Substitute Nutrition Service Worker

Substitute Nutrition Service Worker

The Substitute Nutrition Service Worker is responsible for supporting school meal preparation and service in an assigned location in the absence of a nutrition service worker. The substitute nutrition service worker may be assigned to any food service location within the district on a day-to-day basis, including a school kitchen, the central kitchen, central kitchen office, and district cafe. The incumbent performs all functions related to the assigned location. This position includes working with heated equipment, operating kitchen tools and machinery, ensuring food safety and cleanliness, and assisting with the day-to-day functions of a school kitchen. This is a highly physical role that requires frequent movement, lifting, and time spent on your feet.

Essential Functions:

• Prepares, heats, and portions food using standardized recipes and instructions.
• Operates commercial kitchen equipment including but not limited to ovens, warmers, mixers, and slicers.
• Uses kitchen tools independently, safely, and responsibly, including utensils for cutting, chopping, slicing, or portioning food.
• Serves meals to students, staff, and faculty with attention to portion size, presentation, and nutrition guidelines.
• Follows food safety and hygiene practices, including daily temperature logs, proper storage, and handwashing.
• Maintains clean and sanitary food preparation, serving, eating, and dishwashing areas.
• Cleans floors, counters, equipment, and utensils throughout and after meal service.
• Assists with dishwashing using either the three-compartment sink or commercial dishwashing machine.
• Restocks salad bars, coolers, condiment stations, and other service areas as appropriate.
• Receives and puts away deliveries, rotates inventory, and pulls items for daily use.
• Participates in team meetings and department-required training.

Non-Essential Functions:

• Other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Ability to work positively in a team-oriented and structured kitchen setting.
• Knowledge of safe handling of food, chemicals, and equipment.
• Ability to read and follow recipes and basic written instructions precisely.
• Basic math and reading comprehension for portioning, inventory, and cashiering tasks.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to adapt to changing needs, locations, and/or assignments.
• Ability to read and interpret safety instructions, recipes, and communications from the Nutrition Services department.
• Ability to complete duties while meeting deadlines and maintaining a calm, professional demeanor.
• Ability to independently and safely use commercial-grade kitchen equipment.

Required Education and Qualifications:

• Requires a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Requires a current Utah recognized Food Handler's permit.

Assigned Decision Making:

Empowered to work within specific guidelines established by kitchen supervisor. Empowered to make suggestions for improvement, but must follow established procedures until changes are approved.

Interactions with Others:

Interacts positively with students, staff, manager, coordinator, administrators, and other district personnel.

Supervisory Responsibility:

Not applicable.

Budget Responsibility:

Not applicable.

Working Environment:

Work takes place in a typical commercial kitchen which includes walk-in freezers and refrigeration rooms. Work takes place in a high-temperature environment which includes ovens, steamers, and warmers. May experience stress related to meeting regular and unanticipated deadlines.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to speak and/or hear. Frequently required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, twist and crouch. Occasionally required to use hands to handle or feel and must occasionally climb or balance. Required to use hands to handle both hot and cold items. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Must be capable of reaching above the head while lifting 20 pounds. Note: The list of essential and marginal functions and of physical requirements is not exhaustive and may be supplemented in accordance with the requirements of the job.