Job Description

Role: Catering Assistant

Grade and Salary: Grade 3, £24,546 per annum

Holiday Entitlement: 28 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Hours Available

1.0FTE, 35hrs per week (including occasional weekend work). Weekly rosters are subject to change.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide and assist with the provision of professional, welcoming, high quality, flexible catering service to students, colleagues and visitors to the University across all areas.
• Preparation and pre-service activities prior to the opening of an outlet or the start of an event.
• Operate the outlet tills – including include taking payments whether cash, credit, contactless or cashless.
• Fill clean and service vending machines as trained and per procedures.
• Assist with receiving and putting away food deliveries and stock counting.
• Assist as directed with basic food preparation readying outlets for service, producing prepare to order items – both hot and cold, creation and production of salads, sandwiches, coffees and other items as instructed.
• Preparation, safe operation and cleaning of small items of equipment – to include soup kettles, coffee machines, ice machines, blenders, dishwashers, countertop ovens, toasters etc used daily within the outlets.
• Function Waiting/ service to table, Bar Service, (with relevant training), and assistance with buffet service when required.
• Follow all laid down processes and procedures relating to food preparation, health, hygiene and welfare, temperature checking and waste management. To work within and to be aware of EH, COSHH and Health and Safety Guidelines.
• Maintain a high standard of personal hygiene, and work in a clean and tidy manner.
• Front and back of house cleaning activities as necessary.
• Any other relevant duties which may be required from time to time or as the service develops and adapts which may be reasonably expected of the post holder.

Essential & Desirable Criteria

Essential

1. Demonstrable ability to speak and understand English to follow verbal and written instructions and deal with customer/student queries
2. Well-developed interpersonal skills
3. Delivers excellent customer service, with a professional and courteous approach
4. Ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately
5. Good attention to detail
6. Effective physical ability to carry out the post activities

Desirable

1. Experience of working within a similar environment
2. Experience of operating relevant catering and or cleaning equipment

Where the post holder is in possession of a valid UK Driving License, they will be required to register it with the University Insurance services and drive University Vehicles when required to facilitate the provision of services

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted up to 12 Noon (UK time) on Friday 12th June 2026.

Please submit your CV & covering letter via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part-time working and job share options.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.