Dining Services III / Diet Kitchen - CMHHIP - Full Time

Full Job Description

This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

Position Location: Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo
Unit: Varies
Shift: Full-Time, In-Person, Friday-Tuesday from 6:00am-2:30pm. Wednesday and Thursday OFF

Requirements

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

The purpose of this position is to perform skilled food production duties in a commissary kitchen that prepares, assembles, and portions meals, baked goods, snacks, and beverages for all therapeutic, mechanically altered, and religious diets, which include but is not limited to Kosher and Halal diets, Vegetarian diets, Gluten Free diets, and Dysphagia diets (difficulty swallowing). This position also stores food in accordance with food safety guidelines and is responsible for cleaning equipment, production areas, and dishes while following proper safety and sanitation guidelines.

Primary Duties:
Preparation of Medical and Religious Diets:

• Prepare food items and baked goods for therapeutic, mechanically altered, allergy-restricted, and religious diets following standardized recipes, religious guidelines, and food safety requirements.
• Prepare snacks and sack meals for the Department of Corrections.
• Assembles prepared items into Cambro carts for each designated satellite kitchen/facility.
• Use commercial equipment (e.g., blenders, Robot Coupe, immersion blenders) to achieve required textures and consistencies.
• Prevent cross-contact for allergen- and gluten-free diets.
• Inspect food for correct texture, color, portion size, and appearance.
• Label, count, and portion foods based on tallies.
• Follow approved procedures for religious diet preparation, including separation of equipment and surfaces.

Cleaning and Equipment Care:

• Maintain cleanliness and sanitation of the diet kitchen work areas, equipment, utensils, and dishes by completing daily and weekly cleaning duties.
• Clean and sanitize production areas, carts, equipment, and utensils.
• Operate dish machines and three-compartment sinks according to established procedures.
• Prepare and verify sanitizer solutions using test strips.
• Safely move carts and supplies within the kitchen and commissary areas.
• Reports equipment malfunctions to the supervisor or designee and submit work order

Sanitation, Safety, and Security Compliance:

• Ensure food safety, sanitation, and security requirements are met in a secure production environment serving a mental health hospital and correctional facility.
• Monitor and record food, refrigeration, and dish machine temperatures per HACCP standards.
• Perform sharp and utensil counts in accordance with established hospital policies and departmental procedures.
• Complete IOJ and/or incident reports documentation following established hospital policies.
• Follows food safety guidelines in accordance with federal, state, and department standards

Training, Computer Use, and Other duties as assigned:

• Complete mandatory hospital, departmental, and food safety and diet training.
• Maintain competency in medical and religious diet preparation requirements.
• Provide coverage in other Nutrition Services areas when trained and assigned.
• Maintains active computer access to complete Cornerstone, complete timecard, review emails, etc.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor or appointing authority.

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, especially related to medical and religious diets
• 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

• How to apply to the State of Colorado (Youtube Video, Runtime 3:59, Closed Captions Available)

• The Assessment Process

• For additional recruiting questions, please contact Magalie.Chapman@state.co.us

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:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans

• Medical and dental health plans

• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account

• Paid life insurance

• Short- and long-term disability coverage

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave

• State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center

• Employee Wellness program

• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more

• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

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

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.

Toll Free Applicant Technical Support