Dietary & Food Services Aide I - Per Diem

Tufts Medicine is a leading integrated health system bringing together the best of academic and community health care to deliver exceptional, connected and accessible care experiences to consumers across Massachusetts. Comprised of Tufts Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital, Melrose/Wakefield Healthcare, an expansive home care network and a large clinically integrated physician network, Tufts Medicine has more than 15,000 dedicated employees and caregivers.

Job Profile Summary

​This role focuses on activities related to the support services functions, such as dietary and food services, environmental services, general facilities, repair and maintenance, parking, sterilization and transportation to ensure all required support activities are completed in a timely manner and meet the organization's quality standards and expectations. In addition, this role focuses on performing the following Dietary & Food Services duties: Prepares and serves meals based on general or special diets. Responsibilities also include operating and maintaining kitchens, cafeterias, and counters across entity locations. Manages food inventories, schedules vendor deliveries, food preparation, and menu planning while adhering to regulatory guidelines. An organizational related support or service (administrative or clerical) role or a role that focuses on support of daily business activities (e.g., technical, clinical, non-clinical) operating in a “hands on” environment. The majority of time is spent in the delivery of support services or activities, typically under supervision. An entry level role that typically requires little to no prior knowledge or experience, work is routine or follows standard procedures, work is closely supervised, and communicates information that requires little explanation or interpretation.

Job Overview

Under general supervision, this position works in any location where food is prepared including retail, patient and catering operations. This position is involved in all aspects of food services including assisting with menu selection, food preparation, food delivery, kitchen cleanliness and sanitation.

Location: Lowell General Hospital - 295 Varnum Avenue - Lowell, MA

Hours: Per diem - 3-4 shifts Per Week - Every other weekend (Sat-Sun) and every other holiday is required

Job Description

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Food service experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. High School diploma or equivalent.

2. One (1) year in hospital food services.

Duties and Responsibilities: The duties and responsibilities listed below are intended to describe the general nature of work and are not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

1. Maintains and communicates accurate and updated diet order information through the system to ensure patients receive appropriate meals, nourishments and commercial enteral products in accordance with current diet order.

2. Elicits patient information regarding food preferences, intolerances, likes and dislikes. Alerts the Clinical Dietitian to any actual or potential nutritional problems of patients.

3. Assists patients with menu selection and writes and corrects regular and as assigned modified diets for patients. Responsible for maintaining high level of accuracy and appropriateness of patient trays.

4. Delivers trays to patients, picks up trays from patients.

5. Follows all precautions on patient units by donning and doffing PPE appropriately. Performs hand hygiene according to standards.

6. Stocks nursing unit pantries with nourishments and dietary supplies, utilizing first-in, first-out system.

7. Ensures accurate tray assembly on patient tray line. Prepares normal menu items, salads, sandwiches, desserts, and special items.

8. Operates a variety of kitchen utensils to weigh, measure, mix, wash, peel, cut, grind, stir, strain, season and knead food items for cooking, serving and storing

9. Assists in the preparation of hot and/or cold foods, and properly stores food, utilizing knowledge of temperature requirements and spoilage.

10. Maintains accurate sanitation and temperature logs in work area according to regulatory requirements.

11. Assists with setup, stocking, serving and delivering of food from counters, steam tables and work stations

12. Responsible for cleaning and sanitizing of dishware, equipment and work stations. Strips, sanitizes, stacks, patients' trays and utensils in dish room, reassembles tray line. Cleans and sanitizes pots and utensils equipment, floors, walls, dish machine, etc

13. Removes trash from assigned workstation and/or from kitchen to specified area. Returns empty bottles and cans to recycle bin located in receiving /loading dock area. Removes crushed cardboard to designated areas.

14. Maintains collaborative, team relationships with peers and colleagues in order to effectively contribute to the working groups achievement of goals, and to help foster a positive work environment.

15. May prepare special nutritional products such as infant formulas, modular tube feedings, or powdered nutritionals for high-risk adult patients.

16. May operate a cash register (or equivalent), receives payments of cash, checks and charges from customers or employees for goods or services, making change and issuing receipts or tickets to customers.

Physical Requirements:

1. Standing and walking for 95% of the day, straining and lifting approximately 30lbs., pushing loaded carts (approximately 400lbs.).

2. Requires manual dexterity to handle money, work cash register, preparing food,

3. Exposure to infectious diseases due to interacting with sick patients

4. Possible exposure hazardous chemicals due to cleaning and sanitation.

5. Requires ability to hear phoned patient orders, supervisors instructions.

6. Exposure to heat, cold, steam, chemicals and hot equipment.

7. Frequent exposure to garbage and trash.

Skills & Abilities:

1. Ability to read, write, and understand written instructions.

2. Interpersonal skills necessary to interact with patients, patient care team and employees.

3. Familiarity with therapeutic diets

4. Knowledge of sterile food handling techniques.

5. Ability to operate simple mechanical devices such as coffee urn, dish machine, slicer, trash compactor.

6. Ability to use a knife for slicing, cutting, dicing.

About Lowell General
For more than 125 years, Lowell General has served the Greater Lowell community with pride. We balance the first-rate care of a premier medical center with the warmth of a four-time Magnet®-recognized community hospital. As a member of our team, you’ll join over 3,000 dedicated care providers to offer complete, connected care, when and where patients need it most.

Magnet Designation:
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) honored Lowell General Hospital with Magnet Recognition for excellence in nursing care, our fourth designation achieved in March 2025! The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes healthcare organizations dedicated to nursing excellence, professionalism, and patient-focused care. It is the highest level of recognition an organization can receive for providing the very best quality in patient care. Only nine percent of hospitals in the United States have achieved Magnet status and fewer than one percent of hospitals have achieved a fourth consecutive Magnet designation.

At Tufts Medicine, we want every individual to feel valued for the skills and experience they bring. Our compensation philosophy is designed to offer fair, competitive pay that attracts, retains, and motivates highly talented individuals, while rewarding the important work you do every day.

The base pay ranges reflect the minimum qualifications for the role. Individual offers are determined using a comprehensive approach that considers relevant experience, certifications, education, skills, and internal equity to ensure compensation is fair, consistent, and aligned with our business goals.

Beyond base pay, Tufts Medicine provides a comprehensive Total Rewards package that supports your health, financial security, and career growth—one of the many ways we invest in you so you can thrive both at work and outside of it.

Pay Range :

based on full-time equivalent