Job Description

Position Type:

Regular

Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Hiring Range:

46,675.00 USD - 48,614.00 USD

*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.

Application Closes at 12:00am MST on:

2026-08-23

About the Role

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research is looking for our next Cook/Generalist to join the team at our Foothills Lab 2 Cafeteria. This individual will prepare and serve food in any of the UCAR cafes for day-to-day operations, special events, conferences, and caterings.

Application Deadline:

• This position will be posted until 11:59:59 pm MDT on Sunday, August 23, 2026

Required application materials: (preferably uploaded as a PDF)

• Resume
• Questionnaire ( embedded in application)

Background Checks: Conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more
Work Location: This position requires fully onsite presence at the Foothills Lab 2 building/cafeteria in Boulder, CO.full on-site

What You Will Do

Here is a brief summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.

DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS

• Work hours including mornings & afternoons for day-to-day operations, and evenings & weekends for special functions
• Assist in food preparation for daily cafe operations - ensuring variety, quality, and safe handling of ingredients
• Ensure food production amounts are met with minimal waste
• Organize and setup all areas of workstation and service line
• Understand portion size and plate presentation
• Ensure a positive cafe experience by serving customers in a timely and appropriately friendly manner
• Attend pre-shift meetings with Chef & back-of-house (BOH) staff, when requested
• Assist with food delivery check-in, and storage
• Practice safe cleanliness & sanitation
• Operate point of sale (POS) system
• Short order grill cooking to include full scope of breakfast and lunch
• Assist staff by sharing knowledge of recipes, preparation, equipment, or procedure

SPECIAL EVENTS, CONFERENCES, & CATERINGS

In addition to day-to-day duties

• Assist in preparation of a variety of food items for special functions which may include appetizers, entrees, salads, and desserts as directed by Chef and requested on banquet event order
• Attend pre-event meetings with Chef & catering staff, when requested
• Assist with food presentation & displays
• Assist with closing responsibilities to include proper food storage, cleaning & sanitizing

Who We'd Love To Join Our Team

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:

Education and Experience:

• At least two years’ experience in the food service industry
• ServSafe certified, or ability to successfully obtain certification
• High School diploma or equivalent

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to multitask in a high-volume, customer-oriented, deadline-driven environment
• Ability to process & prioritize information received from a variety of sources
• Ability to comprehend & follow recipes
• Willingness to work with all products and ingredients
• Ability to exhibit good self-management skills - ensuring quality output with minimal supervision
• Effectively communicate with the team to help ensure overall morale and productivity
• Ability to work both independently, and as an effective member of a team
• Attention to the detail of daily kitchen operations, to include traffic flow and team needs
• Knowledge of hot and cold food preparation to include appetizers, salad items, entrees, desserts, etc.
• Knowledge of kitchen equipment to include slicers, steamers, food processors, ovens, fryers, etc.
• Knowledge of math to determine serving sizes, and to estimate quantities of food to prepare
• Ability to follow safe practices in food safety, sanitation, and service - ServSafe certified preferred
• Knowledge of POS system and sales transaction basics
• Capable of a professional appearance, demeanor, and positive outlook
• Excellent communication and customer service skills

Preferred Qualifications

Hiring Salary Range $46,675 - 48,614

*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role.*

Application Requirements

Questionnaire, Resume/CV

For full consideration, all application materials must be submitted by 12am (MST) at the start of the application deadline These should highlight how your skills and experiences align with the responsibilities of this position. We recognize that no candidate will meet 100% of the listed qualifications. If you believe your background has prepared you for success in this role, we encourage you to apply.

Supplemental questionnaires are often requested in lieu of a cover letter, where you address critical skills needed for the position. Your answers will be read and weighed equally to your resume and should provide specific, detailed, and informative responses based on your direct and previous work experiences.

Background checks and/or federal screenings are conducted for candidates selected for hire.

Benefits Overview

UCAR offers a comprehensive benefits package health insurance, dental, retirement plan, leave plans, tuition assistance, and employee assistance programs:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
• Generous retirement plan - UCAR contributes of 10% of base salary
• Time Off Plans
  • Minimum 20 days of annual PTO
  • 10 paid holidays
  • 12 weeks of paid parental leave
  • FAMLI Leave
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer

UCAR is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from all individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants are not required to provide age-related information (like date of birth or graduation dates) in initial submissions.

For sponsored positions UCAR can sponsor individuals for H-1B status only if they are already in the U.S. in H-1B status or another visa status that allows them to change to H-1B status within the U.S. UCAR is unable to sponsor new H-1B visas for individuals who are outside the U.S. and need to obtain H-1B status through Consular Processing.

While UCAR does not prohibit the use of AI tools in job applications, we strongly recommend that applicants submit primarily original work.

All roles require compliance with U.S. export control regulations and work location requirements. All hybrid staff are expected to work on-site approximately 3 days per week.