Instructor – Institutional and Commercial Culinary Program

Please indicate the job code INST-ICCP in the subject line of your email.

After sending in your documents, please fill out the online Job Applicant Identifier form. RACC is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with government regulations we are required to record numbers of job applicants by sex and ethnic category. We ask that you indicate your race or national origin and sex, but you are not required to provide this information. This information will not be kept with your application and will be used only in accordance with state and federal regulations.

Background Check

A background check is not required for this position.

Job Details

Title: Instructor – Institutional and Commercial Culinary Program
Announce date: 09/25/2026
Apply by date: Open Until Filled
Application status: Accepting Applications
Position type: Part-time
Salary: $39.00 per hour

Reading Area Community College (RACC) seeks a dynamic and student-centered Instructor for the Institutional and Commercial Culinary (ICC) Program.

This role supports the College’s mission of providing accessible, high-quality education through applied learning in institutional and commercial food production.
The instructor will teach credit and non-credit courses such as ZICC-100: Basic Skills for Institutional Cooking and ZICC-120: Large-Scale Food Production, designed to prepare students for careers in high-volume culinary operations including hospitals, schools, senior care facilities, corporate dining, and community-based food service organizations.
Instructors are expected to combine technical culinary expertise with strong instructional practice, cultural awareness, and a commitment to fostering workforce readiness for diverse student populations.

Working Hours:

Flexible schedule as required by the needs of the position. Specific work hours to be agreed upon by the supervisor and employee before the onset of employment.

Travel Requirements:

Position requires limited local travel; employee must have access to transportation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Prepare and teach assigned courses in alignment with program outcomes, including food safety, large-scale food production, nutrition, and workflow optimization.
2. Deliver instruction in both hands-on lab settings (Helping Harvest Kitchen) and classroom/online environments (Canvas LMS).
3. Review and post syllabi on the first day of class, including outcomes, grading policy, attendance, schedule, and LMS access.
4. Teach and model industry-standard practices such as ServSafe compliance, HACCP, OSHA, and institutional food service best practices.
5. Evaluate student learning through assessments, practical demonstrations, and reflection activities.
6. Support student growth by providing timely feedback, coaching, and mentoring.
7. Promote retention and engagement by contacting students with irregular attendance and encouraging persistence.
8. Maintain accurate and complete course records in compliance with division and College policies.
9. Engage students in discussions about career pathways, workforce readiness, and transfer opportunities.
10. Employ a variety of instructional techniques to accommodate diverse learners, including active learning and collaborative lab experiences.
11. Ensure all instructional practices reflect cultural responsiveness and inclusivity.
12. Participate in professional development and maintain currency in culinary and food safety practices.
13. Collaborate with program faculty, Dean, and community partners (e.g., Helping Harvest) to strengthen experiential learning opportunities.
14. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Education and/or Experience: Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Culinary Management, Hospitality, or Food Service Operations (or equivalent combination of education and industry experience).
• Current ServSafe Manager Certification (or ability to obtain prior to appointment).
• Minimum three (3) years of professional experience in institutional or large-scale food service operations (e.g., hospitals, schools, senior care, corporate kitchens, catering).
• Demonstrated instructional or workforce training experience.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality, Food Service, or related field.
• Community college teaching experience.
• Experience using Canvas LMS and multiple teaching modalities (face-to-face, hybrid, online).
• Bilingual proficiency (English/Spanish).
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and cultural engagement in teaching.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Technical proficiency in large-scale food preparation, equipment operation, menu planning, and bulk production strategies.
• Knowledge of ServSafe, HACCP, OSHA standards and ability to model compliance for students.
• Excellent classroom and lab management skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for working with diverse student populations.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and inspire students to pursue culinary and hospitality careers.
• Organizational skills for balancing instructional preparation, grading, and student support.
• Familiarity with industry trends in institutional food service, sustainability, and nutrition.
• Ability to demonstrate safe use of knives, heavy equipment, and industrial appliances.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should be proficient in the use of Microsoft Office (especially Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Internet skills. Knowledge of Learning Management Systems / Canvas and the ability to teach hybrid/online courses is a plus.

Communication Skills:

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one on one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out simple one or two-step instructions. Ability to deal with standardized situations with only occasional or no variables.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, and to reach with hands and arms, bend and lift up to 25 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise levels are typical moderate.

• Instruction will occur in classroom, kitchen lab, and community-based food service environments.
• Noise levels are typical of commercial kitchens.

FOR ANNUAL SECURITY AND CRIME STATISTICS REPORTS: https://www.racc.edu/about-racc/clery

Organization

Working at Reading Area Community College

Reading Area Community College (RACC) is a mid-size comprehensive community college located in historic Berks County, Pennsylvania in the City of Reading. The College serves not only Berks County but draws students from the surrounding area. Located less than 60 miles from Philadelphia and 50 miles from Harrisburg, Reading and its suburbs offers a quality-of-life, as well as access to major cultural, urban environments.

The institution is committed to a philosophy of student success with an experienced, dedicated faculty and staff. The academic portfolio includes 40-plus programs ranging from liberal arts to engineering, as well as a unique center devoted to cutting edge technologies supporting local businesses and industries. The College has incorporated a strong commitment to technology and is adding each year to its online course offerings as well as blended, hybrid courses enabling the community year round access to quality education. The College is also designated the only Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in Pennsylvania.

The College is looking to attract individuals who are interested in helping Reading Area Community College continue its evolution as a standard for opportunity, excellence, and hope for students. RACC is devoted to enabling students to fulfill their academic goals. We particularly welcome applications from energetic, enthusiastic individuals who wish to be a part of a growing, thriving community college and who share this commitment.