Did you know that food insecurity is real for many Maine families? Do you want to make a difference for children in our community? If you have a passion for cooking and want to help guide nutrition in the school setting, then this is the perfect position for you! The Education in the Unorganized Territory is seeking a Cook who can plan and prepare meals within the child nutrition program guidelines and provide a variety of nutritional options daily within their small schools.
The Cook I is responsible for inventorying supplies; ordering supplies; preparing and serving meals; cleaning the dining a preparation area, as well as keeping records of all financial transactions. The intermittent cook would be required to prepare, serve, and clean the areas appropriately.
The Department of Education operates three elementary schools in the Unorganized Territory: Kingman, Connor, and Edmunds. This posting is a general position recruitment that does not guarantee a need at any given time. If you are applying for this position, you will be contacted within two weeks to communicate if you will be waitlisted or interviewed.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of kitchen equipment
- Ability to cook for large numbers
- Knowledge of proper procedures regarding food preparation Knowledge of proper procedures regarding clean-up
- Ability to prepare foods included on the menu
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
One (1) year experience in large-scale institutional food preparation including serving and cleanup
BENEFITS:
No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:
- Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
- Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($10,150.80-$11,942.16 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
- Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.
- Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($350.40 annual value).
- Retirement Plan – The State of Maine contributes 13.16% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
- Gym Membership Reimbursement – Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
- Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts – Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
- Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness – The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office.
- Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
- Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive four weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
- Voluntary Deferred Compensation – Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.
- Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.
There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role. As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.
Thinking about applying?
Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.