Dining Services Aide:

Seeking a reliable Dining Services Aide to support food service, meal preparation, kitchen sanitation, dishwashing, and dining operations in a premier senior living community. Candidates with restaurant, hospitality, dietary aide, food service, or kitchen experience are encouraged to apply

Summary of Responsibilities:

This position supports dining and culinary operations by maintaining food safety, sanitation, inventory integrity, and efficient meal service. The role ensures clean, organized, and safe food service environments while assisting with food handling, storage, ware washing, meal assembly, and departmental support functions in compliance with all regulatory and organizational standards.

Essential Functions/Duties:

Food Service & Meal Support

• Assists with cooking for all-day dining items.
• Assemble meal trays accurately and in a timely manner according to tray line lists.
• Anticipate needs for meal service, including preparation of condiments, supplies, and special equipment.
• Maintain attractive meal presentation with consistent portioning, proper placement, garnish, and condiments to ensure visual appeal and alignment with established service standards..
• Serve and transport food efficiently while maintaining required food temperatures.
• Transport food from the main kitchen to service areas using covered carts and store items promptly to prevent unsafe holding.
• Check meal trays and dining areas for personal items left behind and return items to a supervisor.

Food Safety & Sanitation

• Uphold food safety standards, including proper handwashing, glove usage, hair coverings, and PPE.
• Maintain food at safe temperature levels; report temperature variances immediately.
• Follow FIFO (First-In, First-Out) inventory rotation principles.
• Perform routine and general cleaning assignments to ensure a sanitary and safe environment.
• Sanitize dishware, utensils, cookware, equipment, storage areas, and work surfaces.
• Fill, empty, and manage cleaning and sanitizing solutions safely and correctly.
• Sweep, mop, and maintain floors; promptly clean spills to ensure safe walking surfaces.
• Remove trash and garbage and dispose of waste appropriately.

Ware Washing & Kitchen Support

• Provide ware washing support to ensure dishes, silverware, and equipment are clean, sanitized, and ready for meal service.
• Set up and break down dishwashing areas.
• Wash pots, pans, trays, and other items by machine or by hand as required.
• Assist with food preparation tasks only after completion of primary sanitation or assigned duties.

Inventory, Stocking & Storage

• Maintain cleanliness, organization, and sanitation of all food storage areas, including storerooms and refrigeration units.
• Stock assisted living, rehabilitation, or service areas per department protocol.
• Fulfill stock requisitions accurately and efficiently.
• Monitor inventory, report shortages or issues, and ensure supplies are stored properly.
• Communicate inventory or equipment concerns promptly.

Communication, Professional Conduct & Training

• Communicate openly, respectfully, and honestly with supervisors and fellow staff.
• Keep team members informed of operational or procedural changes.
• Maintain confidentiality of all protected or sensitive information.
• Demonstrate attentive listening to supervisors, residents, guests, and staff.
• Maintain a neat, clean, professional appearance.
• Stay current with required training, competencies, and assigned education.
• Demonstrate dependability with attendance and punctuality.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Knowledge of and ability to follow food safety and sanitation standards (hand hygiene, glove use, PPE, contamination prevention).
• Ability to maintain safe food temperatures and report variances promptly.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, procedures, and regulatory/ organizational standards.
• Basic food preparation and cooking skills to support all-day dining items, as assigned.
• Ability to assemble meal trays accurately and efficiently, following tray line lists and service standards.
• Strong attention to detail for portioning, garnish/condiments, and meal presentation.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time effectively, and work with urgency during meal service.
• Ability to operate safely in a kitchen environment, including safe use of covered carts and safe handling of hot items and cleaning chemicals.
• Ware washing and kitchen sanitation skills (set up/break down, machine/manual washing, cleaning and sanitizing work areas and equipment).
• Inventory, stocking, and storage skills, including FIFO rotation and maintaining clean, organized storage areas.
• Effective communication and teamwork skills; ability to interact respectfully with supervisors, coworkers, residents, and guests.
• Professional conduct, including maintaining confidentiality and a neat, clean appearance.
• Dependability, including consistent attendance and punctuality; flexibility to work rotating shifts, weekends, holidays, and inclement weather, as required.
• Ability to complete required training/certifications within established timeframes (e.g., ServSafe; Hearthstone Ambassador training).
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the role, including prolonged standing/ walking and lifting/pushing/pulling as described.

Core Values:

1. AMBASSADOR: Represents The Highlands at Wyomissing® in a positive light with integrity. Takes pride in our community.
2. COMMITMENT: Dedicated, adaptable, tolerant, dependable, focused, and passionate. Often does more than is required. Reports to work as scheduled and timely.
3. COMPASSIONATE: Is empathetic, mindful, and kind.
4. INNOVATIVE: Is curious. Identifies new methods and efficiencies.
5. RESULTS-DRIVEN: Has a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and completing work. Exerts unusual effort over time to achieve a goal. Maintains commitment to goals in the face of obstacles and frustrations.
6. TEAM ORIENTED: Works cooperatively and effectively with others to achieve common goals.

The Highlands’ Traditions (Customer Service Expectations):

1. SAFETY: Practices safe behaviors to ensure the safety of all.
2. KINDNESS: Projects a positive image and energy. Courteous and respectful to all. Goes above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.
3. SHOW: Takes pride in self-appearance. Stays in “character” and performs the “role in the show.” Ensures work area is show-ready.
4. EFFICIENCY: Performs role with consistency and efficiency. Uses time and resources wisely.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• This position is a full-time or part-time position in a health care facility that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Days and hours of work vary based on need. Rotating shifts as well as evening, weekend, holiday and work during inclement weather will be required.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• High School Diploma or GED (Required or being pursued by high school student)
• Prior experience working in commercial kitchen (Preferred)
• Prior experience working with senior population (Preferred)
• 1-3 years’ experience in cooking (Preferred)
• SERV Safe Certification within 30 days of employment (Required)

• Completion of the Highlands Hearthstone Ambassador training within 30 days of employment (Required)

Work Authorization/Security Clearances:

• Medical Screening
• Criminal History Clearance
• FBI Fingerprint Clearance (Only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 2 years)
• Immigration and naturalization (I-9) Clearance
• Valid Pennsylvania Driver's License and acceptable MVR (if operating company vehicle)

Physical Requirements and Physical Demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Visual acuity must be adequate to perform job duties, including reading and comprehending labels on chemicals.
• This position is continuously required to walk, climb crouch, reach above shoulder, lift from waist level up, lift above shoulders/head, and lifting 25 lbs.
• This position is occasionally required to sit, bend, squat, crawl, kneel, balance, pull with force, push/push up to 350 lbs., lift from floor level up, lift 50 lbs. and lift and/or carry objects weighing up to 25 lbs.

Safety Hazards and Physical Environment:

• This job operates in a kitchen environment. This role routinely uses sinks and dishwashers and tools to clean kitchen appliances. Employees in this role are frequently exposed to hot water, potentially slippery floors, and garbage disposals.
• May be exposed to blood borne pathogens.
• May be exposed to communicable diseases.
• May be exposed to potential electrical shock
• May be exposed to toxic, caustic, chemicals, and / or detergents
• May be exposed to rare occasions during which it is necessary to interact with a resident exhibiting aggressive behavior.