Food Service Assistant: Louisville, KY

As a Food Service Assistant at Bezos Academy, you’ll help provide nutritious, compliant meals to children at our Montessori-inspired preschool and provide direct support with a variety of additional tasks both in and out of the classroom. You will manage all aspects of food preparation and service with strong attention to detail, organization, and adherence to safety protocols. Key responsibilities include preparing CACFP-compliant menus, placing food orders and managing food costs, receiving and verifying food deliveries, ensuring all meals are delivered to classrooms on time, and managing all clean-up, organization, and documentation. Assuming full ownership of the kitchen and food operations at the school, you will serve meals in accordance with USDA requirements, Bezos Academy policies, and local childcare regulations. Beyond the kitchen, you will assist school staff and administration with a variety of tasks including inventory checks, laundry, and other ad hoc duties. As needed, you will also occasionally step into classrooms to provide direct supervision and support to the children. You will become an integral part of your school team working to improve processes and provide an excellent preschool experience where we nurture every child’s full potential.  LOCATIONS & START DATE We are hiring for a Food Service Assistant at our location in Louisville - Okolona (7525 Jefferson Green Way, Louisville, KY 40219).  SCHEDULE, BENEFITS, & COMPENSATION School schedules vary depending on community needs but generally range from 7:30am-5:30pm.  You will work a 7-hour shift within this timeframe Monday through Friday. Your specific schedule will be determined with your school leader when considering all staff, student, and community needs, but is expected to be 8:00am-3:00pm.  This is a full-time (35 hours per week), benefits-eligible, non-exempt/hourly position. Compensation for this position is $19-$28 per hour (~$39,000-$58,000 annually) . The upper third of the compensation range is typically reserved for existing employees who have been in the role for multiple years and demonstrate strong performance over time. Starting compensation will vary by qualifications and prior experience. This role includes 32 paid days of scheduled breaks, 3 paid days of personal time off, 7 paid days of sick (care) time, 10 paid holidays, and additional time off if required by applicable law. Benefits for this role include medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, a 401(k) plan with a 4% employer contribution match, paid parental leave, an employer-matched flexible spending account for dependent care, and more. Please see here for details. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS    Age 18 with high school diploma or GED     Ability to pass background checks and complete all trainings required by the Kentucky Department of Children, Youth, and Families upon hire   Knowledge of cooking methods and procedures, including various types of preparation   Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, stand for long periods of time, and perform a variety of repetitive tasks to prepare and serve food safely   Experience working in an institutional or highly regulated kitchen/food setting with a clear understanding of food preparation best practices and protocols   Active and current food worker card   Understanding of Kentucky food and beverage worker manual    Ability to speak, read, and write English fluently   Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)   PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS    Experience working within the guidelines of the  US Department of Agriculture and Child and Adult Care Food Program  (USDA/CACFP)   Two or more years of experience working in a school (preschool, early childhood education, daycare, or K-12 environment) or similar kitchen setting   Working knowledge of food allergens, intolerances, preferences, and accommodations   Prior experience as an Assistant Teacher in a preschool setting   Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education or two years of post-secondary coursework in Early Childhood Education   Experience with Montessori pedagogy   Experience with children with special needs   Fluent in Spanish   RESPONSIBILITIES   *NOTE: The combination of responsibilities may vary based on the needs of the school site, students, and prior experiences of the Food Service Assistant.   Food Service and Site Operations   Place weekly food orders with the vendor based on student attendance trends and food waste analysis   Receive and verify daily food deliveries to ensure accuracy with order quantities and alignment with the approved menu. If meals are non-compliant, follow the Emergency Food SOP   Manage all aspects of routine vendor performance to ensure the vendor is meeting or exceeding expectations   Ensure all meals served to students are complaint and document any menu changes on menu.   Track food consumption and waste daily to ensure food costs remain as lean and efficient as possible   Prepare and serve meals and utensils to classrooms for each scheduled meal service   Maintain compliance with strict food hygiene and safety protocols at all times   Ensure the kitchen, equipment, serving utensils, cookware, and dishes are consistently cleaned, sanitized, and well-maintained   Manage and organize food inventory, including proper labeling, dating, rotating stock, and discarding items nearing expiration in accordance with food safety guidelines   Record and log food temperatures prior to each meal service to ensure compliance with safety regulations   Accommodate children’s special dietary needs, including allergies, medical restrictions, and cultural or religious food requirements   Assist in serving meals during family engagement and school events as needed   Added responsibilities if food is prepared on-site:   Place weekly groceries orders based o