Food Service Assistant I Candidate Pool

Howard County Public School System; Poland; On-site; PLN 119,000 - 156,000; Full time

Job summary

Howard County Public School System is seeking a Food and Nutrition Service Assistant 1 to support meal preparation, serving, and basic kitchen operations across elementary, middle, or high schools in the district.

The role requires a High School diploma or GED and at least 6 months of PreK-12 cafeteria food service experience. You will assist with inventory, safety, and daily compliance in a 10-month school calendar.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED.
• 6 months of experience in food service within a PreK-12 school cafeteria.

Responsibilities

• Assists in preparation of main dishes, vegetables, salads, sandwiches, and other foods for serving.
• Sets up hot and cold food counters and stocks counters and carts with food, plates, utensils, and condiments.
• Serves food and beverages to students and adults and identifies a reimbursable meal under USDA program.
• Operates kitchen equipment such as mixers, slicers, ovens, stoves, tilt skillets and warmers.
• Cleans utensils and areas to maintain sanitary conditions.
• Assists with receiving and storing all food, equipment, and supplies and assists with inventory.
• Uses portion-control techniques to meet USDA requirements and replenishes items as needed.
• Inspects food items before serving to verify health compliance.
• Use safety devices and protective equipment to minimize accidents.
• Report hazards to the appropriate administrator.
• Knowledge of kitchen cleaning, serving techniques, and storage procedures.
• Basic safety and accident prevention in food prep and dining areas.
• Knowledge of sanitation regulations for food prep.
• Ability to learn prescribed food preparation methods.
• Ability to assist with hot and cold food preparation.
• Ability to read and follow work schedules.
• Ability to use and clean all kitchen equipment.
• Ability to serve students and adults efficiently and courteously.
• Ability to follow Food and Nutrition Service procedures.
• Ability to work well with colleagues and students.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and handle interruptions.
• Ability to be flexible in various situations.
• Ability to read operating manuals for equipment.
• Must have dependable transportation.

Skills

Kitchen cleaning

Serving techniques

Storage procedures

Safety and accident prevention

Sanitation knowledge

Read schedules

Kitchen equipment use

Customer service

Follow procedures

Teamwork

Calm under pressure

Flexibility

Manuals comprehension

Transportation ability

Education

High School diploma or GED

6 months of food service in PreK-12 cafeteria

Job description

ABOUT US

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is one of the leading school systems in Maryland and the nation. To learn more about us and our 2024 -2029 Strategic Plan, please visit our website and our careers page. Join our award-winning workforce and make a difference in the lives of our students!

DESCRIPTION

Under the direction of the Food and Nutrition Service Satellite Manager or other designated individual, Food and Nutrition Service Assistant 1 performsvarious duties involved with assisting with the preparation and serving of foods to students and cleaning of kitchen equipment and facilities.A person in this position maybe requiredto work as a floater at an elementary, middle, or high school.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate for this role will alsopossessa combination of theadditionalqualifications below. If youdon’tmeet every one of the preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply, as we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• High School diploma or GED.

• 6 months of experience in food service within a PreK-12 school cafeteria.

ESSENTIAL POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

The below list is a summary of the functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties.

• Assists inpreparationof main dishes, vegetables,salad baseditems,sandwichesand other foods and beverages served in the cafeteria. Sets up hot and cold food counters for serving and properly stocks counters and carts with food, plates, utensils, and condiments.

• Serves food and beverages to studentsand adults.Identifiesand serves a reimbursable meal as defined by the USDA child nutrition program as a unit to each student. May function as cashier, receive money, andoperatecafeteria point-of-sale register. Maintainan accurateaccount of cash collected and meals served.

• Operates kitchen equipment such as, but not limited to, electric mixers, slicers, grinders, ovens, stove tops, tilt-skillets, tilt kettles, warmers, and coolers.

• Cleans utensils, equipment, and the storage, food preparation, and serving areas for the purpose of maintaining sanitary conditions.

• Assistin receiving andstorage ofall food, equipment, paper, and cleaning supplies andassistingwith inventory. Stocks food, condiments and supplies tomaintainadequate quantities and security of items. Loads carts and delivers meals to classrooms as assigned.

