Lead Line Cook

Lead Line Cook

Central Washington University is recruiting a Lead Line Cook to join our The Village Grill team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a 10-month cyclic, campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a competitive salary plus the awesome CWU benefits. We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams. Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find robust academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~8,300 students. Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, for seven out of eight years, CWU was a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. RentCafe has also named CWU #13 of the Top 20 Best College Towns in the U.S. in 2025. Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus. Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program.

The Role: A Food Service Worker Lead is responsible for leading the work of others, and may operate a dining concept. Working under general supervision, they regularly assign, train, instruct, and check the work of employees in their areas. While independently operating their area of responsibility, they also perform the operational functions and support other dining services as needed. This position is directly involved in leading, directing and training the staff including student food workers and on-call staff. This position ensures professional food and beverage preparation, leads food production, and helps prep for next day's meals, ensures proper food storage practices are taken, and maintains a sanitary work environment. The food service worker lead is responsible for preparing all dishes and beverages according to recipes and standards, with accountability for: Ensuring recipes compliance, execution, and food safety practices Preparing all dishes to meet company standards for flavor, color, and aroma Guiding Kitchen Help and assisting with their training Performing all Back of House (BOH) and Front of House (FOH) responsibilities The food service worker lead can be assigned to various locations across campus including: Panda Express The Village The SURC Catering In alignment with Central Washington University's vision, mission, and values, CWU Dining Services plays a key role in supporting these principles while also upholding our department's own vision, mission, and values. Our vision is to be a key campus partner in promoting the growth of our community through shared culinary and educational experiences. As a member of Dining Services, you will be directly involved in these efforts and are expected to embody both the university, and department, vision, mission, and values in your work. All employees are expected to uphold and contribute to CWU's vision, mission, and values, fostering a culture of student success and institutional excellence.

Salary: This position is based on the range 37 of the Washington State Classification Listing, which has a minimum monthly salary of $3,403 and maximum monthly salary of $4,517. In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate's current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position. Schedule/Appointment: Sunday - Thursday, 2:00pm-10:30pm (30-min lunch) / Schedule may vary dependent on department needs / 10-month cyclic (for more detailed information regarding cyclic appointments click link: CWU Cyclic Leave) / WFSE Bargaining Unit 1 Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily indoors, at times in hot/cold/noisy/wet areas with some exposure to hazardous equipment and products. Working in temperatures from 0 degrees (freezer) to 350+ degrees (around cooking equipment) is common. Work requires walking and standing (often in a stationary position) for the majority of each shift. Bending/climbing/carrying/pulling/pushing/lifting associated with loading/unloading of supplies and preparation, plating and serving of food is required. Occasional overtime is required, and shift work may be required. Additional physical requirements of the position include: Pushing utility carts, and hand carts with up to 150 lbs. of supplies around to various work stations; correctly lifting 35lbs. individually from the floor or shelf locations to heights of 48' so products can be poured into smaller containers or put on work tables. Dining Service's mission is to nourish the body and minds of our campus community. All staff are expected to work in support of this mission in every function they perform. All staff are expected to work in support of the department's continuous quality improvement program, so service and products are properly handled, prepared, garnished/merchandised, and served to our customers. There is some exposure to hazardous equipment and products found in kitchen environments. Work will be in a kitchen or restaurant setting. Work requires the ability to use both hands for production work. Staff members are hired with the understanding that they may be scheduled to work throughout the week including nights, weekends and holidays. Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator. An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: NOTE: Sponsorship is not available for this position at this time.

Minimum Qualifications: 2+ years in customer service or sales experience in a food service environment. Ability to cook foods from scratch using a variety of cooking techniques. Knowledge of operation, production, and kitchen equipment. Demonstrated ability and/or experience working collaboratively with students and/or colleagues to foster a supportive and effective learning and work environment. OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position. Special conditions of employment: Must have or be able to obtain a WA. State Food Handlers permit within 30 days of initial hire date. Must be able to obtain SERVSAFE Certification within 6 months of initial hire date. Must be able to pass Panda Certification within 6 months of initial hire date if assigned to Panda. Preferred Qualifications Experience cooking and leading other staff in a large-scale food service operation or front of house customer service operation. Food production experience within a university or hospitality driven environment. Experience with Microsoft Word and Excel. Demonstrated participation in programs designed to promote student success. A record of promoting institutional excellence in the work environment. Competencies Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines, and work schedules. Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action. Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support. Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives. Commitment to Belonging: Values the uniqueness of every individual and fosters an environment where everyone feels respected and empowered to thrive. Don't meet every single requirement? At CWU, we're committed to creating a welcoming and genuine workplace. If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification, we still encourage you to apply. This could be the opportunity you're looking for!