Production Baker - SE Portland

Elephants-Delicatessen; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 22,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation and sick time

Kaiser Medical coverage

Dental, FSA, and 401(k) with 4% match

Training to advance culinary career

Mental Health Services

Job summary

Elephants Delicatessen is seeking a skilled Production Baker for our Central Kitchen in Portland, OR. The role handles breads, pastries, and bake-off items in a fast-paced environment, with early mornings and varied shifts.

You will mix, proof, bake, decorate, and package goods, ensuring quality and food safety. A strong attention to detail and the ability to work with a team are essential for success.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED preferred.
• Minimum 1 year of bakery, pastry, dessert, bake-off, or commercial kitchen production experience; equivalent culinary or pastry education may substitute.
• Experience in a high-volume or commercial bakery production environment preferred.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality, consistency, food safety, and product presentation.
• Positive, team-oriented attitude with the ability to maintain composure and productivity under pressure.
• Ability to regularly lift up to 50 lbs.; bend, twist, stoop, and stand for extended periods.
• Flexibility to work early mornings, weekends, holidays, and varying shifts as needed.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, mix, scale, portion, shape, proof, bake, finish, decorate, package, and label breads, pastries, desserts, cakes, cookies, bars, granola, crackers, and bake-off items according to recipes and production schedules.
• Prepare fillings, frostings, glazes, toppings, and other dessert and pastry components.
• Operate commercial bakery equipment including mixers, proof boxes, rotating ovens, deck ovens, convection ovens, dough dividers, and presses.
• Monitor product quality, appearance, texture, freshness, and consistency throughout production and adjust processes as needed.
• Support catering and store fulfillment by preparing and assembling bakery orders, dessert trays, pastry platters, and special-order items accurately and on time.
• Follow daily production schedules and respond to last-minute orders with urgency and accuracy.
• Properly label, date, store, and rotate products in compliance with food safety and sanitation standards.

Skills

Attention to detail

Team player

Flexibility

Stamina

Lifts 50 lbs

Early morning availability

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Bakery/Culinary education substitution

Tools

Commercial bakery equipment

Mixers

Job description

Description

Salary:

$19/hour

FLSA Status:

Schedule:

Full Time | Schedule: Thursday to Monday, from 6:00 am to 2:30 pm (Days Off: Tuesday and Wednesday)

*Flexibility required, including early mornings, weekends, holidays, and peak-season hours.

Required:

Current Oregon Food Handler's Card

Location & Transportation:

Elephants Central Kitchen is located at 1611 SE 7th Ave. Reliable transportation is required. Due to our location, dependable transportation to and from our store is essential.

About Elephants

A locally owned company since 1979, Elephants Delicatessen pioneered the gourmet food industry in the Pacific Northwest and now operates seven Portland-metro retail locations and a thriving catering company. As a certified B Corporation, we are committed to sustainability, transparency, and using business as a force for good — while serving exceptional, scratch-made food rooted in our local community.

Elephants Delicatessen is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion.

What We Offer

• Employer contributed vacation and sick time
• Kaiser Medical coverage, with alternative care as a bonus (acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, etc.)
• Mental Health Services
• Dental, FSA (Flexible Spending Accounts), and 401(k) with 4% company match
• Training that will fast-track your culinary/hospitality career
• Free counseling and financial services
• Opportunities for advancement
• Discounts on our delicious made-from-scratch food
• Pet insurance
• Chance to win employee raffles
• Discounts at Sketchers, Shoes for Crews, Verizon, Sprint, select B Corporations, and many more
• A commitment to inclusion, diversity, community involvement, employee well-being, and environmental protection

Elephants Delicatessen provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Elephants Delicatessen participates in the E- Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

Please see the following notices for more information:

E-Verify Participation Poster (English/Spanish) Right to Work Poster (English/Spanish)

Requirements

About the Role

We are seeking a skilled, detail-oriented Production Baker for our Central Kitchen. The Production Baker is responsible for preparing, mixing, proofing, baking, finishing, decorating, packaging, and labeling a wide variety of breads, pastries, desserts, and bake-off bakery items in a high-volume production environment. This role supports daily production, catering operations, and bake-off production while maintaining product quality, consistency, food safety, and efficiency standards. Working across multiple bakery production areas, this position may include early morning, PM, or overnight shifts as business needs require.

This position is a great fit for someone who takes pride in their craft, thrives in a fast-paced production environment, and is committed to delivering exceptional baked goods at scale.

What You’ll Do

• Prepare, mix, scale, portion, shape, proof, bake, finish, decorate, package, and label breads, pastries, desserts, cakes, cookies, bars, granola, crackers, and bake-off items according to recipes and production schedules
• Prepare fillings, frostings, glazes, toppings, and other dessert and pastry components
• Operate commercial bakery equipment including mixers, proof boxes, rotating ovens, deck ovens, convection ovens, dough dividers, and presses
• Monitor product quality, appearance, texture, freshness, and consistency throughout production and adjust processes as needed
• Support catering and store fulfillment by preparing and assembling bakery orders, dessert trays, pastry platters, and special-order items accurately and on time
• Follow daily production schedules and respond to last-minute orders with urgency and accuracy
• Properly label, date, store, and rotate products in compliance with food safety and sanitation standards
• Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary work environment including workstations, equipment, and storage areas
• Assist with inventory organization and ingredient rotation using FIFO practices
• Assist fellow bakers with end-of-shift kitchen cleaning and maintenance

What We’re Looking For

• High School Diploma or GED preferred
• Minimum 1 year of bakery, pastry, dessert, bake-off, or commercial kitchen production experience; equivalent culinary or pastry education may substitute
• Experience in a high-volume or commercial bakery production environment preferred
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality, consistency, food safety, and product presentation
• Positive, team-oriented attitude with the ability to maintain composure and productivity under pressure
• Ability to regularly lift up to 50 lbs.; bend, twist, stoop, and stand for extended periods
• Flexibility to work early mornings, weekends, holidays, and varying shifts as needed

If you love working with your hands, take pride in quality baked goods, and want to be part of a passionate, team-driven kitchen, we’d love to meet you!