Cafeteria Technician

Orleans Parish School Board; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

NOLA Public Schools is seeking a Cafeteria Technician to prepare nutritious meals that meet district and state standards, while keeping a clean and sanitary kitchen. The role supports cafeteria management and ensures accurate food temperature logging and safe handling.

The ideal candidate has a high school diploma and nutrition/service training with applicable experience, and can work independently in a fast-paced school setting.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• School food service training and 3 years of experience strongly preferred.
• Ability to follow written and oral instructions and interpret recipes; math to adjust recipes.

Responsibilities

• Prepares nutritious meals using correct food preparation techniques and standardized recipes.
• Operates large and small equipment safely and efficiently.
• Maintains good practices in the kitchen and follows established hygiene.
• Completes daily food temperature logs and refrigerator/freezer temperatures for safety.
• Gives clear oral instructions to other Technicians as needed.
• Stores deliveries and removes garbage from kitchen/cafeteria area.
• Performs other duties as required.

Skills

Written & oral instructions

Recipe interpretation

Math skills

Physical health/fitness

Independence

Customer service

Ability to work under pressure

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Food service training + 3 years experience preferred

Job description

NOLA Public Schools Vision

The vision of the NOLA Public Schools is that every student receives a high-quality education that fosters their individual capabilities, while ensuring that they thrive, achieve physical and mental wellness, and are prepared for civic, social, and economic success.

Position Summary

The Cafeteria Technician is responsible for preparing excellent food quality and serving nutritious food that meets nutrition standards set forth by the district, federal, and state. This position is responsible for maintaining a clean and sanitary working area.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty at a high level. Other duties may be assigned
• Prepares nutritious meals using correct food preparation techniques and standardized recipes;
• Operates large and small equipment safely and efficiently;
• Maintains good practices in the kitchen;
• Adheres to established personal hygiene techniques;
• Serves food attractively on the line and practices portion control;
• Cleans kitchen floors, all equipment, pots, pans, dishes, utensils, and dining room furnishings, as scheduled by the Cafeteria Manager;
• Uses acceptable sanitation techniques in food handling;
• Complete food temperature Logs daily to ensure food safety;
• Complete and Maintain daily temperatures Logs for refrigerators and freezers to ensure accurate food safety;
• Gives clear oral instructions to other Technicians as needed;
• Uses safe working procedures, corrects and/or reports unsafe working conditions;
• Practices regular equipment maintenance;
• Store’s deliveries and removes garbage and trash from kitchen/cafeteria area;
• Assists cafeteria manager with specific responsibilities under certain conditions;
• Performs other duties as required.

Education And Experience

• High School Diploma or equivalent is required
• School food service training and 3 years of experience strongly preferred

Other Knowledge, Skills Or Abilities Required

• Ability to follow written and oral instructions, work schedules, interpret recipes and other printed information. Sufficient mathematics ability to adjust recipes;
• Must be in excellent physical health and be able to pass the physical requirements of the Medical Department;
• Must exhibit excellent work habits, good attendance, the ability to work with students and co-workers;
• Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given, prescribed routines, and standard accepted practices; and
• Must be able to work under pressure, while maintaining a positive attitude and providing exemplary customer service

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Salary Offers

Our salary offers reflect a commitment to equity and transparency. Each offer is determined by education, years of experience, and alignment with compensation across similar roles within the district.

Work Environment

• Required to use motor coordination with finger dexterity (such as keyboarding, machine operation, etc.) part of the workday;
• Required to exert physical effort in handling objects more than 30 pounds rarely;
• Required to be exposed to physical occupational risks (such as cuts, burns, exposure to toxic chemicals) rarely;
• Required to be exposed to physical environment which involves dirt, odors, noise, weather extremes or similar elements rarely;
• Normal setting for this job is an office/school setting

Performance Evaluation

The employee will be evaluated based on the above position using either two methods: via COMPASS/LEADS or a NOLA-PS evaluating instrument. If the employee holds an Educational Leadership certification, he/she will be evaluated via COMPASS/LEADS to ensure renewal of certification.

EEOC Statement

NOLA Public Schools is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, genetic information, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, lawful alien status, national origin, age, marital status, and non-job related physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Appropriate Child Nutrition Salary Schedule (Page 18)

https://nolapublicschools.com/careers/compensation-manual