Do you have a passion for cooking and experience in food service, customer experience, or hospitality?
Iowa State University Dining is hiring Cook I positions across campus. With over 20 dining locations, ISU Dining operates a variety of food environments. From small café and market-style locations to our large dining centers with a station-style format, featuring made-to-order grill stations, international cuisine, salad bars, bakery stations, and more—each focuses on producing fresh, consistent meals in a high-volume setting.
Our commitment to excellence and innovation provides opportunities for career advancement and personal growth within the department and across campus. You’ll help prepare quality food and support a positive dining experience for students, faculty, staff, and guests.
What You’ll Do
Prepare and Cook Food: Use standard recipes and cooking techniques to prepare meals, baked items, soups, and salads.
Quality & Presentation: Monitor taste, temperature, and appearance to maintain consistent standards.
Serve and Support Operations: Work on service lines or station-style meal preparation.
Assist with Training: Support and guide food service workers and student staff.
Sanitation & Safety: Maintain a clean, organized kitchen environment and follow food safety procedures.
Inventory & Storage: Receive, rotate, and store food and supplies properly.
What You’ll Get
Insurance benefits (medical, dental, and vision) starting on your first day—with timely enrollment
Competitive retirement options with university contributions
Free meal with every shift
Time off - vacation, sick leave, and holiday pay - Holidays OFF!
Consistent full-time schedule that supports work-life balance
Check out the video below; watch our teams in action and see just a few of the ways you can contribute to our dynamic team:
Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities
Prepares and cooks meats, fish, vegetables, gravies, cereals, soups, fruits, bakery products and other forms of food.
Prepares and cooks food for special diets from recipes formulated by qualified personnel.
Assists in on-the-job training and assist in directing the work of food service workers, students and other employees within area of assignment.
Assists in the preparation of salads and desserts.
Notifies supervisor of food and supplies needed.
Checks in food and supplies as necessary.
Maintains food production records.
Cleans kitchen, kitchen utensils and equipment; secures refrigerator and freezer.
Serves food as required.
Maintains maximum standards of sanitation and safety.
Performs other related duties and responsibilities as required or assigned.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Ability to judge final food product for quantity (yield) and quality (color, taste, texture, etc.).
Ability to determine the freshness and quality of raw and cooked food products by sight and taste.
Knowledge of safe temperatures for serving food and storage of refrigerated and frozen storage of raw and cooked foods.
Knowledge of principles of food sanitation, health hazards, and the necessary precautionary measures.
Ability to stand for long periods of time.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
Ability to provide on-the-job training in food preparation to lower level employees.
Ability to maintain effective working relationships with others.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.
To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application.
Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:
Resume
Cover Letter
If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.
Why Choose ISU?
Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
Generous vacation, holiday and sick time and leave plans
Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
Life insurance and long-term disability
Flexible Spending Accounts
Various voluntary benefits and discounts
Employee Assistance Program
Wellbeing program