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Posted: January 27, 2026 (2 days ago)

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Dining Services III - CMHHIP - Full Time

State of Colorado

Colorado Department of Human Services

Fresh

Location

Salary

$3,661 - $5,125

per month

Type

Closes

February 7, 2026More State jobs →

Job Description

Summary

This job involves preparing, cooking, and serving meals and snacks in a secure mental health hospital setting, ensuring food meets nutritional and safety standards for patients.

Workers use commercial kitchen equipment to follow recipes and guidelines while maintaining cleanliness and proper storage.

It's a good fit for reliable team players with hands-on cooking experience who can handle varying shifts in a high-security environment.

Key Requirements

  • Experience in food preparation and cooking using methods like grilling, baking, roasting, and steaming
  • Knowledge of food safety and sanitation guidelines, including HACCP for temperature monitoring
  • Ability to operate and clean commercial kitchen equipment safely
  • Skill in following standardized recipes, diets, and production sheets
  • Capability to portion and serve food in a secure, high-volume setting
  • Availability for full-time, in-person work with varying shifts and locations within the facility
  • Residency in Colorado and commitment to working on-site during scheduled times

Full Job Description


This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.
Position Location: Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo
Unit: Varies
Shift: Varies; Full-Time, In-Person


About us
As a cornerstone of the Pueblo community for over a century, the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo is a leading employer, provider of quality mental health services, and a community partner.

About the Nutrition Services department:
The Nutrition Services Department exists to provide quality food service and medical nutrition therapy to more than 1600 clients in a mental health care facility and the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC). With over 100 employees, the department strives, within available resources, to provide adequate nutrition to clients based on medical, spiritual, ethnic, cultural, and mental health needs.

Requirements


You are required to work at your assigned work location during your scheduled work times.


The incumbent in this position will prepare and serve meals, snacks and beverages for clients in a high and/or medium security setting while adhering to federal, state and local regulations. As well as prepare food by utilizing conventional and cooked chill production systems and using a variety of cooking methods such as grilling, baking, roasting, steaming, etc. with commercial food service equipment. Food is re-thermed, assembled and portioned by dining services positions in the dining rooms. Candidates in this position will also store food in accordance with food safety guidelines and are responsible for cleaning equipment, production areas, and dishes while following proper safety and sanitizing guidelines. Please note incumbent may be scheduled to work in North Kitchen or dining rooms, based on business needs.

Primary Duties:
Production Cooking:
  • Prepares food by utilizing a variety of cooking methods.
  • Follow standardized recipes, diets, cooking instructions, production sheets, tallies, and load slips to prepare meals, snacks and baked goods.
  • In the preparation of recipes visually, inspect for correct consistency, color, and texture.
  • During cooking, monitors and documents food temperatures following Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) guidelines.
  • Operates and cleans commercial food equipment, following manufacturer's guidelines and instructions for safe operation.
  • Counts and portions of food items based on census per location
Meal Preparation and Service:
  • Prepares and re-therms food and beverage products.
  • Takes QA sample bags and stores until testing is completed.
  • Cooks meals by using various cooking methods and equipment (i.e. combi-oven, griddle, conveyor toasters, etc.).
  • Prepares meals in accordance to load slips and ensures food safety and sanitation guidelines are followed.
  • Assembles and portions food items, snacks, sack meals, beverages and baked goods.
  • Prepares sack lunches for clients as needed.
  • The position also serves meals/snacks to CMHHIP patients in accordance with the meal report.
  • The position is responsible for completing an inventory of supplies in their designated production area and orders supplies from North Kitchen as needed by using bread and milk order form.
  • Receives supplies and stores them in the appropriate location based on the item being delivered (i.e. cold item, dry storage, chemicals, etc.) following First In First Out (FIFO) guidelines.
  • Assists in the arrangement of a dining area/food service equipment;
  • Assists in the production, transporting, and serving of food, as necessary.
Cleaning and Organization:
  • Scours and/or cleans counters, cabinets, tables, kitchen equipment, and fixtures in a food service unit.
  • Washes dishes, utensils, pots and pans by using a dishwasher or 3-compartment sink.
  • Cleans garbage cans and disposes of garbage.
  • Pushes food carts to designated locations. Transports dishes, utensils, equipment, and supplies to and from proper storage areas; sets up tables, counters, and trays for service; clears tables and transports soiled dishes to the kitchen.
  • Sweeps and dusts food service unit; washes, mops, and scrubs floors and washes walls (as assigned) in kitchen and serving areas.
  • Responsible for maintaining supplies of detergents and other cleaning agents in designated areas.
Safety and Sanitation:
  • Follows policies and procedures regarding utensils counts, key monitoring, food auditing, operation and minor servicing of equipment.
  • Applies proper sanitation techniques when cleaning production areas and equipment.
  • Records dish machine wash and rinse temperatures.
  • Documents knife counts, refrigeration temperatures and food temperatures on designated log sheets.
  • Ensures all refrigerators and other log sheets are updated daily.
  • Ensures IOJ and incident reports are completed in a timely manner.
  • Follows food safety guidelines following federal, state, and department standards.
  • Monitors and documents food temperatures, following HACCP guidelines. Maintains equipment and supplies needed in service area; reports equipment failures to the designated supervisor and Division of Facilities Management.
Training and Computer use:
  • Maintains active computer access to complete Cornerstone trainings.
  • Attends yearly competency fair and completes mandatory hospital and departmental training.
  • Completes timecards by payroll deadlines.
  • Checks email correspondence at least one time per week. Log-in to TeamWorks to obtain the assigned schedule.
Other Duties as Assigned:
  • Other duties may be assigned or may be asked to work on other units to ensure coverage.

