Please note: This is a temporary, full-time position (9 months or less)

This is a temporary full-time position. This position will be accepting applications from residents and non-residents of Colorado. This announcement is open to potential candidates who are legal residents of the United States. All legal residents of the United States are eligible to apply and compete. If appointed to a position, applicants from outside of Colorado will be required to relocate to Colorado prior to their start date, at their own expense."

The position performs fully-operational food production work in the DYS Food Services Department. The purpose of the work unit is to provide a statewide continuum of services and programs to access, treat, and control youth placed in its care for delinquent behavior. 

Other Duties as Assigned: Performs other duties as assigned. May be required to work any shift, weekends, holidays, and overtime to ensure adequate coverage to feed the clients.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications listed below to continue in the selection process for this position. Work experience must be specifically documented in the work experience section of your application. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached" statements on your application.
Minimum Qualifications:

• Thorough knowledge of the materials, methods, and equipment used in preparing food on a large scale including the ability to prepare from "scratch" entrees, soups, salads, baked goods, etc.
• Knowledge of health hazards in food preparation and service, and of necessary precautionary measures.
• ServSafe certification is ideal
• Ability to read and follow information presented in writing, including policies, procedures, recipes and menus
• Ability to work as a team and also independently.
• Problem Solving Skills

Highly Desirable Competencies:

• Knowledge of health requirements in the operation of a food service unit;
• Knowledge of health hazards in food service and the necessary precautionary measures;
• Knowledge of weights, measures, (e.g., food scales, measuring cups, and spoons) and food measurement techniques;
• Knowledge of techniques used in mixing food (e.g., gelatin, pancake batter, salad dressing, scrambled eggs, etc.);
• Knowledge of meat and vegetable preparation methods;
• Knowledge of cooking methods (e.g., frying, deep-fat frying, boiling, or baking);
• Knowledge of the use of kitchen utensils in serving or portioning meal;
• Knowledge of food safety related to handling and storing cooked foods, serving and storing temperatures, or reading food thermometers;
• Ability to read English at the level necessary for interpreting and understanding written recipes, menus, nourishment labels, diet slips, portioning sheets, and policies and procedures;
• Ability to perform basic mathematics (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) as related to calculating or converting units of measure for determining proper amounts of food ingredients for mass food production;
• Ability to clean, cut, cube, grind, and tenderize meat;
• Ability to clean, peel, dice, grate, slice, and chop vegetables;
• Ability to measure food ingredients using food scales, measuring cups, or spoons;
• Ability to mix food items (e.g., gelatin, pancake batter, salad dressing, scrambled eggs, etc.);
• Ability to boil food items and operate a jacketed steam kettle in a safe and effective manner;
• Ability to fry food items and operate a grill or tilt grill in a safe and effective manner;
• Ability to bake food items and operate a gas, rotary, or convection oven in a safe and effective manner
• Ability to understand and execute oral and written instructions;
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

 Conditions of Employment:

• Full Background. CDHS employees (all Direct contact with vulnerable persons): CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers.
• Must be at least 21 years old
• Shift Work - May be required to work breakfast, lunch or dinner shift.
• Use, Handling, or Exposure to hazardous materials - Various cleaning agents are used in the kitchen.
• Travel - May require floating to other DYS facilities to help with coverage, travel to meetings and training.
• Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion of the DYS Pre-service Training Academy, Field Training Program (FTO) and mandatory annual training in all subject areas.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must (1) disclose that information on the application (2) provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position, (3) provide the employee number from the applicant’s prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

The Assessment Process

For additional recruiting questions, please contact araceli.diaz@state.co.us

About Us: 

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado.

Our Values:

We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

ADAA Accommodations:CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~

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