• Uses the correctportioncontrol techniques to meet United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements. Replenish and refill any diminishing qualities of menu items being served and keep condiments always filled.

• Stocks food, condiments and supplies tomaintainadequate quantities and security of items. Inspects food items before served to verify compliance with mandated health requirements.

Employee Safety

• Theemployeeis responsible forthe use of safety devices and protective equipmentin order tominimize the frequency and severity of work-related accidents. The employeeis responsible forusing safe practices and methods in the operation and supplies related to their job.

• The employee is further responsible for correcting any conditions within the building or grounds that may be hazardous to employees, students, or staff assigned to the building and reporting same to theappropriate administrator.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

The below list is a summary of the knowledge, skills, and abilitiesrequiredfor success in this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list.

• Working knowledge of kitchen cleaning methods, serving techniques, and storage procedures.

• Introductory knowledge of safety and accident prevention techniques, especially as it pertains to food preparation, kitchen, and dining facilities.

• Working knowledge of sanitation regulations for food preparation.

• Ability to learn prescribed food preparation methods and school food service operations.

• Ability toassistwithpreparationof hot and cold foods and beverages.

• Ability to take and record food temperatures on time and temperature charts.

• Ability to read, understand, and follow work schedules.

• Ability to use and clean all kitchen equipment.

• Ability to serve students and adults efficiently, courteously, and rapidly.

• Ability to followFoodand Nutrition Service Policy and Procedures.

• Ability to work efficiently and harmoniously with other employees and work well with students and staff.

• Ability toremaincalm under trying circumstances and work with frequent interruptions.

• Ability to be flexible and adaptable in a variety of situations.

• Ability to read and understand operating manuals for equipment to be used.

• Must have dependable transportation throughout the working hours.

ADDITIONALREQUIREMENTS

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift bulk weights up to 55 pounds.

• Ability to stand, walk, sit, bend, squat, climb.

• Ability to stand forlong periodsof time and endure extreme temperatures.

The person selected for this position must meet all requirements of the physical examination administered by a medical service selected by the Howard County Department of Education.

Training

• Must meet the annual education/training requirements for the United States department of Agriculture (USDA) for School Nutrition Employees.

SELECTIONCRITERIA

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be included in further evaluation.Interviews will be limited to those applicants who, in addition to meeting the basic requirements, have experience and education which most closely match thepositionqualifications and the needs of the school system.

Applicants may be required to complete a skills assessment prior to or during the interview process.

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

Compensation

This is a10-month per year position in the Howard County Education Association, Educational Support Professionals (HCEA-ESP) employee unit. The current salary range for this position is Grade2on theFood Service and Assistantssalary scale. Step placement will bein accordance withthe salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System and the HCEA-ESP Master Agreement which considers relevant prior experience. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, this position is not exempt from overtime.

Retirement

Membership in the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) pension plan is a mandatory condition of employment for all employees who meet the eligibility and membership criteria defined in the State Personnel and Pensions Article and the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR). A qualifying employee cannot reject membership, nor can an ineligible employee elect membership.The annualcontribution to the pension plan will be 7% of an employee’s annual salary.

Benefits

HCPSS offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees. Information about additional benefits such as paid time off can be found in the negotiated agreement for employees in this bargaining unit.

Pre-EmploymentRequirements

Professional references will be contacted prior to any offerofemployment. Recommended candidates willbe requiredtoprovide references from current and recent supervisors.

All employees, regular and temporary, must be fingerprinted, have a criminal background investigation completed, and successfully complete the Maryland Employment History Review, pursuant toSection 6-113.2 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland. In addition, some positions will requirecompletion of a physical examination and/or drug testing.

Anyone offered employment isrequiredto provide proper identification and documentation of eligibility for employment in the United States. HCPSSparticipates in E-Verify anddoes not offer employee sponsorship.

For questionsregardingthisposting, pleasecontact [e-mail]

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

To request an accommodation during the application or interview process due to a documented disability, please email [e-mail].

HCPSS celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any kind. HCPSS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees in providing them with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at HCPSS are based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, veteran status or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.