Kitchen Assistant

Douglas County School District; Billings (MT); On-site; USD 24,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

HSA and FSA

Job summary

Douglas County School District is seeking a Kitchen Assistant to support daily meal prep and serve meals following safety and HACCP standards. The role emphasizes teamwork, customer service, and adherence to district policies in a school setting.

The position requires the ability to operate the POS system, assist with receiving and storing food items, and participate in ongoing USDA training. This is a part-time, on-site role at Castle Rock Middle School with 20 hours per week.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Ability to read and follow standards and procedures.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Ability to adapt to diverse school communities.

Responsibilities

• Participate in training including PGI Classes and may lead training for other kitchen staff.
• Complete USDA Mandatory Professional Standards hours annually.
• Operate Point of Sale system and reconcile monies daily for accuracy.
• Assist in unloading and proper storage of delivered food items.
• Prepare and serve meals following HACCP standards and safety rules.
• Travel to multiple schools to support kitchen sites as needed.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Communication skills

Oral and written communication

Team collaboration

Positive attitude

Policy adherence

English reading/writing

Education

High School or Equivalent

Tools

Point of Sale system

Job description

Job Posting Title:

Kitchen Assistant

Job Description:

Responsible for providing assistance in the daily preparation of the school lunch program. Develops and promotes good community relations among various community members and school clientele.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Frequent standing, reaching, lifting (including occasional overhead lifting), bending, kneeling, stooping, squatting, climbing, pushing, twisting, and pulling items weighing 40 lbs or less. Standing or walking 95% of the work day
• Occasional climbing and balancing using step stool
• Repetitive motions including lifting, keypad entry, chopping, filling and sealing packaging. Make fast repeated movements of fingers, hands and wrists.
• Use both hands to grasp, grip, move or operate objects or equipment

Position Specific Information (if Applicable):

Responsibilities:

Participate in training to include PGI Classes. May lead training for other kitchen staff members. Must annually complete all USDA Mandatory Professional Standards training hours, as required by position category. Actively pursues upcoming regulatory changes and provides sustainable solutions.

Communicates effectively in both written and verbal form, including electronic mail and computers. Maintains confidentiality of all student information.

Pursue opportunities to create positive relationships with the surrounding community, including other Nutrition Services staff, school staff, students and parents. Must have a focus on customer service. Must be pleasant, cooperative and able to work with a wide variety of people. Flexibility in learning new concepts, cooperates with others, and adapts to a variety of assignments and conditions.

Learn and Operate Point of Sale system and reconcile monies daily to ensure accuracy.

Assists in unloading and proper storage of delivered food items.

Independently follows menu and recipe instructions. Must produce and understand the regulations regarding preparation, proper food temperatures, appearance and portion sizes.

Serve meals daily while complying with all school food regulations and ensure health department sanitation standards. This includes ensuring the proper cooking and serving temperatures of foods are taken and recorded as required by HACCP standards.

Assist in the proper set up and cleanup of serving areas for timely service to students, including dishwashing and proper sanitation of work stations. Follows and understands all HACCP standards. Uses all kitchen equipment properly. Cleans equipment properly and follows all safety precautions.

Assist in the preparation, service, and sale of meals ensuring compliance with department regulations. Preparation of meals can include washing, cleaning, peeling, cutting and chopping fresh fruits, vegetables and meat items. Must follow standard recipe, proper portion sizes and verbal instructions.

Willing to travel to multiple schools based on the needs of sites, if requested. Flexibility in work schedule to meet the demands of the kitchen sites.

Perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

Certifications:

Education:

High School or Equivalent

Skills:

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to support positive outcomes, Effective oral and written communication skills, Maintains a generally positive attitude, Observes all District policies and procedures, Strong organizational and time management skills, Verbal and written communication skills in English and a demonstrated ability to read and comprehend written/graphic and oral instructions

Position Type:

Regular

Primary Location:

Castle Rock Middle School

One Year Only (Yes or No):

No

Scheduled Hours Per Week:

20

FTE:

0.50

Approx Scheduled Days Per Year:

172 Work Days

• (260 days indicatesa year-round position. Time off [or Off-Track Days] are thengranted based on the position. Any exceptions to the normal off-track time will be noted in the Additional Position Details section above, as scheduled work days.)

Minimum Hire Rate:

$17.39 USD Hourly

Maximum Hire Rate:

$22.14 USD Hourly

Full Salary Range:

$17.39 USD - $26.89 USD Hourly

• All salary amounts listed above are based on a full-time (1.0) FTE. If applicable, part-time salaries will be prorated according to the assigned FTE.

Benefits:

This position is eligible for health, vision, dental, health savings account (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), District paid and voluntary additional (supplemental) life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, short and long-term disability, critical illness and accident voluntary insurance, employee assistance program (EAP), voluntary 401(k), 403(b) and 457 retirement plan options.

Time Off Plans:

This position is eligible for paid sick and personal time.

This position will be open until filled, but will not be open past:

December 25, 2026