Barista

Barista - Retail Cafe - Menlo Park

POSITION: Barista - Retail Cafe - Menlo Park

CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt

REPORTS TO: Café General Manager COMPENSATION: $18.25/HOUR

About Equator In 1995, Equator Founders Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell began their values-driven path, roasting coffee in a Marin County, CA garage. Possessing an obsessive commitment to green coffee sourcing and unparalleled roasting expertise, Equator has committed over 30 years to sustainable and fair trade coffee practices all in the name of creating a remarkable coffee experience for consumers. Today, Equator Coffees is a retail and wholesale coffee roaster and coffee farm owner with twelve retail cafes throughout California—from Marin County to San Francisco to Oakland to Los Angeles and beyond. Throughout the years, Equator Coffees has spearheaded industry-leading sourcing and roasting practices, and has forged progressive partnerships with Michelin-starred chefs, specialty grocers, tech campuses, and more. Women-owned, LGBTQ-founded, and an early adopter of Fair Trade and Regenerative Organic certifications, Equator Coffees is the first California coffee roaster to achieve B Corp Certification.

Position Summary

The Barista is all about hospitality! You want and aspire to provide a memorable experience to each and every person who visits our cafes. You are kind and welcoming to those you work with and serve, act with integrity and respect, work to create a safe, clean, and healthy work environment, provide quality beverages and food consistently, and share your knowledge and passion for our coffees.

Key Responsibilities

• Have a passion for our coffee and share knowledge with customers
• Committed to providing consistent quality beverages and food
• Confidently and accurately communicate product information to customers by responding to questions, orders, and concerns
• Maintain a clean environment including the cleaning of the back of house, bar areas, café lobbies, and patios to contribute to a healthy environment for customers and employees
• Properly handle and maintain all coffee and food equipment
• Contribute to store profitability by following cash handling and cash register policies and procedures
• Assist in the training and development of new employees
• Work at different stations in the café
• Follow all company policies, procedures, and processes and share ideas to make it better
• Attend all individual and company scheduled training sessions and staff meetings to constantly advance education and stay up to date on coffee, tea, merchandise, espresso bar skills, and seasonal menu changes

Qualifications and Requirements

• Must maintain current state-issued Food Handler Card
• Retail and/or customer service experience required
• Coffee experience preferred
• Ability to make the customer a priority
• Is hospitable and inclusive with all customers and is a team player with co-workers
• Demonstrates passion and curiosity for coffee and tea
• Builds ongoing connections with the customer
• Able to multi-task and deal with ambiguity in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to communicate effectively with others
• Respectful and professional
• Cash handling skills
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds
• The hours can be part-time/full-time based on availability and can increase and decrease due to the needs of the business
• Must be 16 years of age or older

Compensation

• Available to all employees
• Commuter Benefits - pre-tax parking and transit
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Physical and mental health, financial and legal coaching available at no cost to the employee
• Free mental health app subscription
• Employee discount on merchandise, coffee gear, and at Equator cafes
• Continuing coffee education classes
• Free coffee
• Paid Time Off for voting on Election Day
• After 60 days as an employee at Equator
• Healthcare Benefits (for full-time employees working over 30 hours per week)
• 100% employer-covered premium medical insurance
• Voluntary Insurance Plans - dental, vision, long-term disability, pet, and supplementary life insurance
• Employer covered life insurance premium
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - healthcare and daily dependent care
• After 90 days as an employee at Equator
• Holiday Pay after 90 days of employment. Eight Equator-observed holidays per year
• Paid Time Off with tenured increases for full-time employees
• 1 paid volunteer day per year
• After six months as an employee at Equator
• 401K with up to a 4% company match on employee contributions
• Compensation will be commensurate with experience.

Equator Coffees is an equal-opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, and discharge will be based on competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability or any other applicable legally protected characteristics.

We run background checks on all new hires in this position.