Dining Services IV at Prairie Vista Youth Services Center

State of Colorado; Brighton (CO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Colorado’s Division of Youth Services seeks a dedicated food service supervisor for Prairie Vista Youth Services Center in Brighton, CO. You will oversee safe, compliant meal operations, lead kitchen staff, ensure sanitation, and manage inventories and records.

This role supports CDE/USDA guidelines and coordinates with facility management for smooth meals. Applicants must have at least 3 years of food service experience and may substitute formal education; Servesafe certification

Qualifications

• Three (3) years of food service experience in prepping, customer service, baking, cooking and preparation of food.
• Substitutions: Formal Food Service Education through an accredited institution.
• Preferred qualifications include Servesafe certification and experience in restaurants or other food service environments.

Responsibilities

• Inventory management, sanitation and food safety compliance duties.
• Lead dining facility staff and manage daily workflows and schedules.
• Meal preparation and logging, adhering to national standards and recipes.
• Ensure safety, security and proper handling of chemicals and equipment.
• Participate in training, meetings and onboarding; maintain required documentation.
• Record, correct and verify daily meal counts for reimbursement; perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Food service experience

Leadership

Education

Formal food service education

Job description

Physical Location:

Prairie Vista Youth Services Center
192 Bromley Business Pkwy
Brighton, CO 80603

About the Division of Youth Services

The mission of the Division of Youth Services (DYS) is to protect, restore and improve public safety utilizing a continuum of care that provides effective supervision, promotes accountability to victims and communities, and helps youth lead constructive lives through positive youth development. The strategic goal of DYS is to operate healthy trauma-responsive organizational environments as demonstrated through prosocial, safe, and non-violent interactions.

DYS provides a continuum of services that encompass juvenile detention, assessment, commitment and parole. DYS is the agency statutorily mandated to provide for the care and supervision of youth committed by the District Court to the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services. The Division operates 15 secure facilities that serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21, who are pre‑adjudicated, sentenced, or committed. For pre‑adjudicated youth, the Division is also responsible for the management and oversight of the Colorado Youth Detention Continuum; a State‑funded, locally administered program that provides services to youth at risk of further progressing into the juvenile justice system. In addition to residential programming, the Division administers juvenile parole services throughout the State. We have many opportunities within DYS to positively impact youth and families.

https://www.colorado.gov/cdhs/dys

Work arrangements

You are required to work at your assigned work location during your scheduled work times.

Our facility operates 24 hours a day across three shifts.

First shift (06:30–14:30) ; Second shift (14:30–22:30) ; Overnight (22:30–06:30)

Please note: Work arrangements are subject to change at any time

About the position:

This role oversees the effective, safe, and fully compliant execution of food service operations across the Nutrition Services Department. Responsibilities encompass meal assembly, culinary preparation, precise portioning, environmental sanitation, administrative recordkeeping, inventory intake, delivery logistics, and daily work leadership. Serving in a lead capacity, the position directs operational workflows, allocates daily tasks, monitors output quality, establishes duty schedules, and enforces quality standards for Dining Services III personnel. Duties in this position include:

Inventory management, sanitation and food safety compliance:

• Forecast, acquire, inventory, inspect, reject, and safely store raw ingredients and supplies needed for meal preparation.
• Approve purchase requisitions and billing invoices for processing, and enforce FIFO stock rotation protocols throughout culinary areas.
• Enforce proper product labeling and date-marking standards.
• Evaluate product intake and storage conditions to uphold health standards.
• Maintain strict compliance with sanitation guidelines and food protection protocols.
• Schedule routine cleaning of kitchen equipment and facility infrastructure to eliminate food debris, dust, and microbial growth.
• Monitor holding times and thermal thresholds to safeguard against foodborne pathogens.
• Perform formal audits of food preparation environments to guarantee sanitation compliance and verify accurate logging of critical thermal readings.
• Gather feedback from youth regarding menu item acceptance and satisfaction.
• Inspect kitchen facilities to maintain environmental hygiene and confirm operating parameters for refrigeration units.
• Compile daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual operational documentation required by the CDE, USDA, local health regulations, and facility policy.

Work lead:

• Guide dining facility personnel to ensure operational delivery and maintain strict compliance with state rules, statutory guidelines, and institutional standards.
• Oversee work assignments, monitor daily workflow, manage operational schedules, and evaluate time‑off requests.
• Contribute to annual performance evaluations and maintain proper administrative documentation.
• Facilitate onboarding for incoming staff, oversee culinary training programs, and verify regulatory logging for cooling, equipment, and sharps management.
• Coordinate shift coverage effectively to satisfy institutional staffing demands.

