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Posted: January 28, 2026 (1 day ago)

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Dining Services III / Cook - Rifle Veterans Community Living Center

State of Colorado

Colorado Department of Human Services

Fresh

Location

Salary

From $21.13

per hour

Closes

March 5, 2026More State jobs →

Job Description

Summary

This job is for a cook in a nursing home for veterans, where you'll prepare nutritious meals, serve food to residents, and keep the kitchen clean and safe.

It involves following recipes for special diets, ensuring everything is at the right temperature, and helping create a welcoming dining experience.

A good fit would be someone who enjoys cooking, pays close attention to details like food safety, and has a caring attitude toward elderly residents.

Key Requirements

  • Prepare meals following standardized recipes and therapeutic guidelines for portion sizes, textures, and nutritional needs
  • Serve and deliver food in proper portions, temperatures, and appealing presentation to residents in dining areas
  • Clean, sanitize, and maintain kitchen equipment, floors, refrigerators, dishes, and dining rooms
  • Monitor food temperatures during preparation, storage, and service, and record daily logs
  • Check storage areas for proper labeling, dates, and sanitation of leftovers and units
  • Distribute snacks and supplements to residents and assist in keeping storerooms organized
  • Follow food safety standards to ensure compliance and resident health

Full Job Description


This position is open to Colorado Residents Only.
This position is open exclusively to internal candidates at the Rifle Veterans Community Living Center.
This posting may be used to fill multiple positions

Office of Adult, Aging and Disability Services
CO State Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle

The Colorado State Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle is located on Colorado's western slope in the scenic Colorado River valley. Rifle offers a mild climate, with plenty of clean mountain air and beautiful blue skies. Amidst this setting, the State Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle provides 89 beds of skilled nursing care, including a 18-bed Special Care Unit for residents with Alzheimer's Disease or related conditions. Serving veterans, their spouse and eligible "Gold Star" parents, we are committed to caring for the whole person by addressing the personal and social needs of each resident, as well as their physical and medical requirements. All staff members of Rifle are committed to providing a life of qualify and dignity for every resident. At the Colorado State Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle, our staff is known for showing love and compassion to our residents. Giving residents a hug, holding their hand or sitting next to them on them on the arm of a chair are just a few of the ways we give care that comes from the heart.

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Requirements

Shift Information: Please note: Employee's shifts may change based on the needs of the program.**

Food Handling and Services

  • Prepares all aspects of meals to comply with food safety standards, visual appeal, appropriate temperature, texture, and palatability for residents
  • Follows standardized recipes and therapeutic worksheets for correct portion sizes and texture
  • Serves and delivers food in the correct portions, proper temperatures, and in an aesthetically appealing manner
  • Provides dining services for residents in main or private dining rooms depending on need and occasion.
  • Prepares and distributes resident snacks and supplements to all neighborhoods.

Cleaning and Sanitation

  • Cleans, sanitizes, and maintains kitchen and kitchen equipment including but not limited to: floors, refrigerators, dishes, trash, and food service equipment
  • Cleans dining room tables, sanitizes, and cleans chairs
  • Washes dishes and silverware and puts them away
  • Cleans, records temperatures, and sanitizes all unit refrigerators.
  • Assist in keeping the storeroom, main kitchen and cooling units clean and free of empty boxes
  • Monitors aids when they clean and sanitize the satellite kitchens and unit areas

Monitoring

  • Monitors all food temperatures while the food is removed from the oven or cooling unit and before the items leave the main kitchens.
  • Checks all storage areas and leftover foods for label and dates
  • Monitors temperatures of main kitchen, satellites and other appropriate areas where food is served and maintains daily record.
  • Notifies supervisor on duty any time refrigerators are not within acceptable parameters or foods are not at proper serving temperature so problem can be corrected immediately.
  • Discards all outdated food and snacks as required by policies and procedures

Other Duties

  • Provides solutions to aids for discrepancies in food temperatures
  • Assists food service supervisor in inventorying supplies and foods (perishables and non-perishables), freezer, and storeroom
  • Provides excellent customer service to all internal and external customers
  • Communicates immediately and directly with Food Service Director of any department concerns
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications


Minimum Qualifications

  • 2 years of experience in an occupational field related to the work
Substitutions:

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
  • Ability to understand measurements and follow recipes
  • Ability to engage with clients and coworkers and resolve issues swiftly
  • Ability to multitask
  • Ability to understand and follow food safety procedures
  • Knowledge of basic food safety
  • Experience working in cafeteria style dining
  • Knowledge of kitchen sanitation, cleaning, and maintenance
This position requires the following as conditions of employment:
  • Must pass a Colorado Bureau of Investigations and a Federal Bureau of Investigations background check as a condition of employment.
  • Must pass TB test.
  • This position is "Essential Service Designation": you will be required to report without delay or interruption to provide essential or emergency services to ensure health, safety, and welfare.
  • This position has shift work: day, evening and night shifts to include holiday and weekends as needed.
  • Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position.

    Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

    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.

    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.

    Conditions of Employment:
    • Full Background: CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers)
    • Must pass a TB test for employment
    • This position requires State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position.

    • Motor Vehicle Check , if the employee will drive a state-owned vehicle, either in an on-going capacity while performing their normal day-to-day job duties OR on occasion for training/meetings/client visits/etc.

    • Must possess a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License or an non-restricted U.S. Driver's License for positions within 30 miles of the CO state border

    • Out-of-State Driver’s License holders must obtain a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License within 30 days of employment start date.

    • Other Conditions of Employment specific to Program

    • 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.

    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.

    If listed, answer all supplemental questions as your answers to these questions will be evaluated during this phase. Provide at least 4-8 sentences for each supplemental question.

    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



    How to Apply


    The Assessment Process

    For additional recruiting questions, please contact melissa.hamilton@state.co.us


    *Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more

    information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs.

    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)

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~



Toll Free Applicant Technical Support


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Posted on NEOGOV: 1/28/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/29/2026

Source: NEOGOV | ID: neogov-colorado-5210427