Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425?acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

Swarthmore College Dining Services are owned and operated by the College. We are proud to provide the campus with quality dining experiences in a variety of inviting, comfortable venues. We pride ourselves in our cuisine and hospitality, and believe that dining is a critical part of building intentional community in the spirit of Swarthmore.

Our mission is to provide fresh, nutritious, and satisfying food in a welcoming environment each and every day. Throughout our dining locations and catering, we offer a diverse menu using the highest-quality ingredients and locally grown and produced products wherever available. We strive to make dining with us a both delicious and inclusive experience, and we work collaboratively with students to accommodate their needs.

The opportunity:

As a member of the Dining Services department, the Culinary Assistant will work in any of the following stations depending on the schedule or need of the department roles: grill cook, grill assistant, salad prep, deli, prep cook. Working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, having a passion for food, enjoying being part of an energetic team and the opportunity to make a difference in the student’s dining experience on Swarthmore’s campus.

Possess exceptional customer service skills and have the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Able to work independently and as part of a team. This person is able to prioritize and multitask. Prepare grilled food, deli meats, salad bar items and catering foods in accordance with the instructions, specifications and recipes provided. Prepare and provide food in a safe and timely manner. Required to have knowledge of cooking temperatures and knowledge of operating grill equipment and must keep the work area clean and sanitized at all times. This is a 9-month position, working between the months of August-May. 

Essential Responsibilities

• Provides prompt, efficient, and friendly service to a diverse clientele.
• Perform start up duties. Plug in and turn on all cooking equipment, which include grill, oven, toasters, hearth and fryers. Set to proper temperatures.
• Foods/ingredients that need to be grilled or cooked are properly laid out, cut, cubed, and sliced according to specified requirements.
• Follows directions from the shifts lead cook  for meal production requirements
• Thoroughly wash and sanitize produce to be prepped
• Label with product name, prepared date and use by date
• Store food in correct racks with label for the days use
• Store in proper refrigerator/freezer
• Knowledge of food product, identification, and acceptable level of food quality
• Ensures food is stored at the appropriate temperature for the appropriate length of time and follows all food safety standards
• Must know methods of food preparation, cooking times, and portion sizes to ensure food is prepared in prescribed manner
• Evaluates food quality and preparedness by tasting
• Cuts, trims, bones, and carves meats and poultry for cooking
• Responsible for using correct portions when cutting, preparing, and serving items
• Assists in other areas as needed
• Follow all food safety HACCP requirements
• Maintain a professional and clean appearance at all times
• Be sure food items are appropriately thawed prior to using.
• Manage inventory of food supplies.
• Understand all menu items and prepare these items according to recipes and item specifications.
• Prepares grilled items according to customer’s specifications.
• Must be able to use the grill to its full capacity. Must be able to cook and manage many orders at the same time while maintaining consistency and quality.
• Manage portions of grilled food items.
• Must be aware of production needed across all areas including grill, salad bar, deli, pizza  catering and  residential dining. This includes daily specials in these areas.
• Prioritize and complete multiple concurrent tasks.
• Maintain a clean and sanitized work area in accordance with ServSafe standards.Assists in cleaning all areas of the operation including light pot washing and using the dish machine.
• Prepares hot and cold sandwiches, wraps and pizzas neatly and in a timely manner according to the appropriate procedure and specifications
• Memorizes and understands all menu items and prepares these items according to recipes and item specifications.

Additional Responsibilities

• Assist in setting up Bain Maries and salad bars and make sure that you have the appropriate amount of backup ingredients as stated by using established par levels. Label tops of containers that contain fresh ingredients with name of product, date and initial.
• Makes cold sandwiches according to the appropriate procedure.
• Performs other assignments as directed by a Supervisor or Manager.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• 2 years of cooking experience in a high-volume food establishment or completion of a culinary vocational training program.
• Excellent culinary knife skills
• Recipe scaling for various batch sizes
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team environment
• Excellent customer service
• Ability to read and follow recipes
• Ability to communicate clearly
• Ability to read, write, comprehend, and follow verbal and written instructions to interact with students, faculty, and staff.
• Ability to communicate with co-workers and management with professionalism and respect.

Preferred Qualifications

• Culinary program certificate
• 3-5 years of experience in high volume food establishment
• Serv-safe certification
• Food Allergen knowledge/certification
• Valid  PA driver's license

Working Conditions:

• Fast paced, high volume environment.
• Seven day operation, including nights and weekends.
• Must be able to adapt to ever-changing demands of college dining services.
• Must work in inclement and severe weather conditions.
• Could be a noisy environment.
• Floors could be wet, non-slip shoes required.
• Temperature changes: variations in temperature, which are sufficiently marked and abrupt to cause noticeable bodily reactions.
• Interact with heated equipment, steam, and other at risk conditions.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to carry and lift objects weighing up 25-40 lbs.
• Ability to carry heavy objects in close quarters. Ability to carry objects for a long period of time.
• Ability to perform kneeling, bending, squatting and reaching motions for extended times.
• Standing on a hard surface for extended periods of time.
• Involves repetitive motion.

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role!

The pay for this position is $21.53 per hour, which represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting.

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.

Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

2026 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College is committed to creating a culture of respect and inclusion so that every member of our community feels a sense of belonging. We actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse perspectives and experiences, exceptional qualifications, and a demonstrable commitment to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any identity or characteristic protected by law or College Policy.

About Swarthmore College

Since its founding in 1864, Swarthmore College has given students the knowledge, insight, skills, and experience to become leaders for the common good. Offering a liberal arts and engineering curriculum, the College is private, yet open to all regardless of financial need. It is also decidedly global in outlook, drawing students from around the world and all 50 states. The diversity of perspectives represented by Swarthmore students, faculty, and staff - including different viewpoints, identities, and histories - contributes to the community's strong sense of open dialogue and engagement with ideas and issues.

Connections working at Swarthmore College