Cook 2

Full Job Description

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of State-Operated Specialty Care, Bureau of Cherokee Mental Health Institute (CMHI) is seeking a Cook 2 to join our team! This is a full-time position scheduled 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. with rotating days, weekends, and holidays.

The Cook 2 is a hands-on member of the Dietary team with responsibilities in all areas of the food service operation, as well as lead duties in meal preparation and supervision. Some specific responsibilities include:

• Assists supervisor by instructing employees, answering questions and distributing, balancing, and checking work.
• Fills in for supervisory staff to maintain an orderly operation by answering phones, ordering food items, providing ordered items to living units or recreation staff, handling special dietary requests, making substitutions on serving lines and/or ensuring that all opening/closing procedures concerning food service operations are completed.
• Handles all aspects of food preparation: measures, cleans, mixes, cuts, cubes, purees, grinds, and/or tenderizes various kinds of meat, vegetables, and other food items for cooking or preparing special diets.
• Prepares various food items for meals using appropriate cooking methods, including steaming, boiling, frying, and baking, using rotary, gas, and convection ovens.
• Monitors food temperatures to ensure that foods are served or stored at safe temperatures.
• Sanitizes kitchen equipment, utensils, floors, walls, counters, tables, and food carts to comply with state health department standards and to prevent foodborne illness.

Applicants will be required to complete a background check to be considered for this position.

CMHI provides active inpatient treatment to adults in need of acute psychiatric care. The facility offers several services includingindividualized treatment plans.

Support for patients with special education needs to continue their education is provided, and individuals are encouraged to collaborate with staff members in formulating their own plan.

Medication, group counseling, and activities therapies might be included as well. For more CMHI info: https://hhs.iowa.gov/family-community/specialty-care-facilities/cherokee-mental-health-institute

Benefits of Joining CMHI

Working for the State of Iowa comes with its perks. In addition to a competitive salary, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth.

• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Health and dental insurance packages to keep you and your family healthy at a low cost with outstanding coverage!
• Paid Time Off: Take time to recharge with paid time off, including vacation(96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).
• Retirement Plans: Participate in retirement plans such as IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) as well as our Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (the State of Iowa matches dollar for dollar up to $75/month).
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Take advantage of flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Insurance Coverage: Benefit from life insurance and free long-term disability insurance for added peace of mind.
• Employee Assistance Program: Access resources and support through our Employee Assistance Program for personal and professional challenges.
• Employee Discount Programs: Enjoy discounts on a variety of goods and services through our employee discount programs.

For additional information on benefits click here.

Click here to see how we compare with other employers or offers by using our Total Compensation Calculator.

Cherokee Highlights

CMHI is located in Cherokee, a city of approximately 5,000 set in the beautiful Little Sioux River Valley in Northwest Iowa.

Residents enjoy fishing and canoeing on the Little Sioux River which winds through town providing a backdrop to a well-developed parks and trails system.

In addition, Cherokee has over 1,000 acres of land devoted to parks and outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and horseback riding.

Cherokee is the home of the first accredited museum and planetarium in Iowa, Sandford Museum and Planetarium, established in 1951.

Cherokee may be the smallest town in the world to have its own symphony orchestra! This 60-member orchestra has been referred to as the “best kept secret in Northwest Iowa.”

Cherokee is home to Western Iowa Tech Community College and 1 hour or less from other educational institutions including Morningside College, Northwestern College, Buena Vista University, and Dordt College.

This quintessential Iowa town is 1 hour from Sioux City and 2 hours from Omaha. Check out these 10 Reasons to Move to Iowa.

The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer

HHS values those with “lived experience” and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the HHS system to apply.

Minorities, women, persons with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States.

The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization.

For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

Qualifications

Experience equal to two years of full-time work in quantity food production in a commercial, military, hospital or institutional setting;successful completion of a military, vocational or community college program in commercial cooking and one year of qualifying experience;employees with current continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes experience equal to six months of full-time experience as a Cook 1.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.