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Job Details

Food Services Coordinator - Jail Services

  2026-01-02     Clark County     Vancouver,WA  
Description:

Food Services Coordinator at Clark County Jail Services

Join our team and support our community. As a Food Services Coordinator, you will be an essential member of our team, playing a vital role in providing nutritious meals and maintaining a safe and sanitary environment within our facilities. This is more than just a job; it's an opportunity to serve your community, uphold the highest standards of food safety and operational efficiency, and embark on a rewarding career path with opportunities for growth.

Your essential role in supporting our facilities:

Food Service Coordinators are a vital part of our jail system, providing essential food services to support the well-being of residents and the smooth operation of our facilities. You will be responsible for the preparation, delivery, and safety of meals, ensuring that dietary needs are met and that all operations comply with strict food handling and sanitation guidelines. Your diligence and commitment to excellence directly contribute to the health and safety of those in our care.

Mission Statement

The Clark County Jail Services Department is dedicated to protecting the community from the inside out. We accomplish this mission by providing a safe, secure, and humane environment for residents while upholding the highest standards of public safety. A key component of this is ensuring the provision of nutritious meals in a safe and efficient manner. We are committed to the professional development of our staff and fostering a work environment that is ethical, respectful, and inclusive.

Why Join Clark County Jail Services?

Make a Difference: Contribute directly to the well-being of individuals in our facilities by providing essential nutritional services.

Essential Role: Be part of an essential service that supports the justice system.

Career Growth: Benefit from a career path with opportunities for advancement within the department.

Comprehensive Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary and benefits package, including medical, vision, and dental insurance, paid leave, and a retirement savings plan.

Qualifications

  • Minimum two years of experience in an industrial or full-service commercial kitchen highly preferred.

  • One year of experience in training and leading others to accomplish a goal.

  • Have possession of, or have the ability to obtain, a valid food handler's certificate.

  • Be 18 years of age or older at time of hire.

  • High School Diploma or GED certification.

  • United States Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident required.

  • Good driving record.

  • Ability to drive a truck (Commercial Driving License not required) in all season weather.

  • Proof of a Hepatitis A vaccination upon offer of employment (May be provided at Sheriff's Office expense)

  • Criminal justice system experience preferred.

  • Minimum of two (2) years of experience providing customer service to a diverse client population.

  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

Any combination of education, training and experience that would provide the required knowledge and ability to perform the essential duties of the position will be considered.

Knowledge of: instructional techniques for training and motivating others; communication techniques to insure successful results in dealing with cross-cultural or diverse groups of people including public, peers, team members, inmates, temporary workers and other County employees; recipe cooking and the care and use of utensils and kitchen equipment; personal hygiene, sanitation, cleaners and related products and equipment; hazards of food preparation and handling; safety precautions, methods and practices utilized; institutional food preparation, handling, storage and disposal. Criminal justice system and community resources knowledge is preferable.

Ability to: train, direct supervise and evaluate the work of inmates/temporary workers including safety considerations and cleanup; issue verbal instructions in a clear and easily understood fashion; estimate quantities and follow recipes for large scale food preparation; establish and maintain effective working relationships with inmates/temporary workers, supervisors and other members of the staff; stand for long periods of time while performing routine or repetitive function; and identify and recognize the potential dangers of working in close quarters with jail inmates/temporary workers.

Commitment to Professionalism and Reliability

To effectively serve our facilities and maintain the integrity of our operations, excellent attendance and punctuality are essential. As a vital support employee, you will be expected to work as assigned, which may include weekends, holidays, and various shifts, to ensure the continuous provision of food services. Overtime may be required in situations of short staffing or emergencies.

Selection Process

This is a continuous recruitment. Applications will be collected on an ongoing basis starting on January 9th.

1. Application: All candidates must submit a job application through this site.

2. Panel Interview: Candidates may receive an invitation to interview with the panel after a management review of the resume submission. All candidates must complete a panel interview to be considered for the Background Process.

3. Background Process All candidates who are selected in the panel interview to move forward to the background phase will be invited to begin a background investigation. The background submission is a graded component and the grading rubric will be sent with the initial invitation to begin the backgrounds.

Background Investigation: This is the most detailed and lengthy part of the hiring process.

The background investigation will consist of the following elements:

  • Criminal history investigation

  • Affiliations

  • Personal and professional references

  • Employment History

  • Any prior applications to other criminal justice agencies

  • Credit check

  • Drivers record investigation

  • Polygraph examination

  • Psychological evaluation

  • Medical examination

Disqualifying Factors

Any Felony Convictions (regardless of status)

Domestic Violence Charges

Manufacturing/Distribution of Illegal Drugs

Reckless/Negligent/DUI within the last 3 years

Illegal Drug Use within the last 3 years

Dishonorable Military Discharge or Failure to Register for Selective Service

Discharge from a Criminal Justice Agency related to honesty

Affiliation with Gangs or Extremist Groups

Recent Patterns of Behavior Eroding Public Trust

Unsatisfactory Employment History including attendance issues

Falsifying Application or Personal History Information

Unsatisfactory Personal or Professional References

Failure to pass the polygraph examination

Failure to pass a psychological evaluation

Failure to pass a medical exam

Failure to pass drug screening

Examples of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Train, direct and evaluate inmates/temporary workers in the preparation of meals and the cleanup of food preparation areas.

  • Train and instruct inmates/temporary workers in the use and safety of kitchen utensils and equipment.

  • Orient new inmates/temporary workers to the service protocols, work requirements and expectations.

  • Train in and monitor/report PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) policies in their area of work.

  • Maintain key control for a secure inmate facility.

  • Maintain a high level of safety and safety awareness within the food preparation areas.

  • Complete hazard assessments for safety and security of facilities.

  • Supervise the loading/unloading of food trays and transport inmates for food delivery to the maximum jail facility and the Juvenile Detention facility.

  • Maintain security practices within the kitchen area.

  • Utilize disciplinary measures to maintain compliance with rules and policies in their work areas of responsibility.

  • Prepare inmate incident and injury reports; issue inmate infractions and assign sanctions for behaviors.

  • Inventory and prepare orders for food and kitchen supplies as needed.

  • Make initial appropriate contacts for periodic maintenance and/or repairs to kitchen equipment.

  • Perform related duties as assigned.

Work Environment


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