Meal preparation:

• Generate and log daily production records via the PrimeroEdge system.
• Enforce strict compliance with established menus and standardized recipes per National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and DYS operational mandates.
• Gather feedback from youth regarding menu item acceptance and overall satisfaction.
• Compile daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual documentation satisfying CDE, USDA, local health regulations, and institutional policies.
• Log necessary recipe adjustments for central office submission while ensuring served meals meet visual, quality, and thermal requirements.

Safety and Security:

• Identify and mitigate safety hazards in the work environment.
• Ensure proper utilization and maintenance of food service equipment.
• Enforce safety practices to prevent workplace injuries, including slips, trips, falls, and burns.
• Inventory knives and culinary utensils in accordance with facility procedures to prevent loss.
• Maintain locked doors to uphold security standards across the facility.
• Comply with facility key control procedures.
• Ensure proper storage, handling, and application of chemical supplies.

Training and meetings:

• Participate in DYS and facility meetings to stay informed on updated procedures and operational guidelines.
• Engage in professional development and training opportunities to enhance job‑related competencies.
• Establish schedules to ensure all required training modules are completed ahead of established deadlines.
• Identify scheduling overlaps or staffing shortages, notify supervisors promptly, and arrange makeup training sessions prior to compliance expiration.
• Report computer account lockouts resulting from inactivity and coordinate with the Office of Information Technology (OIT) to restore access.

Other duties as assigned:

• Execute special projects and additional operational duties as required.
• Record, correct, and verify daily meal counts for Colorado Department of Education (CDE) reimbursement within the PrimeroEdge software system.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Three (3) years of Food service related experience in prepping, customer service, baking, cooking and preparation of food in a food service environment.

Experience Only:

Three (3) years of Food service related experience in prepping, customer service, baking, cooking and preparation of food in a food service environment.

Substitutions:

Formal Food Service Educational through an accredited institution

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in meal preparation and service.
• Servesafe Certification
• Experience working in restaurants and other food service environments

Conditions of Employment:

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Full background check and reference check required
• This position requires State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position.
• Shift Work -Subject to assigned shifts, may be required to work breakfast, lunch, or dinner shifts.
• Position is considered essential and you may be required to report to work during inclement weather
• Use, Handling, or Exposure to hazardous materials – Various cleaning agents used in the kitchen.
• Travel – May require floating to other DYS facilities to help with coverage, travel to meetings and training.
• Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion of the DYS Pre-service Training Academy, Field Training Program (FTO) and mandatory annual training in all subject areas.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:
  • Disclose that information on the application.
  • Explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current position.
  • Provide your employee number from your prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

CDHS Selection Process Explanation

Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements.

Preferred Qualifications & Competencies:

• Relevant years of state service experience.

Minimum Qualification Screening Process

A Human Resources Analyst will review the work experience/job duties sections of the online job application to determine whether your experience meets the minimum qualifications for the position. You must complete the official State of Colorado online application. Cover letters and resumes WILL NOT be reviewed during the minimum qualifications screening process. You must specifically document your work experience and qualifications in the application form. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached".

Comparative Analysis Process

After minimum qualification screening, the comparative analysis process will involve reviewing and rating of all the information you submit. The comparative analysis step may also include your results from standardized testing.

Your Work Experience/Job Duties

Document your work experience/job duties to the extent to which you possess the skills, education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications.

Supplemental Questions

Answer the supplemental questions completely and thoughtfully. We will rate your answers based on the content of your response and your writing skills (spelling, grammar, and clarity of your writing).

Appeal Rights

You may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director if your application is eliminated. You will find the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it on the State Personnel Board website.

Contact the State Personnel Board for assistance: At [phone], or Refer to the Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801‑1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, within the Rules webpage.

• At [phone], or
• Refer to the Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801‑1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, within the Rules webpage.

Supplemental Information

• How to apply to the State of Colorado (Youtube Video, Runtime 3:59, Closed Captions Available)
• The Assessment Process

About Us & Benefits

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, join the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well‑being of the people of Colorado. Each of us is committed to contributing to a safe and accessible CDHS. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short‑and long‑term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center
• Employee Wellness program
• Excellent work‑life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
• *Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Our Values

• We believe in a people‑first approach: We prioritize the needs, well‑being, and dignity of the individuals, families and communities we serve. We commit to respect, fairness and access in every decision, policy and interaction. We engage client voices and experiences in the development and implementation of the services we provide.
• Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.
• We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.
• Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.
• We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.
• Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

ADA Accommodations

CDHS is committed to a Colorado for ALL qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment.

This includes completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre‑employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to [e-mail].

EEO Statement

The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer

We are committed to increasing a “Colorado for ALL” of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a “Colorado for ALL” drives our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

Additional Support For Your Application

Toll Free Applicant Technical Support

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application 1) ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and 2) close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.