Job Title: Community Value-Added Food Processor Specialist
Location: Olympia, WA
Employer: Washington State University Extension
Job Type: Part-time, temporary hourly
8-mo. appointment; 8-15 hrs/week
Base Pay: $22 to $30/hrs depending on level of experience
Job Description
The WSU Thurston County Extension program is looking for a temporary part-time food service, food processing, culinary, or food science professional to work in a community farm-to-school food processing facility. The successful candidate will process fresh cut vegetables, collect basic data on operating times, and work with partners to distribute processed produce. This temporary position is funded by a USDA Rural Business Development Grant and will run for approximately 6-8 months starting at the date of hire. Funding affords 5-8-hours per day, and 1-3 days per week, averaging 15 or fewer hours per week over the course of the project.
This is a dynamic position and the preferred candidate will possess a diverse skillset with capacity in the following areas: food processing operations, safe food handling, and use of daily processing logs.
Examples of Work:
- Coordinate with farmers and farm cooperatives to purchase, receive, and handle raw agricultural product at the processing site.
- Maintain inventory logs and other records.
- Coordinate with school food service partners to plan and distribute minimally processed produce.
- Collect operational data for processing rates and times, processing wastage, and other information to evaluate the enterprise.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Able to work around equipment and in a warm environment in food service facility conditions with issued PPE.
- Able use hand trucks to move product and lift case goods up to 50 lbs while working safely.
- Able to sort and pack vegetable food product, and package and label product.
- Able to stand and walk for long periods of time, carry buckets with water and chemicals.
- Able to develop and follow food service procedures.
- Able to understand oral and written instructions, work efficiently and adhere to deadlines.
- Able to drive as required by the position.
- Able to complete necessary food safety training and develop and implement specific hazard prevention practices including using daily logs.
- Able to wash down and scrub processing equipment using cleaning chemicals and hoses, develop and conduct equipment inspections, and complete detailed worksite logs.
- Able to work 5-8-hour days and able to work 2-3 days per week.
- Able to work with basic Microsoft Office programs.
Required Education/Training/Certification Qualifications:
- High School diploma or GED.
- One year of relevant experience in culinary, food service, or equivalent food service industry; or as otherwise described.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience following food safety and standard operating procedures, including using food safety plans, conducting equipment inspections, and sanitation practices.
- Experience with basic data collection for operating and food safety logs, completing equipment inspections, collecting swab samples for testing, and tracking labor and materials use.
- Knowledge of cleaning requirements and packaging standards.
- Experience with use of sanitation chemicals.
- Food safety training/experience to follow health regulations for safety and sanitation.
How to Apply
Applications accepted until the position is filled. The successful candidate will begin as soon as they are available. To apply send a current resume and cover letter to WSU Thurston County Extension Director, Stephen Bramwell: bramwell@wsu.edu. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other status protected by law.