Nutrition Assistant- Berkeley

Ravi's Import Warehouse; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts

Paid time off and holidays

Professional development and training

Employee Assistance and Wellness

Job summary

The Y in Berkeley is seeking a Nutrition Assistant to support our early childhood centers with safe, high‑quality meals for children daily. You will help ensure meals meet Head Start standards and California regulations while creating a welcoming environment for children and families.

You will assist with meal prep, classroom mealtime support, and maintaining a clean, safe kitchen. This role requires strong English communication and the ability to work in a fast-paced setting.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent; ECE units/Child Development Permit preferred.
• Upon hire, enroll in at least 3 ECE units per semester until 12 units completed with grade C or better.
• One year of Early Childhood classroom experience preferred (volunteer or paid considered).
• Cooking/food preparation experience preferred.
• Experience with children and families of diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Must communicate in English; bilingual preferred.
• LiveScan fingerprint and criminal record clearance.
• Pre‑employment physical exam and TB clearance.

Responsibilities

• Prepare food according to daily menu using health and sanitation procedures.
• Deliver food to classrooms in correct portions from central kitchen.
• Provide meals, dishes, utensils, and supplies to classrooms and clean/ sanitize after use.
• Foster warm, welcoming relationships with children and families.
• Log changes on transportation sheets and daily menu; communicate updates to supervisors.
• Fill Meal Incident Reports for food quality/quantity issues.
• Reheat food safely and monitor temperatures.
• Maintain refrigerator/freezer temperature logs twice daily.
• Clean and maintain kitchen areas and related equipment.
• Attend staff meetings and required professional development.
• Perform duties under supervision of Head Cook and Assistant Cook.
• Support classroom supervision and other duties as assigned.

Skills

English communication

Work under high stress

Food preparation

Experience with diverse families

Classroom support

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent with ECE units/Child Development Permit preferred

Enroll in Early Childhood Education units (3 per semester until 12 completed)

Job description

Position Summary

Join the Y, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. As a Nutrition Assistant, you will play a vital role in supporting our early childhood centers by helping provide safe, high-quality meals to children every day. You will help ensure that all meals and snacks meet Head Start standards and California regulations, while creating a positive, welcoming environment for children and families.

You will support food service operations through activities such as preparing and delivering meals, assisting with mealtime in the classroom, and maintaining a clean and safe kitchen environment.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance – Full-time employees are eligible for heavily subsidized coverage with several plan options.
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance, with options for Voluntary Life and AD&D coverage.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for health and dependent care expenses.
• Long-Term Disability Insurance for added financial protection.
• Employee Assistance and Wellness Programs to support mental health and work‑life balance.
• Commuter Benefits available for eligible employees.
• 12 Designated Holidays.
• Paid Time Off for vacation and sick leave.
• Professional Development Opportunities and ongoing training to support your career growth.
• YMCA Membership Benefits and discounts on programs for you and your family.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent, ECE units/Child Development Permit preferred.
• Upon hire, unless already achieved, must enroll in at least 3 units of Early Childhood Education from an accredited college or university per semester, until 12 units are successfully completed with a grade of C or better.
• One year of Early Childhood classroom experience preferred, but not required; volunteer or paid experience will be considered.
• Cooking/food preparation experience preferred.
• Experience working with children and families of diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to work effectively in a high stress environment.
• Physical examination and TB clearance.
• Proof of immunization for Measles and Pertussis; Flu vaccination recommended but not required.
• LiveScan fingerprint and criminal record clearance.
• Must be able to communicate in English with proficiency; bilingual or multilingual preferred.
• Pre‑employment physical examination and TB clearance.
• Current certificates for Pediatric First Aid and CPR, including a total of 15 hours of preventative health and safety training or completion of this training within 90 days of hire.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.

Specific Essential Functions

• Prepare food based on what is indicated on the daily menu utilizing health and sanitation procedures including washing hands, using gloves, and sanitizing food preparation areas properly.
• Deliver food for each classroom in correct proportions and from central kitchen to site(s).
• Provide food, dishes, utensils, and other supplies to each classroom in time for meal service. Clean and sanitize dishes and utensils after every use.
• Create warm and welcoming relationships with children and families.
• Review transportation sheets and other required paperwork, to be sure that they match what is indicated on the daily menu. Log changes when necessary.
• Communicate efficiently and in a timely manner with supervisors if/when issues arise.
• Fill out Meal Incident Reports to communicate issues related to food quality and quantity.
• Reheat food safely, if/when it falls out of proper temperature.
• Ensure accurate documentation of refrigerator and freezer temperature logs twice daily.
• Clean and sanitize thermometers before and after every use.
• Clean and maintain refrigerator and kitchen areas, recycling as appropriate.
• Attend staff meetings and required professional development opportunities.
• Perform duties under the direct supervision of the Head Cook and indirect supervision of the Assistant Cook.
• Perform other duties as assigned, including supporting general classroom supervision needs, as appropriate, and per availability.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Ability to walk, stand, and sit; use fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, climb and balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and occasionally required to reach with hands or arms.
• The employee must lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee is required to work outdoors daily.
• Mobility to quickly respond to emergencies.

Why Join the Y?

• Make a meaningful impact in the lives of children and families.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development in Early Childhood Education.
• Work in a supportive, community-focused environment.