to Ministry of Long-Term Care regulations and department policies.
• Assist in ensuring prescribed diets and textures are followed.

Skills

Geriatric nutrition knowledge

Sanitation knowledge

Basic computer skills

Education

Secondary School Diploma or GED

FSW training program completed

Enrollment in FSW program (Ontario)

Tools

Food service equipment operation

Job description

Closing Date: November 19 ,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.