Dining Services-Service Production Assistant
The University of Lynchburg, a private, regional university in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central Virginia, is seeking applicants for Temporary Dining Services Service Production Assistant position in Dining Services.
This position reports to, is supervised by, and evaluated by the Dining Services Manager. The evaluation of work performance will be ongoing and will be carried out by the Production Assistant. It will include the specific duties and responsibilities of this position description plus employee attitude and general working behavior.
Job Type: Temporary (Non-Benefits Eligible)
Job Purpose: Provides scheduled or "as needed" assistance in food production and/or service areas for dining operations.
Specific Job Duties:
- Maintain the highest standards of food safety, sanitation, and cleanliness in all food preparation, service, and dining areas in compliance with Virginia Department of Health regulations.
- Provide support across all Dining Services operations, including dish room, utility, beverage station, food production, serving line, and catering, as operational needs require.
- Prepare the dish room for service prior to each meal by ensuring equipment and workstations are clean, organized, and ready for operation.
- Load and operate commercial dishwashing equipment to maximize cleaning efficiency while minimizing breakage of dishware, glassware, and utensils.
- Inspect all cleaned items to ensure quality standards are met before returning them to designated storage or service areas.
- Maintain cleanliness of dishwashing equipment by cleaning conveyor belts, dish accumulators, and both the interior and exterior of machines after each meal.
- Assist with draining, disassembling, and thoroughly cleaning dishwashing equipment at the end of each day.
- Clean and sanitize floors, walls, tables, and other dining room surfaces after each meal service.
- Vacuum and maintain dining room floors to ensure a clean, welcoming environment.
- Routinely monitor dish room and dining areas for cleanliness, promptly removing litter, debris, and trash and transporting waste to designated collection areas.
- Assist with the setup, service, and breakdown of catered events and special functions.
- Participate in required training related to food safety, chemical handling, equipment operation, and workplace safety.
- Assist in the preparation of baked goods and specialty bakery items for student dining and catered events in accordance with established recipes, production schedules, and batch cooking procedures.
- Support food production by following standardized recipes, preparation procedures, and supervisor instructions.
- Assist serving line staff during peak service periods to ensure efficient customer service.
- Ensure all hot foods are maintained and served at proper hot holding temperatures and all cold foods are maintained and served at proper cold holding temperatures in accordance with food safety standards.
- Maintain organized storage areas by properly stocking, labeling, and rotating inventory using First-In, First-Out (FIFO) inventory practices.
- Perform daily setup, breakdown, cleaning, and sanitation of kitchen equipment, workstations, and production areas.
- Promptly report equipment malfunctions, maintenance concerns, safety hazards, or sanitation issues to the appropriate supervisor.
- Demonstrate flexibility by performing other related duties and responsibilities as assigned to support Dining Services operations.
Starting Salary: $13.00-$14.00 an hour
Schedule:
- Flexibility to include nights and weekends is required. Overtime may be necessary due to time pressures.
Experience/Skills:
- Ability to communicate effectively and have the ability to understand, comprehend and follow directions
- Must have good teamwork skills
Physical Demands:
- Prolonged standing/setting/wrist movement
- Ability to lift 40 lbs.
- Confined work areas with humid, extreme temperature ranges.
- Frequent exposure to various cleaning chemicals, smoke, spices and odors
Equipment Used
Primary Equipment
- Commercial dish machine
- Dish carts
- Vacuum cleaner
Secondary Equipment
- Hot and cold food service wells and holding units
- Temperature probes
- Frozen dessert machines
- Commercial dining services equipment
- Utility carts
- Golf cart
- Standard commercial kitchen equipment
Manuals, Policies, and Regulatory References
Employees are expected to understand, follow, and comply with applicable departmental policies and regulatory requirements, including:
- Dining Services Operations Manual
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations
- State and local Health Department regulations
- Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) / Safety Data Sheet (SDS) requirements
- Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control (VA ABC) guidelines, as applicable
- Employee Handbook and Personnel Policies and Procedures