Food Service Worker II

About the University

The University of Georgia, founded by the state of Georgia in 1785, is recognized as the country’s first public higher education institution and serves as the state’s flagship university. Its main campus is in Athens, about 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with additional campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. The university employs roughly 3,100 faculty members and over 7,700 full-time staff, and enrolls more than 41,000 students across 19 schools and colleges, including the newly created School of Medicine.

Role Overview

This position is hands-on and semi-skilled, centered on advanced food service work in a dining hall or cash operations kitchen. The job includes a limited supervisory component, where the incumbent helps guide other food service staff who handle serving, cleaning, and basic food preparation. The role calls for experience-based skills, attention to cleanliness, and the ability to help ensure guests are served in a professional and courteous way. Work instructions are typically given orally or in writing and are checked through inspection and observation of the completed work.

Schedule and Pay

This is a full-time position with a 40-hour workweek. Shifts can change and may include evenings and weekends. The posted pay rate is $16.738461 per hour. The role is listed as open until filled. The expected starting date is May 26, 2026, though the new Dining Commons role is not expected to begin until mid-May at the earliest.

Responsibilities

The role supports kitchen and dining operations by assisting with food preparation and service, while also helping oversee routine work performed by subordinate staff.

• Support cooks and kitchen staff by cleaning and trimming vegetables, washing dishes, serving food, cleaning tables, and sweeping floors.
• Provide limited supervision to food service workers engaged in food serving, facility cleaning, and serving-line meal preparation.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness and presentation while preparing, handling, and serving food.
• Ensure patrons are treated in a polite and welcoming manner.
• Operate and care for food service equipment such as meat slicers, mixing machines, steam cookers, and beverage machines.
• Complete other duties assigned by management.

Qualifications and Skills

The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent along with 5 years of related experience. Candidates should bring basic math ability, practical leadership skills for routine food service tasks, and awareness of food safety hazards and prevention measures. Applicants must also be able to perform physically demanding work, including lifting and moving loads up to 50 lbs, pushing or pulling products up to 30 lbs, standing for long periods, and working in environments that may be noisy, hot, cold, dusty, smoky, chemical-heavy, or filled with odors.

Physical Requirements

This job involves frequent movement and manual effort. Employees must be able to climb, balance, crouch, twist, crawl, kneel, reach, and work with repetitive motion of the wrists, arms, and shoulders. Good hand and finger coordination is needed, and the work may require long hours on your feet.

Conditions and Additional Information

Applicants should be prepared to walk, climb stairs, balance, stoop, bend, squat, work with hands above the head, and use a standard or extended ladder or similar raised surface throughout the shift. Weekend availability is required, and evening availability until 11:30 pm may also be necessary.

This role is not considered driving-related, a position of trust, or one with financial resource control, P-Card responsibility, direct interaction with minors, direct patient care, or security access. A credit check may be required for positions with financial responsibilities. Employment offers depend on the successful completion of a background investigation, which may include criminal history review, verification of credentials and work history, reference checks, and, where relevant, a satisfactory credit check. A pre-employment drug test may also be required for certain high-risk responsibilities.

UGA is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, veteran status, or other protected status. The University System of Georgia emphasizes Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect, and also supports Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom.

This role is based in the Athens area.

Application Materials

Required documents include a resume or CV and a list of references with contact information. A cover letter is optional.

Recruitment Contact

For questions about the position or hiring progress, contact Russell Webb at rtwebb@uga.edu.