Café Worker (Part Time)

Columbia Gorge Community College; The Dalles (OR); On-site; USD 19,000 - 23,000; Part time

Job summary

Columbia Gorge Community College is seeking a Café Worker to prepare and serve quality food and beverages in a welcoming campus setting in The Dalles, Oregon. The role supports students, staff, and visitors with courteous service, POS transactions, basic food prep, and inventory management.

The position is part‑time (15–30 hours/week) with potential summer hours, requiring a customer‑service orientation and ability to work with diverse populations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Experience in food service, hospitality, retail, or customer service.
• Experience with POS systems and campus dining, meal‑plan programs, catering, or high‑volume meal production.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people from varied backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Welcome guests and take accurate orders with respectful service.
• Operate POS and process various transactions including campus accounts and meal plans.
• Prepare, portion, package, label, and serve menu items per recipes and standards.
• Support meal service for residents living in Chinook Residence Hall and ensure dependable service.
• Communicate ingredients and allergen information; manage substitutions and prevent cross‑contact.
• Receive, stock, label, store, and rotate food and supplies; monitor quantities and alert supervisors to shortages or waste.
• Maintain food temperatures and complete related safety and sanitation records.
• Clean and sanitize all surfaces and equipment; follow opening/closing procedures.
• Safely use kitchen and beverage equipment and report maintenance needs.
• Assist with catering, vending, and special events, including deliveries to campus locations.
• Follow college policies, safety, privacy, and nondiscrimination requirements.
• Collaborate with coworkers and campus partners and communicate concerns promptly.

Skills

Customer service

Cash handling

Communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Point‑of‑sale (POS) systems

Job description

Description

Who we are...

The Café Worker supports Columbia Gorge Community College by preparing and serving quality food and beverages in a welcoming, inclusive, and student-centered environment. The position provides courteous service to students, including students living in Chinook Residence Hall, as well as employees, visitors, and members of the public. Duties include customer service, point-of-sale and meal-plan transactions, basic food preparation, stocking and inventory rotation, delivery of food and supplies to approved campus locations, dishwashing, cleaning and sanitation, and assistance with café, catering, and related food-service operations. This part‑time position is generally scheduled for 15-30 hours per week during fall, winter, and spring terms, with potential hours during summer term based on operational needs. Weekly hours are not guaranteed and may vary with enrollment, residence-hall occupancy, events, and café operations.

This position contributes to CGCC's mission to prioritize equitable access to education, empower all students through learning, and drive inclusive prosperity throughout our community. The Café Worker helps create a sense of belonging by treating each person with respect, dignity, cultural awareness, and care.

Mission:

CGCC prioritizes equitable access to education, empowers all students through learning, and drive inclusive prosperity throughout our community.

Vision:

As an institution of higher education, CGCC innovates and excels, champions equity and inclusion, and nurtures belonging among our students, employees, and the community.

Priorities:

• Ensuring equitable access to education
• Advancing equitable student learning and educational outcomes
• Fostering economic growth, inclusive prosperity, and a thriving community

Guiding Principles

Open Communication, Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Equity and Inclusion.

Where we are...

Columbia Gorge Community College serves a diverse region in north-central Oregon and south-central Washington. CGCC acknowledges we are on the homelands of the Confederated Tribe of the Yakama Nation and neighboring tribes as well as the 14 bands along the Inchi I'wana (Columbia River). Our main campus is within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in The Dalles, Oregon. We also have a beautiful site in the city of Hood River.

What the area offers...

Nestled in the breathtaking beauty of the Columbia River Gorge, our College offers more than just a job; it offers a unique lifestyle. Imagine waking up to stunning mountain views, enjoying outdoor adventures in your backyard, and being part of a tight‑knit community dedicated to educational equity and innovation.

