Cafeteria Worker (Full Time 6:00 am - 2:00 pm)

Title: Cafeteria Worker

Reports to: Data and Compliance Manager

Employment Information: This is a full-time, FLSA-non-exempt, 10-month union position. 

Position Summary:

The Cafeteria Worker is responsible for supporting the daily operations of the school cafeteria by preparing and serving meals, maintaining a clean and safe environment, and ensuring compliance with all food safety regulations. This role contributes to a positive dining experience by promoting a welcoming atmosphere, assisting students as needed, and modeling clear communication in ASL to support language development. In addition to meal service, the Cafeteria Worker ensures that downtime is used productively for cleaning, sanitizing, and organizing cafeteria spaces.

Responsibilities:

Maintain Cleanliness: Keep the cafeteria clean and sanitary, including tables, floors, food preparation areas, and kitchen equipment, ensuring compliance with health and safety standards.

Food Preparation and Storage: Set up, prepare, and store food in accordance with hygiene and safety regulations, ensuring all items are properly labeled and stored.

Meal Service: Prepare and distribute meals for breakfast, lunch, and after-school snacks, ensuring nutritional and dietary requirements are met. Serve meals efficiently, maintaining proper portion sizes and following safety guidelines.

Inventory and Organization: Keep the storeroom, refrigerators, and freezers organized, ensuring food items are stored to maintain freshness and safety. Assist with end-of-year inventory and prepare reports for administration.

Utilize Downtime Productively: During non-service periods, focus on cleaning, sanitizing, restocking, or organizing cafeteria and kitchen areas to maintain a safe and orderly environment.

Promote Positive Dining Experience: Create a friendly, welcoming environment for students during mealtimes, assisting with special needs as appropriate.

Model Language Through Cafeteria Services: Promote students’ language development by modeling clear communication in ASL while serving meals and interacting with students. Use food items and cafeteria routines as opportunities for language exposure, including supporting visual food menus and labels to reinforce vocabulary and comprehension. Encourage positive, inclusive communication during mealtimes.

Adhere to Core Values: Model and exhibit PSD’s core values—Students 1st, Language, Respect, Communication, and Community Engagement—in all interactions, decisions, and professional responsibilities.

Other Duties: Perform additional responsibilities as assigned to support the nutrition and well-being of students.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED.
• Demonstrated American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency at a Level 2 (ASLPI) or above required; advanced proficiency preferred.
• Previous experience in customer service preferred.
• Familiarity with Federal Food Service regulations preferred.
• Ability to work independently and remain productive with minimal supervision.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Willingness to consistently follow all sanitation, hygiene, and food safety protocols.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move food and kitchen items up to 50 pounds and perform physical tasks associated with standing, walking, and bending for extended periods.
• Hold valid Serve Safe Certification (either currently valid or to be obtained within two years of hire).

Physical Demands

• Frequent lifting, carrying, and moving of items weighing up to 50 pounds, including food containers, trays, and kitchen supplies.
• Significant amount of standing, walking, and moving around the cafeteria (approximately 70% of the time), with limited periods of sitting (5%) and moderate walking (25%).
• Frequent stooping, kneeling, crouching, climbing, and balancing while setting up food stations or cleaning areas.
• Significant fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination required for serving food, handling utensils, and cleaning kitchen equipment.

Working Conditions

• Work is primarily performed in a cafeteria and kitchen environment that is noisy, fast-paced, and subject to frequent interruptions during meal times.
• Regular exposure to hot surfaces, ovens, stoves, and dishwashers, as well as handling cold or frozen food products.
• Occasional exposure to cleaning chemicals, sanitizers, and disinfectants, with required adherence to all safety protocols.
• Busy environment with a constant flow of students, staff, and visitors, particularly during peak meal service times.

Mental and Cognitive Demands

• Ability to maintain focus and attention in a high-traffic, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, particularly during meal preparation and service.
• Consistent attention to hygiene and cleanliness to ensure the cafeteria meets health and safety standards.
• Ability to communicate clearly in ASL with students and staff, modeling positive language and reinforcing vocabulary related to food and cafeteria routines.
• Maintain patience, flexibility, and a positive attitude when working with students, including those with special dietary, developmental, or behavioral needs.
• Remain engaged and productive during non-service times by performing cleaning, organizing, or preparation tasks; idle downtime is not part of this position.

Pennsylvania School for the Deaf provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and strictly prohibits any type of harassment or discrimination in regard to race, religion, age, color, sex, disability status, national origin, genetics, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, gender expression, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, and/or local laws.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Pennsylvania School for the Deaf to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants or employees with disabilities, as long as such accommodations do not impose an undue hardship or remove the essential functions of the job. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact [email protected]