Dietary & Food Service Aide I (16 hours/week)

MelroseWakefield Hospital, part of the Tufts Medicine system, has been offering the highest quality and accessible healthcare to the local community for over 130 years. With two hospital campuses, a Level III Trauma Center, Level III Special Care Nursery, Breast Health Center, Cardiovascular Center, and over 20 locations and 50 specialties, MelroseWakefield Hospital offers many opportunities to grow your career.

About the role

This role focuses on support services functions, including dietary and food services. Under general supervision, the position works in any location where food is prepared, including retail, patient, and catering operations. Responsibilities span all aspects of food services, such as assisting with menu selection, food preparation, food delivery, kitchen cleanliness, and sanitation.

Responsibilities

• Maintains and communicates accurate and updated diet order information through the system to ensure patients receive appropriate meals, nourishments, and commercial enteral products in accordance with current diet orders.
• Cleans and sanitizes dishware, equipment, workstations, pots, utensils, floors, walls, dish machines, and other areas as required.
• Strips, sanitizes, stacks, and reassembles patient trays and utensils in the dish room.
• Operates a cash register (or equivalent), receives payments, makes change, and issues receipts or tickets to customers or employees.
• Delivers and picks up trays from patients, ensuring accurate tray assembly on the patient tray line.
• Prepares normal menu items, salads, sandwiches, desserts, and special items.
• Operates a variety of kitchen utensils to weigh, measure, mix, wash, peel, cut, grind, stir, strain, season, and knead food items for cooking, serving, and storing.
• Assists in the preparation of hot and/or cold foods and properly stores food, utilizing knowledge of temperature requirements and spoilage.
• Maintains accurate sanitation and temperature logs in the work area according to regulatory requirements.
• Assists with setup, stocking, serving, and delivering food from counters, steam tables, and workstations.
• Removes trash from assigned workstations and kitchen areas, disposes of crushed cardboard, and recycles bottles and cans.
• Maintains collaborative, team relationships with peers and colleagues to contribute to the working group’s goals and foster a positive work environment.
• May prepare special nutritional products such as infant formulas, modular tube feedings, or powdered nutritionals for high-risk adult patients.
• Other duties as assigned by the department leader.

Requirements

• Food service experience.
• ServSafe certification within 6 months of employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• One (1) year of experience in hospital food services.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to read, write, and understand written instructions.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to interact with patients, patient care teams, and employees.
• Familiarity with therapeutic diets.
• Knowledge of sterile food handling techniques.
• Ability to operate simple mechanical devices such as coffee urns, dish machines, slicers, and trash compactors.
• Ability to use a knife for slicing, cutting, and dicing.

Physical Requirements

• Standing and walking for 95% of the day.
• Straining and lifting approximately 30 lbs., pushing loaded carts (approximately 400 lbs.).
• Manual dexterity to handle money, work a cash register, and prepare food.
• Exposure to infectious diseases due to interacting with sick patients.
• Possible exposure to hazardous chemicals due to cleaning and sanitation.
• Ability to hear phoned patient orders and supervisors' instructions.
• Exposure to heat, cold, steam, chemicals, and hot equipment.
• Frequent exposure to garbage and trash.

Schedule

• 16 hours per week.
• Weekend and holiday shifts required.
• Shifts: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Friday, Saturday.
• AM hours available Saturday or Sunday: 6:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries and benefits that start on day one.
• 403(b) retirement plan with company match.
• Free on-campus parking.
• Career growth opportunities.

Pay

Pay Range: $17.00 - $19.09 per hour. The base pay reflects the minimum qualifications for the role. Individual offers are determined using a comprehensive approach that considers relevant experience, certifications, education, skills, and internal equity.