As a center of Native American trade for over 10,000 years and situated near the end of the Oregon Trail, the Columbia Gorge has a rich history. Much of the area is connected to agriculture, with large acreages of wheat fields, cherry, pear, and apple orchards. There are also dozens of world‑class vineyards, wineries, and breweries that, together with outdoor recreation, have created a strong hospitality and tourism industry.

Organizations like Comunidades, The Columbia River Inter‑Tribal Fish Commission, Washington Gorge Action Programs, and The Next Door are representative of the groups that span the Gorge area to provide community resources and leadership. Manufacturing, technology, and IT companies are expanding rapidly in the area, which is home to companies such as Insitu, Tofurky, Cardinal Glass, Sagetech, HoodTech, and Google. Portland is roughly an hour away, with its various urban attractions and access to international travel.

What you will do...

• Welcome guests, answer questions, take and accurately complete orders, and provide responsive, respectful service to people of varied cultures, backgrounds, identities, languages, and abilities.
• Operate the POS system, accurately process cash, card, campus account, meal‑plan, complimentary or other authorized transactions, and follow established cash handling and recantations procedures.
• Prepare, portion, package, label, and serve menu items according to recipes, production standards portion controls, presentation expectations, and direction from supervisor.
• Support scheduled meal service for students living in chinook Residence Hall, including preparing and packaging meals, verifying meal plan use, maintaining accurate service records, and helping ensure dependable service during assigned periods.
• Communicate ingredients and allergen information accurately using approved resources; follow established procedure for food allergies, dietary needs, substitutions, and prevention of cross‑contact.
• Receive, stock, date, label, store, and rotate food and supplies using established inventory and first-in, first‑out procedures; monitor quantities and notify the supervisor of shortages, quality concerns, or waste.
• Maintain required food temperatures and complete assigned food‑safety, production, cooling, holding, cleaning, or other operational records accurately and on time.
• Clean and sanitize food‑contact surfaces, equipment, utensils, dishes, service areas, storage areas, and shared workspaces; follow opening, closing, and scheduled cleaning procedures.
• Safely use knives, ovens, ranges, mixers, slicers, dishwashing equipment, beverage equipment, carts, and other approved food‑service tools; complete routine care or basic preventive maintenance only as trained and directed, and report equipment problems promptly.
• Assist with catering, vending, special events, deliveries, receiving, and other campus food‑service needs, which may include transporting food, beverages, equipment, or supplies to approved locations.
• Follow college policies and procedures and all applicable food‑safety, sanitation, workplace‑safety, accessibility, privacy, and nondiscrimination requirements.
• Work cooperatively with coworkers and campus partners; communicate schedule, service, safety, or supply concerns promptly; and contribute to an organized, respectful, and inclusive workplace.
• Perform other duties as assigned that are consistent with the purpose and level of the classification.

Requirements

What you bring...

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Previous food service, hospitality, retail, or customer service experience.
• Experience with point‑of‑sale systems, institutional food service, campus dining, meal‑plan programs, catering, or high‑volume meal production.
• Experience serving and communicating effectively with people from varied cultural, socioeconomic, linguistic, and educational backgrounds.

Minimum Requirements...

• Customer service practices that promote dignity, inclusion, access, and belonging.
• Basic food preparation, portioning, holding, storage, labeling, and inventory‑rotation practices.
• Food sanitation and personal hygiene practices, including prevention of contamination and allergen cross‑contact.
• Safe operation and cleaning of common commercial kitchen and beverage service equipment.
• Accurate cash handling, basic math, and use of a computerized point‑of‑sale system.
• Organization, attention to detail, time management, and the ability to shift priorities during busy service periods.
• Clear, professional, and respectful communication; ability to ask questions, accept direction, and work collaboratively.
• Sound judgment in recognizing and promptly reporting food‑safety, customer‑service, equipment, or workplace‑safety concerns.
• Ability to maintain appropriate confidentiality when handling student information or campus accounts and meal‑plan records.

Position information

Studies have shown that women and people of color may be less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every one of the qualifications listed. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job.

Starting salary is based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity.