Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Job Location:

Boulder, Colorado

Position Type:

Full time, Regular

Hiring Salary Range $46,675 - 48,614 

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

Job Description Summary

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.

Job Description

Application Deadline:

• This position will be posted until 11:59:59 pm MDT on Sunday, July 12, 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

Benefits Overview 

UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits. In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance,  UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development. These include:

• Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities.

• UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one.

• Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions).

• 10 paid holidays.

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

• Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary.

• EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost.

Commitment to Job Application Fairness

Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.

Some Final Considerations

At NSF NCAR| UCAR | UCP, you will work alongside a dedicated team of professionals conducting critical research and community outreach to solve complex Earth system science  problems including climate change, air pollution, extreme weather, floods, drought, wildfires, and space weather, all with the goal of improving human life and reducing economic loss. Each of us, from scientists to the professionals who support their work, serves the public and a collaborative community of scientists in our mission to understand the complex processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor to the Sun’s core.

Flexible Work

At UCAR, we are committed to supporting our mission by giving staff the flexibility to find the schedule and location that works best to maintain their own work-life circumstances and reach their full potential as professionals. Many positions within our organization are eligible for fully on-site, hybrid (three days per week) and/or flexible work hours.

Equal Opportunity Employer

UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at UCAR.

Export Control

All positions are required to comply with U.S. export compliance regulations and work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.

Work Location

UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

AI Software

ChatGPT and similar AI software are powerful tools that are changing the way society receives, processes, and leverages information promptly. While we acknowledge its benefits and do not restrict leveraging it with job applications, we highly encourage a majority of the applicant material to be original work.