Qualifications


Minimum Qualifications:
Experience Only:
  • Two (2) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position
**Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a pro-rated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Previous experience working in a commercial or institutional setting, utilizing raw ingredients, following prescribed large-scale recipes to create meals or baked goods from scratch.
  • Previous experience working as a cook in a high volume, batch production kitchen, following prescribed large-scale recipes, monitoring production schedules and maintaining inventory and supply orders.
  • Experience in Corrections or high-security kitchen.
  • Food Safety Certification
  • Excellent customer service skills
  • Basic computer skills
Knowledge Of:
  • Food service operations and the preparation and production of food
  • Cleaning and sanitizing practices as they relate to food service operations
  • Safe food handling, and storage practices and regulations
  • Weights, measures, (e.g., food scales, measuring cups, and spoons), and food measurement techniques.
  • The techniques used in mixing food (e.g., gelatin, pancake batter, salad dressing, scrambled eggs, etc.).
  • Cooking methods (e.g., frying, deep-fat frying, boiling, steaming, and baking).
  • Food safety related to handling and storing cooked foods, serving and storing temperatures and reading food thermometers.

Conditions of Employment:

A full background check and reference check is required.

A pre-employment criminal background check will be conducted as part of the selection process as this position is deemed to have direct contact with vulnerable persons.

Felony convictions, conviction of crimes of moral turpitude, or convictions of misdemeanors related to job duties may disqualify you from being considered for this position.

Should your background check reveal any charges or convictions, it is your responsibility to provide the CDHS Background Unit with an official disposition of any charges.

  • Exposure to cleaning chemicals and commercial equipment.
  • May be required to work weekends, evenings, and holidays.
  • Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:
    • Disclose that information on the application.
    • Explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current position.
    • Provide your employee number from your prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

  • CDHS Selection Process Explanation
    Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements.
    • Preferred Qualifications & Competencies:

    • Relevant years of state service experience.


    Minimum Qualification Screening Process: A Human Resources Analyst will review the work experience/job duties sections of the online job application to determine whether your experience meets the minimum qualifications for the position. You must complete the official State of Colorado online application. Cover letters and resumes WILL NOT be reviewed during the minimum qualifications screening process. You must specifically document your work experience and qualifications. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached." You must meet the minimum qualifications to continue in the selection process. Part-time work experience will be prorated.

    Comparative Analysis Process – Structured Application Review: After minimum qualification screening, the comparative analysis process will involve a review and rating of all the information you submit. The comparative analysis step may also include your results from an eSkills Test.

    Your Work Experience/Job Duties: Document your work experience/job duties to the extent to which you possess the skills, education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications.


    Supplemental Questions: Answer the supplemental questions completely and thoughtfully. We will rate your answers based on the content of your response and your writing skills (spelling, grammar, and clarity of your writing).

    Appeal Rights

    You may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director if your application is eliminated. You will find the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it on the State Personnel Board website.

    • You or your representative must sign and submit the official appeal form for review.

    • You can find the official appeal form here.

    • You must be deliver the official appeal form to the State Personnel Board:

      • By email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), or

      • Postmarked in US Mail to(1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203, or

      • Hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or

      • Faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.


    Contact the State Personnel Board for assistance:

    • At (303) 866-3300, or

    • Refer to the Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, within the Rules webpage.

    Additional Information


    About Us & Benefits

    If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, join the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS).

    Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado.

    Each of us is committed to contributing to a safe and accessible CDHS. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:


    Our Values

    We believe in a people-first approach: We prioritize the needs, well-being, and dignity of the individuals, families and communities we serve.

    We commit to respect, fairness and access in every decision, policy and interaction. We engage client voices and experiences in the development and implementation of the services we provide.

  • Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

  • We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

  • Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

  • We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

  • Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.


  • ADA Accommodations
    CDHS is committed to a Colorado for ALL qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment.

    This includes completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship.

    If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to cdhs_ada@state.co.us.


    EEO Statement: ~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~
    We are committed to increasing a “Colorado for ALL" of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a “Colorado for ALL” drives our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.Additional Support For Your Application


    Toll Free Applicant Technical Support

    If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g.

    uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time).

    Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application 1) ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and 2) close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.


    THE CAMPUS OF THE COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTE AT PUEBLO IS TOBACCO FREE




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    Posted on NEOGOV: 1/27/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/28/2026

    Source: NEOGOV | ID: neogov-colorado-5208711