Nutrition Assistant- Berkeley

YMCA of the East Bay; Berkeley, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 24,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Life and AD&D Insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts

Long-Term Disability Insurance

Employee Assistance and Wellness

12 Designated Holidays

Paid Time Off

Professional Development

YMCA Membership Benefits

Job summary

The YMCA of the East Bay is seeking a Nutrition Assistant to support our Head Start centers in Berkeley. You will help prepare and deliver meals, assist with mealtime in classrooms, and maintain a clean, safe kitchen in compliance with Head Start standards and California regulations.

As part of a collaborative food service team, you will ensure meals meet quality and safety expectations while creating a welcoming environment for children and families. This is an on-site, full-time role.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent; ECE units/Child Development Permit preferred.
• Must enroll in at least 3 ECE units per semester until 12 units are completed with a grade of C or better.
• One year of Early Childhood classroom experience preferred; volunteer or paid experience considered.
• Current Pediatric First Aid and CPR certificates, or completion within 90 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Prepare food per daily menu using health and sanitation procedures.
• Deliver food to classrooms in correct portions from central kitchen.
• Provide dishes, utensils, and supplies to classrooms and sanitize after use.
• Maintain warm, welcoming relationships with children and families.

Skills

English communication

Education

High School Diploma

ECE units/Child Development Permit preferred

Job description

Job Category: Head Start - Early Childhood Impact

Requisition Number: NUTRI002744

• Posted : August 27, 2026
• Full-Time
• On-site
• Hourly Range : $21.32 USD to $21.32 USD

Locations

Showing 1 location

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.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• 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 Benefitsavailablefor 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 Function from the Job Description for this role

• 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 manager 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

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• 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

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.