Hospitality Assistant

About the role

The Hospitality Assistant prepares and serves food items in accordance with menus and standardized recipes. This role ensures high standards of food quality, sanitation, and presentation are consistently maintained. Additionally, the Hospitality Assistant performs one or more specialized roles as needed, including Cashier, Dishwasher, Cold Prep, Bakeshop Prep, Restaurant Server, Banquet Server, Barista, and Cohen House Steward.

Responsibilities

• Prepares and serves food items in accordance with menus and standardized recipes
• Maintains a high degree of sanitation within the kitchen and serving area, including cleaning standard kitchen equipment
• Performs one or more specialized roles as needed
• Cashier: Provides customer service, answers questions, and maintains door security
• Dishwasher: Maintains servery and kitchen cleanliness, assists in daily dishwashing, and sweeps and mops
• Cold Prep: Assists with food production and preparation of cold food items, cleans and stocks workstation
• Bakeshop Prep: Assists with the preparation and production of baked goods, maintains workstation cleanliness and stock
• Restaurant Server: Provides professional table service, takes orders, serves food and beverages, ensures high-quality dining experience
• Banquet Server: Sets up, serves, and breaks down special events and banquets, moves furniture, sets tables, serves large groups
• Barista: Prepares and serves specialty coffee beverages, maintains cleanliness and stock of coffee station
• Cohen House Steward: Maintains unique ambiance and cleanliness of dining and meeting spaces, ensures areas are guest-ready

Requirements

• High school diploma
• 0–1 year of related culinary experience
• Or additional related education on an equivalent year-for-year basis
• Certified Food Handler's Permit (Houston) or equivalent (ServSafe)

Skills

• HACCP Compliance: Able to document HACCP log sheets
• Communication: Must be able to speak and understand basic English
• Collaboration: Good interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team
• Technical Literacy: Able to read and understand standard recipes and production sheets
• Sensory Awareness: Must be able to detect scents and discern flavors

Workplace Requirements

• On-campus position: Requires all duties to be performed in person at the designated work location at Rice University
• Essential On-Campus: Classified as an Essential On-Campus Position, requiring on-site presence to effectively carry out vital functions
• Physical Demands: Light work, up to 25 lbs. of force occasionally, requires walking or standing for up to 8 hours per day, manual dexterity, ability to see, hear, reach, climb, and balance
• Environment: Commercial kitchen, exposure to extreme temperatures, exposure to chemicals, wet floors, dangerous equipment, hot oil, steam, and water

Hiring Range

$18.00 - $21.57 hourly, contingent upon qualifications and experience. Non-Exempt (hourly) positions under FLSA are eligible for overtime.

Non-Exempt (hourly) positions under FLSA are eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• High school diploma
• 0–1 year of related culinary experience
• Or additional related education on an equivalent year-for-year basis
• Certified Food Handler's Permit (Houston) or equivalent (ServSafe)

Other Requirements

• Must be able to detect scents and discern flavors

Workplace Environment

• Light work, up to 25 lbs. of force occasionally
• Requires walking or standing for up to 8 hours per day
• Manual dexterity, ability to see, hear, reach, climb, and balance
• Exposure to chemicals, wet floors, dangerous equipment, hot oil, steam, and water

Work Schedule

The weekly schedule will vary and will include working on weekends and holidays—candidates must be available to work any required shift.

Special Instructions to Applicants

All interested applicants should attach a résumé in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

Rice Mission and Values

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities.