"Laboratory Technician, Culinary Arts (Substitute FT)"

Under direction from an appropriate level manager, provides technical support to faculty, staff, and students in the culinary arts program. This includes maintaining equipment, supplies, and materials used in the culinary labs and on-campus restaurant, assisting with classroom, restaurant, and laboratory setups, and ensuring the safety and cleanliness of the facilities. The incumbent plays a key role in creating a safe, effective, and hands-on learning environment for students in the culinary program, while also ensuring smooth on-campus restaurant operations and adherence to food safety standards.

May receive functional and technical work direction and training from faculty and/or higher-level staff.

Positions in the Laboratory Technician class are distinguished from the Senior Laboratory Technician by the level of responsibility assumed. In comparison to the Senior Laboratory Technician, positions at this level are assigned to less complex labs, have less exposure to hazardous or otherwise dangerous materials, and limited involvement in budget activities and ordering of supplies and equipment. Employees at this level are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to assigned area of responsibility and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit.

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

Sets-up, prepares, and breaks-down culinary labs and classes, ensuring all necessary equipment and ingredients are available and properly prepared; reviews recipe information with instructors for future labs; prepares, portions, and organizes ingredients and materials based on recipe and menu requirements.

Provides hands-on assistance during culinary labs as well as the on-campus restaurant, helping students with techniques, equipment, and food preparation; provides clear, concise, and accurate explanations and demonstrations to facilitate student understanding and reinforce the instructor’s teaching; assists students in the technical aspects of culinary lab procedures.

Provides troubleshooting assistance to students and faculty in the event of equipment malfunctions or supply issues; performs routine and preventative maintenance and minor repairs to equipment used within the area of assignment; receives, assembles and tests new equipment.

Assists in the setup and breakdown of the on-campus restaurant, ensuring that the dining area, kitchen, and prep stations are organized and equipped for service; supports students in the front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) operations, helping to facilitate tasks during restaurant service, including food preparation, plating, serving, and customer interaction; ensures that restaurant equipment and supplies (e.g., flatware, kitchen tools, serving dishes) are properly labeled, stocked, maintained, and ready for use; assists students in learning the fundamentals of restaurant operations, including customer service, kitchen operations, and food preparation techniques.

Assists with monitoring and maintaining inventory of culinary supplies, including food products, kitchen tools, and laboratory materials; tracks and documents inventory usage and ensures timely stock replenishment; may drive vehicle to pick up supplies, as needed.

Conducts regular inspection of assigned areas and equipment; ensures that all safety protocols are followed in the culinary labs, including food safety, sanitation practices, and the safe operation of equipment; initiates corrective action to eliminate hazards; provides guidance and assistance to students regarding proper use of equipment and kitchen safety procedures; cleans and sanitizes workstations, utensils, and other equipment used during lab sessions; maintains compliance with local health regulations and industry standards; ensures that leftover food is properly labeled, dated, stored, and utilized to keep waste at a minimum; demonstrates safety and emergency procedures in class and laboratory situations; responds to laboratory emergencies and may provide first aid, if necessary; refers unresolved problems to supervisor.

Assists faculty with instructional support; assists instructors in developing instructional materials; prepares study sheets, visual instructional aides, sample exercises and exams, and laboratory experiments; may assist in grading exams and maintaining related records; provides assistance to students on a variety of laboratory and course related matters; reviews student work in progress and assist in resolving problems.

Assists in maintaining records related to lab operations, including inventory logs, maintenance schedules, and equipment usage.

Assists in the recruitment and retention of students within the assigned area; may participate in various on- and off-site events and activities targeted at new or returning students and/or potential students; may liaison with other campus and district departments to promote events, programs, and initiatives.

Assists in the selection of work-study students and/or Student Workers; provides functional and technical direction and training to work-study students/Student Workers assigned to the program.

Assists with the planning, preparation, and execution of events, meetings, demonstrations, or special culinary experiences hosted by the department; liaisons with other departments and individuals as needed.

Fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment that promotes creativity and professionalism; establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships with students, staff, and faculty, as well as various outside groups to ensure efficient, effective, and correct implementation of program objectives.

Stays up-to-date with new trends and technologies in the culinary field, including equipment and culinary techniques; participates in training and development opportunities to improve technical and safety knowledge in the culinary arts; maintains current knowledge of the regulations, policies, and application requirements and eligibility criteria for assigned program; ensures compliance with School, College, and District policies and procedures as well as local, state, and federal codes, regulations, and laws related to the assigned area; maintains working knowledge of standard operating procedures within the area of assignment; uses District, College, State, and Federal regulations, policies, and procedures to provide accurate information to students, staff, faculty, and others; abides by all confidentiality practices required by department, state, and federal policies, laws, rules, and regulations.

Operates a variety of office, laboratory, and kitchen equipment and machines; learns to use modern technology as necessary to perform duties; utilizes electronic technology to correspond with others and to maintain assigned calendars, schedules, and appointments; utilizes various computer applications, software packages, and databases; prepares, maintains, and generates reports.

Assists with updating and maintaining classroom and lobby displays; updates and maintains departmental websites as needed; may assist with creating related content, as required.

Attends a variety of meetings, workshops, conferences, presentations, and training sessions as required; maintain compliance with mandatory trainings and certifications as directed by supervisor; attends and participates in diversity, equity and inclusion trainings and events.

Responds to routine and specialized questions and requests information; answers phones; relay messages for faculty and staff.

May work occasional nights/weekends, as required.

Performs related duties as required.