‘ammatka senior food service worker 

Position Summary

As the home of UC Berkeley’s ‘ottoy Initiative, The Lawrence Hall of Science offers multiple culinary experiences at The Lawrence and across the UC Berkeley campus designed to foster understanding of and respect for Ohlone people and culture. These experiences are all serviced by ‘ammatka Kitchen which will be located in The Lawrence’s existing kitchen and cafe space which has been closed since 2020.

Under the direction of ‘ottoy Initiative leaders (Cafe Ohlone co-founders Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino) and the ‘ottoy Culinary Manager, The ‘ammatka kitchen will prepare, cook, and serve a combination of made-to- order and grab-and-go food for sale in the onsite cafe and other culinary offerings that will be served in other campus venues. The ‘ammatka senior food service worker position requires knowledge of all aspects of food service in a restaurant, catering or retail food operation, including preparation, serving and presentation of food and beverages; dining and serving area set up; cleaning of the facilities, equipment and tableware; customer service, and executing transactions.

We welcome candidates who have demonstrated capacity to create inclusive work environments, work effectively on diverse teams, and serve the diverse communities with whom we currently work and want to attract. We are committed to hiring and retaining racially and gender diverse, culturally competent leaders at all levels of the organization who reflect the demographics of our community and continually deepen their skills and competencies. Given the particular goals of the ‘ottoy culinary experiences, we seek applicants who are interested in advancing the goals of the ‘ottoy initiative and/or a passion for connecting food and culture.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 08/22/2025.

Responsibilities

Food Preparation, Production and Service

• Set-up, prepare, replenish, distribute food products, beverages, and supplies in designated areas to ensure availability in a timely manner to meet customer demand, under general supervision, performs semi-skilled food preparation, to include but not limited to grilling, frying and use of pizza ovens.
• Assemble and basic preparation of food products and beverages to support service and menu production, in adherence to ‘ammatka service and production standards. 
• As cooks’ helpers, assist with preparing and panning menu items, wash and cut raw vegetables, slice luncheon meats and cheeses; open and pan convenience food items in preparation for service; replenish dry storage bins; and clean equipment, cutlery, utensils, work tables, shelves, storage racks, cutting boards and sinks in the main food production areas.

Food Production and Service

• Knowledgeable about food being served, including allergens, ingredients, etc. 
• Establish and maintain positive relations with our customers. 
• Listen, and if possible, resolve customers’ needs and report them to the manager and/or supervisor. 
• Interact enthusiastically and pleasantly with customers and co- workers to ensure a positive interaction and outcome in every interaction. 
• Responsible for practicing good stewardship with university and customer resources. 
• Serve, plate, and package food using portion control techniques, resulting in an appealing final product. 
• Follow basic principles of safety and sanitation in food service. 
• Transport, deliver and serve prepared food to multiple campus locations.

Sanitation and Safety

• Maintain cleanliness of all work areas, including sweeping, mopping, wiping surfaces. 
• Remove and properly dispose of trash, compost, and recyclable materials. 
• Immediately resolve or report spills, damages, defects, and other issues to maintain safety and sanitation of the facility. 
• Ensure all operational areas are clean and organized in a timely manner to meet customer demand. 
• Clean and wash soiled dishware and equipment using correct procedures of safety and sanitation.
• Organize and store clean dishware into proper transporting equipment.
• As general utility workers, dish machine attendants, pot and pan machine attendants, perform a wide variety of duties for the maintenance of the equipment used. 
• As general maintenance workers, clean and maintain production equipment and areas to include but not limited to pots, steamers, ovens, grills, deep wells, fryers and mixers; clean work tables, shelves, sinks, drinking fountains, storage cabinets, ice machines, refrigerators and food storage bins; clean walls, doors, and air-vents; collect, empty wash and redistribute garbage cans; and sweep and mop floors in kitchen or dining area. 
• As pot and pan machine attendants, assemble, scrape, soak and wash pots, pans and utensils in the pot machine or three compartment sink; and clean pot machine, work tables, soak sinks and portable storage pot racks. 
• Put away all items when clean and dry.

Other Duties as Assigned and Professional Development

• Perform additional tasks as required, participate in organizational activities that advance the well-being of The Lawrence Hall of Science and the ‘ottoy Initiative, and engage in opportunities for professional growth.

Required Qualifications 

• Experience in food preparation.
• Experience with general maintenance and cleaning activities in a kitchen and dining area.
• Customer service experience.
• Experience following directions related to job responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to direct the work of others.
• Ability to follow recipes and to take and incorporate feedback.
• Ability to read, write, speak and understand English and follow oral/written instructions.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to operate and maintain restaurant food service equipment.
• Experience plating and packaging food in aesthetically pleasing manner.
• High school diploma and/or equivalent experience/training.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in large volume production.
• Knowledge and/or experience related to using indigenous ingredients in food preparation.
• Knowledge and/or experience related to cultivating cultural appreciation through culinary experiences.
• Knowledge related to advancing food sustainability and security.
• Experience in a foodservice operation in public-facing, cultural organization.
• ServSafe or Food Service Handler Certification.
• TIPS Training.

Salary & Benefits 

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California’s Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. 

The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $24.75 (Step 9). Please note: for SX represented positions, your minimum starting rate will be $25.00 per hour. This includes an appointment at Step 9, with a base rate of $24.75 per hour, plus an additional $00.25 cents per hour to reach your total starting salary of $25.00 per hour.

• This is a full-time (40 hours/week), career position that is eligible for UC Benefits. 
• This is a non-exempt, biweekly-paid position.

How to Apply