What are the responsibilities and job description for the Ice Cream Maker position at Theda's Ice Creamery?
About Theda’s
Theda’s Ice Creamery is a small-batch, super-premium ice cream shop in Napa built by a local family, for local families. Everything we serve is made in-house daily using organic Straus dairy and real ingredients. We focus on craft, consistency, and creating a joyful community space — no gimmicks, just exceptional ice cream done well.
We’re growing, and we’re ready to bring on someone to help build the future of our production program.
Position Overview
The Ice Cream Production Specialist works directly alongside the Owner to produce all ice cream and frozen desserts for Theda’s.
This is a hands-on production role requiring prior commercial kitchen experience. The position begins as a collaborative, side-by-side role and is designed to grow into a key production leadership position as volume increases.
We’re looking for someone disciplined, detail-oriented, and excited about building systems — not just following recipes, but helping refine and scale them. This is a high-volume production role where consistency, food safety, and craftsmanship matter every single day.
What You’ll Do
- Produce ice cream and frozen desserts according to established recipes and production schedules
- Maintain strict consistency in texture, flavor balance, and quality
- Operate commercial batch freezers and production equipment safely and efficiently
- Scale production as demand increases
- Collaborate on recipe refinement and flavor development
- Assist with ingredient ordering and inventory forecasting
- Monitor par levels and communicate supply needs
- Maintain proper labeling, dating, and rotation (FIFO)
- Craft in-house components such as baked goods, sauces, caramel, mix-ins, and inclusions as needed
- Document and help build SOPs for production processes
- Train future production team members as the shop grows
- Maintain a clean, organized, and food-safe production environment
- Occasionally support front-of-house operations during peak needs
Requirements
- Prior commercial kitchen experience required
- Prior ice cream or gelato production experience highly desirable
- Experience in baking, sauce-making, or pastry production strongly preferred
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to consistency
- Comfortable working independently for extended periods
- Ability to lift 40–50 lbs regularly
- Process-minded and systems-oriented
- High integrity and reliability
- Calm under volume
- Must be able to communicate effectively in English to ensure safe food production, follow written recipes and documentation, and coordinate clearly with management and team members
Schedule
- Part-time to start (approximately 20 /- hours per week)
- Preference for early morning availability
- Hours may expand based on performance, seasonality, and production needs
- Majority of time spent independently in production
Compensation
- Starting at $23 per hour, negotiable based on experience
- Opportunity for growth as responsibilities and production volume expand
Theda’s Ice Creamery is an equal opportunity employer. We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of our community and creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and supported.
Salary : $23