Food Services Coordinator - Jail Services

Job Summary Join Our Team and Support Our Community: Food Services Coordinator at Clark County Jail Services

Are you seeking a career that truly matters, one where your dedication directly contributes to the safety, well-being, and sustenance of individuals within our community? At Clark County Jail Services, we are dedicated to serving our community from the inside out. 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

First review of Applicant pool planned for May 12, 2026

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 Jail Services' 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.

* Inmate workers not being used currently but could return in the future

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.

*Inmate workers not being used currently but could return in the future

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 May 12th

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

Disqualifying Factors:

• Any Felony Convictions (regardless of status)
• Domestic Violence Charges
• Failure to pass background investigation
• Failure to pass the polygraph examination
• Failure to pass drug screening

4. Eligibility List: If your background investigation determined you met the minimum qualification for the eligibility list, your written test, panel interview score, and background submission grading score will be combined into an overall score. You will then be placed on a candidate eligibility list according to your score. As vacancies become available the candidates with the highest ranked score on the eligibility list may receive a conditional offer of employment. (see Step 5 for conditions) It is important to note that your ranking may change
daily. This is due in large part to exams being administered continuously with candidates merging on and off the lists regularly. The ranking also changes as a result of individuals being hired from the list or expiring off the list.

5. Conditional Offer: Offers of employment are contingent on passing the following exams:

• Polygraph Examination - based on your background investigation and personal history.

• Drug screen
   

Eligibility List - Your score is valid for 6 months after a successful background.

Examples of Duties

KEY OR TYPICAL TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

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

Currently this position involves overseeing, instructing, and delegating work to temporary workers to unsure continuity of nutritionally balanced food service.  In the future, this position could oversee, instruct, and delegate work to inmate workers. Work may involve interactions in stressful or sensitive situations and maintaining security of inmates and temporary workers. Incumbents may be exposed to face-to-face interactions and confrontations with angry, hostile, depressed and/or otherwise emotionally distraught inmates. Essential tasks include use of various kitchen equipment including ovens, mixers, slicers, knives, freezers, etc., and other supplies/equipment customarily used with large scale meal preparation and cleanup. Incumbent stands, bends, reaches, sits and lifts food items, supplies and equipment. Additionally, incumbent routinely handles various sanitation and cleaning supplies to ensure compliance with health standards regarding proper food preparation rules and regulations. Daily truck driving is required. * Commercial Driver’s License not required*

Salary GradeSheriff Support.8

Salary Range$30.29 - $40.89- per hour

Close DateOpen Until FilledEqual Opportunity Employer

Clark County is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal opportunity in employment, access, and delivery of all county services. Clark County’s Equal Employment Opportunity Plan is available at http://www.clark.wa.gov/human-resources/documents.

Employee Benefits and additional compensation

Clark County provides regular full-time and part-time employees with a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, vision and dental insurance, paid leave, flexible spending accounts, life insurance and long-term disability, retirement, and deferred compensation.  Some types of employees in some positions and bargaining units might have different benefits and additional compensation.  More specific benefit information for the different bargaining units can be found at https://clark.wa.gov/human-resources/employee-benefits. Also please refer to the specific bargaining unit contract for additional compensation at https://clark.wa.gov/human-resources/documents.

Retirement Information

All Clark County employees must participate in a WASHINGTON STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM PLAN (PERS, PSERS or LEOFF).Employee contributions begin the first day of work. Current contribution rates vary by plan but could range from 5% to 15% of gross pay, depending on the plan choice. 
 

For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site here: http://www.drs.wa.gov/

If you are in need of ADA/Section 504 assistance for accommodations, please contact Human Resources at (564) 397-2456; Relay (800) 833-6388.