Kitchen Assistant (Marketplace)

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Firestone Park (CA); On-site; USD 24,796 - 27,552; Part time

Job summary

Occidental College is seeking a Kitchen Assistant for Campus Dining to prepare and cook menu items in a fast-paced setting while maintaining cleanliness and safety standards.

The role requires high-volume cooking experience, ServeSafe certification, and strong communication to support diverse students and staff. 10-month term with potential extension and a 20–32 hour work week on-site in Los Angeles.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; culinary knowledge and volume cooking experience.
• ServeSafe Certification (or equivalent food safety certification).
• Familiarity with special diets and allergens.
• Read, write and speak English fluently.
• One year of experience in high-volume cooking and catering operations.
• Detail-oriented and able to manage multiple tasks with accuracy.
• Strong communication and teamwork across diverse groups.
• Commitment to justice, equity, inclusion & diversity.
• Adaptability to high-volume, high-accountability kitchen environments.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to self-motivate and work independently.
• Ability to lead and train across functions.

Responsibilities

• 65% - Volume cooking in a restaurant-style atmosphere following recipes with safe knife handling and sanitation standards.
• 20% - Read and follow instructions in English; operate kitchen tools safely.
• 10% - Interact with a diverse community; inform guests about ingredients and dietary needs.
• 5% - Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

High-volume cooking

Culinary knowledge

English proficiency

Food safety awareness

Dietary/allergen awareness

Leadership/training

Detail oriented

Multitasking

Education

High school diploma or GED

Culinary Degree

ServeSafe Certification

Job description

About Occidental College

Founded in 1887, Occidental is a nationally recognized, privatecollege of the liberal arts and sciences, dedicated to providing agifted and diverse group of students with a total educationalexperience of the highest quality -- one that prepares them forleadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent andpluralistic world.

What makes Occidental special? An intellectually rigorous academicenvironment. Small classroom settings where students collaboratewith professors and their peers while pursuing or discovering theirpassion. A beautiful residential campus that offers studentshands-on engagement with the cultural and intellectual resources ofLos Angeles. A community open to stimulating conversation anddivergent points of view. Some 2,100 students from 46 states and 28countries choose from 41 majors and minors and participate in onethe country’s top undergraduate research programs. Oxy studentsroutinely win top awards and fellowships; its first Rhodes Scholarwas named in 1907. Dedicated to excellence and equity, Occidentalalso is one of the country’s most economically diverse campuses,according to the New York Times. Some 71 percent of Oxy studentsreceive some form of financial aid; 20 percent are Pell Grantrecipients; and 19 percent are the first in their family to attendcollege.

Title: Kitchen Assistant

Department: Campus Dining

Duration: 10 months - End Date: June 30, 2027 (PossibleExtension)

Employment Status: Non-Exempt, Part-Time, 20-32 hours perweek

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Director, Culinary Services, the KitchenAssistant prepares and cooks multiple assigned menu items forstations and catering in a timely manner and to expected standards. Responsible for the cleanliness of work area(s) while working andat end of shift. Fosters positive customer relations.

Job Duties

• 65% - As assigned, perform volume cooking in a restaurant styleatmosphere adhering to provided recipes and in keeping with safeknife handling and kitchen sanitation standards while working withspeed and efficiency. - (Essential)
• 20% - Perform assignments applying knowledge and safeoperations standards of kitchen tools and equipment, having theability to read, understand and comply with instructions inEnglish. - (Essential)
• 10% - Perform work effectively within a diverse community ofstudents, employees, faculty, staff and others. Converse, respondto and provide ingredient information related to food allergies anddietary needs. - (Essential)
• 5% - Performs other duties as assigned. - (Essential)

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED. A combination of culinary knowledgeand significant volume cooking experience.
• ServeSafe Certification (or equivalent food safetycertification).
• Familiarity with special diets and allergens.
• Read, write and speak English as well as be able to conversefluently.
• One year of experience in high volume cooking and cateringoperation.
• Demonstrated knowledgeable of kitchen sanitation and safetyprocedures, in addition to special diets, common food allergies,and skilled in methods of servicing customers with these specialneeds.
• Demonstrated ability to be detail-oriented and thorough;skilled at anticipating and preventing potential problems andhandling a wide variety of tasks with efficiency and accuracy.Strong commitment to a quality work product.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally, inwriting and electronically.
• Effective interpersonal skills as evidenced in the ability tocollaborate with a variety of constituencies.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, inclusion &diversity.
• Demonstrated skill in adapting to and performing workeffectively in high-volume, high accountability, confidentialenvironment with multiple and changing priorities.
• Effective organizational, logistical, time management andplanning skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multipletasks/projects simultaneously, prioritize and fulfill the functionsof an office in a timely manner.
• Ability to self-motivate and work independently.
• Ability to provide effective leadership and training, and towork effectively and professionally across functions, disciplines,levels, and with diverse groups.

Preferred Qualifications

• Culinary Degree from an accredited school/institution.
• Five years of experience in high volume cooking and cateringoperation.

EXPECTED HIRING RANGE: $18.42/hr. This position is not eligible forbenefits.