Child and Youth Program Cook

Purpose

The purpose of the Child and Youth Program (CYP) Cook position is to perform a variety of food preparation and food service tasks for the CYP. This position is located in a Child Development Center (CDC) but may also assist with food preparation for the School Age Care (SAC) Program.

Responsibilities

• Food Preparation and Service – Prepares all types of meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables, fruit sauces, and gravies for menus. Cooks, seasons, and portions food for all meals using standardized recipes of varying difficulty. Plans, regulates, and schedules cooking procedures so that numerous completed food products are ready at the appropriate temperature and time. Designs, implements, and maintains specialized and general kitchen operations, monitors temperatures and steam pressures, evaluates food condition, turns and bastes meat, and modifies recipes for ingredient quantities, servings, and equipment size.
• Kitchen Maintenance – Cleans serving carts, food‑preparation areas, cupboards, drawers, and dishwashing areas; sets up and operates a mechanical dishwasher; scrapes, soaks, scours, and scrubs heavy cooking utensils; performs heavy‑duty cleaning such as ceilings, exhaust hoods, spaces under and behind equipment, floors, walls, walk‑in refrigerators and freezers, and sanitizes the garbage room. Maintains the work area in a clean and orderly manner in accordance with NAVMED P5010 and local policies.
• Food Storage – Labels and dates all items in refrigerators and freezers, stores leftovers according to sanitation and health standards, stores canned, boxed, and frozen items, and may unload food and supplies from delivery trucks.
• Additional Responsibilities – Complies with security, fire, and sanitation rules, policies, procedures, and regulations. Ensures compliance with USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) standards. Serves as a mandatory reporter to Family Advocacy and Child Protective Services for suspected child abuse or neglect. Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Obtain and maintain a valid food‑handler’s card.
• Successfully pass the E‑Verify employment verification check; resolve any discrepancies.
• Pass a pre‑employment physical, provide evidence of immunization, be free of communicable diseases, and obtain required immunizations.
• Complete required training certificates and maintain certifications or credentials required by Federal, State, and/or national accreditation institutions used in DoD’s Child and Youth Programs.
• Satisfactorily complete all background checks in accordance with PL 101‑647, including a National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NACI).
• Participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Fund Transfer within the first 30 days of employment.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of food‑handling techniques, personal hygiene standards, and safe work procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of food‑preparation principles, including developing or revising recipes and cooking large quantities.
• Working knowledge of sanitation standards to prevent contamination, including proper cleaning of equipment and use of chemical sanitizers.
• Skill in performing multi‑step tasks to prepare and cook food in large quantities, solving production problems, evaluating final products, and initiating corrective action.
• Skill in developing standardized recipes for quantity cooking and adapting them to equipment capacity and serving size.
• Skill in managing multiple cooking processes to serve food at peak taste, texture, and appearance while meeting critical temperature and time controls.
• Ability to coordinate a full range of food‑preparation activities involving simultaneous cooking methods, timing requirements, many ingredients, and interrelated steps.
• Effective oral and written communication in English and strong interpersonal skills.

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent. Applicants must provide a copy of the diploma, GED, or college transcripts showing a degree awarded/conferred. If the degree has not yet been awarded, a copy of the high‑school diploma or equivalent is also required.

Benefits

• Immediate enrollment and coverage for health benefits (medical, vision, dental).
• Annual leave – 13 days per calendar year (accrued per pay period; must be onboard 90 days before use).
• Sick leave – 13 days per calendar year (accrued per pay period).
• Paid holidays – 11 per year.
• NAF Retirement Plan.
• 401(k) Savings Investment Plan with employer match up to 3%.
• Basic life insurance with optional spouse/dependent coverage.
• Medical Savings Account (FSA).
• Access to Morale, Welfare & Recreation programs (golf courses, marinas, gyms/fitness centers, bowling centers, restaurants).
• Discounted tickets, travel options, and shopping privileges at the Navy Exchange.
• Daycare discount.