Cook

Are you seeking a meaningful career where your culinary skills and experience can contribute to the well-being and happiness of others? Join us at Woodward Resource Center (WRC), where we're actively seeking passionate individuals to join our team as a Cook. This is a full-time appointment with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with opportunity for development, growth, and advancement. The Cook position works an eight-hour shift, five-days a week, between the hours of 6:00a.m. and 5:45 p.m.

About Woodward Resource Center (WRC):

At WRC, our mission is to prepare and support individuals to live in the community of their choice. From the moment of admission, we're committed to providing quality care and support tailored to each individual's needs and aspirations.

What You'll Do:

As a Cook at WRC, you'll play a crucial role in our mission by providing quality care and support through your culinary expertise. Your responsibilities will include:

• Preparation of delicious and nutritious meals for up to 500 individuals.

• Following recipes to prepare a variety of menu items, including entrees, vegetables, baked goods, and salads, utilizing commercial food service equipment.

• Adapting food textures to meet the needs of individuals with dysphagia, ensuring everyone can enjoy their meals safely and comfortably.

• Ensuring food is prepared and served at the appropriate temperatures to meet food safety standards.

• Completing necessary record-keeping tasks, such as temperature logs and recipe feedback.

• Serving food with care and attention to detail.

• Monitoring and maintaining food temperatures while adhering to safe food handling techniques.

• Contributing to a clean and sanitary kitchen environment through daily, weekly, and periodic cleaning tasks.

Key Competencies:

Successful candidates for this position will demonstrate the following competencies:

• Knowledge of sanitary methods and personal hygiene standards applicable to institutional food service operations.

• Ethical conduct, honesty, and integrity in all interactions and tasks.

• Customer service orientation, with a polite, courteous, and cooperative approach to meeting the needs of our residents.

• Initiative and commitment to maintaining high standards of quality and professionalism.

Benefits of Joining WRC:

Joining our team at WRC and working for the State of Iowa not only offers the opportunity to showcase your culinary skills but also provides a range of benefits designed to support your well-being and professional growth, including:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Health and dental insurance packages to keep you and your family healthy at a low cost with outstanding coverage!

• Paid Time Off: Take time to recharge with paid time off, including vacation (96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).

• Retirement Plans: Participate in retirement plans such as IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) as well as our Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (the State of Iowa matches dollar for dollar up to $75/month).

• Flexible Spending Accounts: Take advantage of flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.

• Insurance Coverage: Benefit from life insurance and free long-term disability insurance for added peace of mind.

• Employee Assistance Program: Access resources and support through our Employee Assistance Program for personal and professional challenges.

• Employee Discount Programs: Enjoy discounts on a variety of goods and services through our employee discount programs.

For additional information on benefits click here.

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Join Us Today

Join us at Woodward Resource Center and make a difference in the lives of individuals within our community through your dedication to culinary excellence and compassionate care. Your role as a Cook is not just a job - it's an opportunity to serve others with purpose and compassion. Apply now and take the first step towards a fulfilling career where your culinary skills have a profound impact on the well-being and happiness of those we serve.

New to the area or looking to relocate to Iowa? Visit This is Iowa to see how Iowa offers something for everyone- competitively low cost of living, bustling cities and neighborhoods, access to entertainment, opportunities for career growth and unrivaled access to outdoor adventures.

HHS values those with "lived experience" and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the DHS system to apply. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired - Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).

Our agency uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.  To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.  Experience equal to one year of full-time quantity food production in a commercial, military, hospital, or institutional setting;

OR

successful completion of a military, vocational, or community college program in commercial cooking;

OR

employees with current continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes experience equal to six months of full-time work as a Food Service Worker.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.