Fish Market Opening Associate

Prepare the Freshest Seafood Market on Long Island.

At PJ Lobster House, our Fish Market Opening Associate is responsible for preparing our seafood market before the first customer arrives each day. This position ensures every seafood display, deli case, cooler, and work area is clean, organized, fully stocked, and beautifully presented to showcase the highest quality seafood possible.

Every display tells our customers who we are before they purchase a single item. Your attention to detail, product presentation, and commitment to freshness help create that first impression every day.

Our Fish Market Opening Team works with fresh seafood daily, preparing displays, stocking products, rotating inventory, maintaining sanitation standards, opening shellfish, caring for live lobsters, and ensuring every customer is greeted with a fresh, clean, and fully stocked seafood market.

At PJ Lobster House, freshness begins before we open our doors. Our Fish Market Opening Team creates the first impression of our seafood market every single day.

The ideal candidate enjoys working with fresh seafood, takes pride in cleanliness and organization, has excellent attention to detail, and understands the importance of product presentation and food safety.

If you're dependable, enjoy early mornings, and want to work with one of Long Island's premier seafood markets, we'd love to meet you.

Responsibilities

• Start each shift promptly at 7:00 AM to prepare the seafood market before opening.
• Fill and prepare the seafood display case with fresh ice.
• Stock and merchandise the seafood display case according to company standards.
• Trim seafood products to create an attractive, fresh, and professional display.
• Rotate seafood inventory using FIFO (First In, First Out) procedures.
• Receive, inspect, and properly rotate incoming seafood deliveries.
• Maintain organized coolers and freezers.
• Rotate inventory and clean cooler and freezer floors.
• Clean, stock, and organize the deli display case.
• Turn and refresh prepared salads throughout the day.
• Open fresh oysters and clams as needed.
• Monitor the live lobster tank and remove any deceased lobsters promptly.
• Handle live lobsters safely and professionally.
• Clean and sanitize sinks, countertops, work surfaces, and food preparation areas.
• Clean all display glass, windows, and customer viewing areas.
• Sweep, mop, and sanitize market floors.
• Follow all food safety, sanitation, labeling, and temperature control procedures.
• Complete opening, cleaning, and side work as assigned.

Requirements

• Previous seafood market, fish market, grocery seafood department, restaurant, or food service experience preferred.
• Comfortable handling fresh seafood, shellfish, and live lobsters.
• Ability to safely open oysters and clams (or willingness to learn).
• Strong attention to detail with pride in product presentation and merchandising.
• Ability to trim and display seafood to company standards.
• Understanding of FIFO inventory rotation and food safety procedures preferred.
• Comfortable working in refrigerated environments.
• Able to safely lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently.
• Dependable with excellent attendance and punctuality.
• Must be available to start work at 7:00 AM.
• Available to work weekends and holidays.
• Commitment to cleanliness, sanitation, and maintaining a professional seafood market.
• Authorized to work in the United States.

Build Your Career at PJ Lobster House

For more than 30 years, PJ Lobster House has proudly served the Port Jefferson and Long Island community as a family-owned seafood restaurant and fish market. Our reputation has been built on fresh, high-quality food, exceptional hospitality, and, most importantly, the outstanding people who make it all possible every day.

We believe great businesses are built by great teamsnot constant hiring. That's why we're looking for dependable, hardworking individuals who want more than just another restaurant job. We invest in people who take pride in their work, enjoy being part of a team, and are looking for a place where they can build a long-term career.

Unlike many restaurants that significantly reduce staff or cut hours during the off-season, our goal is to retain great employees year-round. While business levels naturally fluctuate throughout the year, we work hard to provide consistent hours and stable employment because we know our employees depend on their jobs just as much as we depend on them.

We also believe that a career should help build your future. That's why we offer a 401(k) retirement plan, giving eligible employees the opportunity to invest in their future while building a long-term career with our company.

One of the things our employees value most is consistency. Whenever possible, we provide set schedules so you know when you're working and can better plan your life outside of work. We believe predictable schedules create a healthier work-life balance and help our team succeed both professionally and personally.

Whether you work in our dining room, kitchen, or seafood market, you'll become part of a team that values professionalism, respect, accountability, reliability, and helping one another succeed. Every position plays an important role, and every team member contributes to the experience our guests have come to expect for more than three decades.

If you're looking for a fast-paced workplace where your work is appreciated, your teammates support one another, opportunities are earned through hard work and dependability, and you're encouraged to build a long-term career, we'd love to meet you.

Why Work at PJ Lobster House?

• Family-owned and operated for more than 30 years
• Year-round employment with a commitment to providing steady hours whenever possible
• Consistent set schedules to help you balance work and personal life
• 401(k) retirement plan because we believe in helping our employees invest in their future
• Opportunities for advancement and cross-training
• Professional, respectful, team-oriented culture
• Employee dining discounts
• Managers who work alongside their teams
• High standards with supportive leadership
• Fast-paced environment where no two days are the same
• Build a careernot just another restaurant job

Our Core Values

At PJ Lobster House, every member of our team is expected to uphold the values that have guided our business for more than 30 years:

Dependability

We do what we say we're going to do. Our teammates and our guests rely on us every day.

Teamwork

We support one another, communicate openly, and understand that great restaurants succeed when everyone works together.

Hospitality

Every guest deserves a welcoming, friendly, and memorable experience from the moment they walk through our doors.

Professionalism

We take pride in our work, our appearance, our attitude, and our commitment to maintaining the high standards our guests expect.