Culinary Worker I - Kitchen Helper (1166)

Culinary Worker I - Kitchen Helper

Position Information

Working Position Title - Culinary Worker I - Kitchen Helper

Classification - Culinary Worker I

Open Date - 07/30/2026

Close Date - 08/20/2026

Employee Class - Staff

Full-Time/Part Time - Full-Time

FTE - 1.00

Position Status - Regular

FLSA - Non-Exempt

Job code - 3866

Union Representation - Union

Union Code - AFS - AFSCME, Local #963

Unit/Department - Residential Dining Service

College/Unit - Campus Dining Service

Division - Student Affairs

Location - RW DIN

Link to Department Website or Custom Search Page -

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Overview - The department of Campus Dining handles all things dining on campus. From residential meal plans to event catering, we provide nutritional food for students, faculty, staff and guests. We manage over a dozen eating establishments at NIU including residence hall dining, restaurants and coffee shops at the student center, and the cafe in Barsema Hall. We employ the students and professionals who work in our restaurants and cafes. Procedures on all food preparation, food handling (service), and sanitation are provided in the Food Production procedure and the Task Training Manual. Food Service Managers, Assistant Food Service Managers, and supervisors are present in house to serve as resource personnel and to monitor the quantity and quality of items being prepared for service and to insure sanitation standards are being met.

Position Summary - 9-month position (Aug 16-May 15); actual start and end dates may vary based on academic calendar. This position is responsible to insure operational needs of customer service, production, and sanitation are met in all areas of Campus Dining. The individual in this position works under the supervision of Food Service Management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities - Food Service Responsible for setting up hot and cold service lines and salad bars with appropriate food items, serving utensils, equipment, and line cards Inform production and management personnel when food items being served are running low and/or quality and/or appearance is not acceptable to departmental standards Replenish items on serving line and salad bar as needed, checking with production personnel on items to be used Responsible for clean-up of assigned work area and equipment used Production Under the instruction of the cooks, cooks helpers, and/or management, assist in the preparation of hot and cold food items Sanitation Maintain sanitation standards of service and production area and equipment according to State and Departmental rules and regulations Responsible for weekly clean-up of assigned areas to ensure sanitary conditions are met. Assist in dish room as needed Customer Greet customers, checking identification cards and verifying residential status by use of the POS terminal system Perform other job-related duties as requested by administrators

Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service) - High school diploma or equivalent. As required by the position to be filled, possession of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Food Handler Training Certification (from an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited trainer).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service) - Knowledge of sanitary procedures and directives; how to use simple cleaning solutions and equipment. Skill in giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made Skill in completing assignments accurately and with attention to detail. Ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Specialty Factors (Civil Service) - None

Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service) - Food Handlers Certificate or Food Service Manager Certification

Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS) - N/A

Additional Requirements (SPS) - N/A

Preferred Qualifications (SPS) - N/A

Physical demands/requirements - While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, and crouch. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and depth perception.

Appointment and Compensation Details

Appointment and Compensation Details

Anticipated Appointment Start Date - 9/1/26

Anticipated Appointment End Date

Percent of Staff Year - 0.75

Standard Hours Per Week - 37.50

Working Hours - Varies based on Department needs, may include nights and weekends

Salary - $23,400.00/annually; NIU offers a robust benefits package.

Hourly or Semi-monthly Pay Rate/Range - $16.00/hourly

Earn Type - Hourly

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Application Procedure - Application Procedures: Fully complete the Education and Work History sections of the application. Be specific on your entire work history, including employment dates and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Important: Please upload any unofficial transcript(s) and/or documentation that verifies any education, experience, and/or training you have received. If eligible for Veteran's Preference Points, DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256 paperwork reflecting an Honorable Discharge MUST be uploaded to this application to receive the maximum eligible points on the Civil Service examination. After the posting has closed, your submission will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the classification, including any specialty factors associated with this position. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register. Please monitor your e-mail for further information regarding your application. Emails will be generated from View email address on click.appcast.io and View email address on click.appcast.io. Please add these emails to your address book to ensure timely delivery of any future communication. Applicants must be a current citizen or resident of the State of Illinois to move forward in the hiring process. Credentials Assessment Examination: The examination for this position is a Credentials Assessment and is based on your application materials as submitted for this posting. A Credential Assessment is a rating by the Human Resources Office of an applicant's/employee's education, experience, and special credentials/qualifications (licenses, etc.). Applicants are required to upload documentation to verify the minimum qualifications for this position has been met. Required documentation noted in the posting, such as a driver's license, licensures, or certifications MUST be uploaded with your application materials. After assessment of all qualified applicants has been completed for this position, the names with the top three (3) scores will be referred to the hiring department for interview. Additional Details: Click on Culinary Worker I for more information including salary ranges, typical duties, minimum acceptable qualifications, and testing requirements. Applicants who may assume they do not meet the exact minimum qualifications are still invited to apply. Within the application documents, applicants should be sure to explain how their credentials and related qualifications address the requested minimum requirements. Please click on Human Resource Services Benefits for detailed information about Northern Illinois University's benefits package. Employment is contingent upon your passing a criminal background investigation. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Special Instructions - N/A

Quick Link to Applicant -

Is Background Check Required? - Yes

EEO Statement Summary - In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, disability (physical and mental), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender (identity and expression), political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Ethics and Compliance Officer, Title IX Coordinator Health Services Building Room 230 View email address on click.appcast.io 8