Food Service Associate - Butcher Shop

Walden Local Meat Co.; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

Healthcare

Paid time off

Free meat

Discount program

Job summary

Walden Local Meat Co. in Boston is seeking a Food Service Associate for our South End butcher shop. This hands-on role centers on traditional whole-animal butchery, customer education, and daily shop operations from opening to closing.

You will lift beef quarters up to 250 lbs, collaborate with a small team, and help promote Walden's home-delivery meat share program while upholding our mission of sustainable agriculture.

Qualifications

• Physical strength to lift and move up to 250 lbs and sustain 50 lb movements during shifts.
• 2+ years of customer-centric work experience for a premium brand.
• Interest in learning or expanding skills with butchery tools and whole-animal breakdown.
• Excellent verbal communication and a team-oriented attitude.
• Passion for sustainable agriculture and a hands-on work approach.

Responsibilities

• Traditional whole animal butchery using professional tools to cut for customers.
• Manage physical receiving of product without a loading dock, including lifting beef quarters.
• Educate customers on the meat industry, our mission, and specific cuts.
• Safely handle products, maintain shop cleanliness/safety, and prep for opening/closing.
• Promote the Walden home delivery meat share program and assist with inventory planning.

Skills

Physical Strength

Customer Experience

Technical Curiosity

Communication

Mission-Driven

Tools

Knives

Bone Saws

Job description

Butcher Shop - Food Service Associate - Butcher Shop

Shawmut Ave, Boston MA

Title: Food Service Associate - Butcher Shop

Employment Type: Full Time (40-45 hours per week).

Schedule: Wednesday-Sunday, 12pm-8pm

About Walden Local

Join our 2021 "Best of Boston" award-winning team at Walden! We are seeking a skilled Butcher for our South End location who thrives in a traditional, "old-school" environment. Forget the industrial assembly line-here, you'll work directly with the product from the moment it arrives. This is a hands-on opportunity for a dedicated professional ready to take on the physical and technical challenges of authentic, whole-animal butchery.

What You'll Do

• Traditional Whole Animal Butchery: Utilize professional tools, including knives and bone saws, to perform whole animal butchery and provide custom cuts for our customers.
• The "Old School" Heavy Lift: Because we operate a traditional shop without a rail system or loading dock, you will manage the physical receiving of our product. This involves lifting beef quarters (up to 250 lbs) from delivery trucks onto wheeled carts, and again onto butcher blocks or hanging hooks. While this heavy lifting is usually concentrated on one day a week, it is an essential part of our workflow.
• Customer Engagement: Provide excellent service by educating customers on the meat industry, our mission, and specific cuts.
• Shop Operations: Safely handle products, maintain shop cleanliness/safety, and prepare the store for opening and closing.
• Growth: Promote the Walden home delivery meat share program and manage inventory planning.

What You'll Bring

• Physical Strength: Ability to lift and move up to 250 lbs (beef quarters) and the stamina to move up to 50 pounds repeatedly throughout a standard shift.
• 2+ years of customer-centric work experience for a premium brand.
• Technical Interest: A strong appetite to learn or expand your skills with butchery tools (knives, saws) and whole-animal breakdown.
• Communication: Excellent verbal communication skills and a team-oriented attitude.
• Mission-Driven: A passion for sustainable agriculture and a "hands-on" willingness to jump in where needed.

What We Offer

• The Fun Stuff: Up to 5 lbs of free meat weekly, plus 25% discounts on shop products and subscriptions.
• Financial & Benefits: 401k (after 90 days), and comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance.
• Time Off: Paid Sick Days, PTO, 9 Paid Holidays, Paid Parental Leave, and Volunteer Time Off.

Bonus points if you have...

• Professional kitchen experience
• Food industry experience
• Butchery or meat cutting experience

Don't check all the boxes? Don't worry! We know that there is no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. Walden Local is committed to building a team that brings passion for our mission and a diverse set of experiences and opinions. Feel welcomed to bring your whole and authentic self.

What We Offer:

• Financial: 401k (starting at 90 days)
• Health & Wellness: Medical, Dental & Vision
• Paid Sick Days, Paid Time Off, 9 Paid Holidays, Paid Parental Leave, Volunteer Time Off
• The Fun Stuff (starts from your first day): up to 5 lbs of free meat weekly, 25% off up to 2 Walden monthly meat subscription memberships, 25% discount at our South End Boston butcher shop

When You Join Walden...

You’ll be contributing to a mission-driven company committed to reinvigorating agricultural economies, in support of healthier communities, animals and soil. Walden is the leading brand of sustainable, locally-raised meat, connecting families with farmers by distributing directly to thousands of households across the Northeast. We believe in simplicity, doing ridiculous things for our members, and that the little things matter. We're building a diverse team that shares these passions. If you're inspired by ambitious missions and working hard to solve complicated problems, we'd love to meet you!