Barista

Black Cap Cafe Barista

At Black Cap, we work hard to build a positive workplace where people support each other and take pride in what they do. We're proud to be a woman-owned Vermont company built around community, local partnerships, and a love of great food and coffee. Our cafes bring together locals and visitors in spaces that feel welcoming, authentic, and distinctly Vermont. Join our team and help tell the story of a brand deeply connected to the place it calls home!

Job Summary

Responsible for preparing and serving all products with friendly and efficient service through individualized attention to each customer while maintaining a clean and welcoming store environment. Compensation for this position is $14.45/hr base rate + share of tips & fees = $19.45-$24.45/hr.

This role is part-time, seasonal, and requires availability and willingness to work on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays weekly at our Waterbury location.

Job Responsibilities

• Greet customers, take orders accurately, and deliver friendly, efficient service through individualized attention to each customer
• Use strong product knowledge to describe menu items, ingredients, preparation methods, and beverage characteristics to customers
• Suggest upgrades, complementary items, and products that may interest customers in a helpful and engaging manner
• Follow all cash handling, POS, food safety, and Black Cap policies and procedures
• Prepare and serve high-quality hot and cold beverages, including coffee, espresso drinks, tea, cold brew, blended drinks, and other menu beverages according to Black Cap recipes and standards
• Prepare and serve food products, including breakfast and lunch sandwiches, according to Black Cap recipes, procedures, and food safety guidelines
• Regularly taste brewed coffee, espresso, and milk-based beverages throughout shifts to monitor flavor quality, consistency, extraction, and milk texture standards
• Maintain high standards for espresso preparation and milk steaming, including proper dialing-in, shot evaluation, and producing consistently textured milk for all beverages
• Develop and apply knowledge of coffee and tea, including regions, flavor profiles, brewing methods, espresso quality, and milk texturing
• Confidently describe coffee flavor profiles, espresso characteristics, and beverage quality standards to customers while helping educate team members on best practices
• Maintain a composed, professional demeanor during high-volume periods while keeping the store operating to standards of quality, service, and efficiency
• Support new baristas by modeling job responsibilities, answering questions, and helping reinforce store expectations, procedures, and quality standards
• Restock service stations, retail areas, storage areas, and basement inventory as needed throughout each shift
• Maintain stock levels, organization, cleanliness, and sanitation of service areas, dish pit, basement, seating areas, and retail areas
• Perform daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks, including washing dishes, sweeping, mopping, and removing garbage, recycling, and compost
• Complete opening and closing duties according to store procedures

Physical Job Requirements

• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs, including transporting items up and down stairs multiple times per day.
• Must be able to safely lift up to 50 lbs from floor level using proper lifting techniques.
• Must be able to frequently squat, bend, reach, twist, push, and pull while lifting, carrying, and moving supplies and equipment.
• Must be able to stand and walk for up to 8 hours per shift.
• Must be able to perform repetitive tasks such as reaching, grasping, stirring, tamping espresso, preparing food, stocking inventory, and cleaning throughout the workday.
• Must be able to work safely and efficiently in a fast-paced environment with frequent movement between customer service, food preparation, storage, and dishwashing areas

Required Skills & Experience

• Skilled in teamwork, customer service, sense of urgency, prioritization, communication, cleanliness/organization
• Must be timely and attentive to work
• Must have a growth mindset and respond constructively to feedback

Black Out Dates

• All employees must be available during peak holiday times and will be expected to work:
• Foliage season (September 20th- October 20th)
• December holiday season (December 26th – January 2nd)
• Presidents' Day week
• Martin Luther King weekend
• Various summer holidays/events as deemed necessary by management

What We Offer

• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid sick time
• Health and vision insurance options for full-time employees
• Invest EAP (Employee Assistance Program) for employees and household members
• Paid break and shift meal
• Free coffee drinks during shifts
• Employee discounts on food, beverages, and Black Cap merchandise
• Holiday pay on select holidays
• Paid bereavement leave
• Paid childbirth recovery leave for full-time employees after one year of employment