Food Service Worker

Food Service Worker

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city's historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Situated at the heart of the Bay Area, the City of Oakland is a vibrant, diverse, and exciting place to work. It is easily accessible, at the forefront of Race and Equity work, and a full-service organization with many innovative community services. Are you searching for a fulfilling career that allows you to make a difference and have a positive impact on the local community? Look no further! The City of Oakland's Human Services Department, Early Childhood and Family Services Division, is seeking a highly skilled individual to join our team as a Food Service Worker. Come join a dynamic team of enthusiastic professionals dedicated to providing important services to a community with a rich history. You'll work with great colleagues in the Early Childhood and Family Services Division who are fiercely passionate about public service and community.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Passionate. You want to make a positive difference in the lives of Oakland children and families.
• Detail-oriented. You can follow written and verbal instructions.
• Experienced. You bring a level of expertise in food preparation.
• Safety-conscious. You bring a strong awareness of food safety.
• Skilled. You are well-versed in State & Federal Food Safety regulations as well as standard food preparation and storage methods and practices.
• Communicative. You are able to interact and communicate effectively with members of the community and the public.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Preparing meals and snacks for Head Start children; participating in menu planning with staff and parents.
• Following approved cycle menus, standardized recipes, and appropriate institutional kitchen policies and procedures.
• Preparing food to accommodate the needs of children with life-threatening allergies and other special dietary needs.
• Cleaning and operating kitchen equipment in accordance with local, State and Federal regulations; arranging for proper maintenance of all food equipment.
• Receiving, verifying, and signing for deliveries of supplies and equipment; storing deliveries, including food supplies, according to State and Federal standards; monitoring food supply inventory and reporting to supervisor when items need to be reordered; and updating records of food supplies and equipment.
• Setting up meals and snacks for off-site delivery to Head Start sites.
• Maintaining kitchen to meet safety and sanitation standards and maintenance needs.
• Following safety and sanitation regulations in all facets of food handling.
• Carrying bulk supplies from the storeroom to the food preparation area.
• Receiving inquiries and concerns regarding food service delivery.
• Identifying and resolving routine problems; reporting problems to supervisors.

A few reasons you might love this job:

• You will have the opportunity to utilize a full range of culinary skills to perform your job duties.
• Your work will directly benefit children in Oakland.
• You will be one of many team members who are proud to uplift Oakland as a dynamic, innovative, vibrant city.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You will be expected to expertly and professionally juggle multiple, competing priorities.
• You will demonstrate exceptional attention to detail in all aspects of your work.

Competencies Required:

• General Physical Ability: Using strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination
• Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
• Mathematical Facility: Performing computations and solving mathematical problems
• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
• Reading Comprehension: Understanding and using written information
• Safety Focus: Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards

Minimum Requirements for Application

This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process. This is a public contact position. The City highly encourages all bilingual candidates to apply! Some positions may require bilingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin. Under the authority of Civil Service Rules Section 5.03, if a position requires bilingual language skills, only those candidates who have indicated they are bilingual in the required language(s) will be referred. Bilingual candidates will be required to successfully pass a language proficiency test if selected for hire.

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable.

Education:

Completion of high school (12th grade) or equivalent. Coursework or training in culinary arts or food service is highly desirable.

Experience:

One year of experience cooking, preparing and serving large quantities (100 meals or more) of food in a city, state, federal or large commercial institution (e.g. hospitals, colleges/universities, prisons/detention centers, military facilities, etc.)

License or Certificate/Other Requirements:

California Food Handler Certificate: Incumbents must obtain a California Food Handler card from an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited training provider that meets ASTM International E2659-09 Standard Practice for Certificate Programs within 30 days of date of hire. The California Food Handler card must be maintained throughout the tenure of employment. Please make sure to scan and attach your California Food Handler Certificate to your on-line application if you have one at this time. California Driver's license is highly desirable.

Supplemental Information

The Recruitment Process:

The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the "minimum qualifications" listed for each position.

Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas. Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications. In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final. For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to take an online multiple-choice test (weighted 100%). This is tentatively planned to launch during the week of 8/24/2026. Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by clicking on this link or by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it: ; Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst: Diego Almendariz at View email address on click.appcast.io. Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you're applying to a "restricted" posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass. The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

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