About this role
Job Title: Culinary Arts Paraprofessional Department/School/Program: Careerline Tech Center, Holland, MI Reports To: Director of Careerline Tech Center Job Type: Full-Time, 183 days per year (school year) Start Date: August, 2026 FLSA: Non-Exempt Located at the Careerline Tech Center in Holland, MI, our Culinary Arts Program Paraprofessional supports the instructional, practical lab, and operational needs of our Culinary Arts program. In this role, you will work alongside the lead instructor to deliver hands-on culinary training, preparing high school students for ServSafe certifications, college articulation, and rewarding careers in the hospitality and food service industries. You will directly impact student success every day by assisting with commercial kitchen lab supervision, demonstrating proper knife skills and culinary techniques, enforcing health and sanitation standards, and maintaining a safe, engaging, and well-equipped learning environment. Additionally, this position offers opportunities for additional flexible hours supporting in-house catering operations, including event planning, food preparation, and administrative support. Essential Job Functions
• Assist the lead instructor in delivering culinary arts training aligned with industry standards, the ProStart curriculum, and state requirements.
• Demonstrate, model, and evaluate proper student techniques in core culinary skills, including knife skills, basic cooking methods, baking/pastry, and food presentation.
• Guide and support students through hands-on technical processes in a commercial kitchen environment, reinforcing culinary math, cost controls, portion control, and recipe scaling.
• Monitor student safety and strict compliance with health department regulations, ServSafe sanitation standards, personal protective equipment, and commercial equipment safety protocols.
• Prepare, organize, and maintain commercial kitchen tools, specialized equipment, dry/refrigerated storage, and inventory supplies to ensure readiness for daily instruction.
• Monitor student behavior, engagement, and professionalism; provide supportive redirection to maintain a safe, respectful, and productive commercial kitchen environment.
• Assist students with modified instruction and reinforcement of curriculum material as needed, including accommodating students with documented IEPs or 504 Plans.
• Maintain necessary documentation regarding student skill checklists, lab performance, catering hours, and accommodations in collaboration with the instructor.
• Collaborate with the instructor to support student participation in work-based learning, student leadership opportunities, and capstone experiences.
• Support in-house catering events for Careerline Tech Center, school district functions, and community activities.
• Source, shop for, and procure food products, ingredients, and event supplies within established budget guidelines.
• Oversee and assist students with event prep and post-event clean-up, sanitation, leftover management, and equipment reset.
• Other duties as assigned.
Education and Experience
• Required: A minimum of 60 college credit hours from an accredited institution OR 4,000 hours within the past 6 years of recent, documented experience in a professional culinary, restaurant, catering, or commercial food service setting.
• Required: Prior industry experience in culinary arts, commercial food preparation, or catering management.
• Preferred Experience: Prior experience working with high school-aged students or in an instructional/coaching capacity.
Certifications and Qualifications
• Preferred Certifications: Current ServSafe Manager Certification.
• Preferred Certifications: Current CPR/First Aid Instructor certification (or willingness to obtain).
Required Skills & Abilities
• Strong knowledge of commercial kitchen operations, food safety, sanitation regulations, culinary terminology, and food prep techniques.
• Practical understanding of culinary math, recipe costing, inventory management, and food ordering processes.
• Familiarity with commercial kitchen equipment and food service hand tools.
• Basic administrative and computer proficiency for handling catering event invoicing, inventory tracking, and purchasing receipts.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build professional rapport with high school students, instructional staff, and catering clients.
• Ability to work effectively with students of varying abilities and backgrounds in a fast-paced, high-heat, hands-on culinary environment.
• Flexibility to work additional, non-standard hours (mornings, evenings, etc.) to support in-house catering activities as needed.
• Commitment to supporting student achievement, culinary creativity, and professional growth in hospitality pathways.
Physical & Environmental Requirements
• Work is performed primarily in a classroom and commercial kitchen lab; must be able to safely navigate and manage hot equipment, sharp tools, commercial food preparation machinery, and cleaning chemicals.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop, reach, and move about the kitchen lab and event sites for extended periods to provide hands-on student supervision and technical demonstration.
• Ability to frequently lift, carry, push, or pull food crates, bulk food ingredients, catering hot-boxes, commercial pots, and equipment up to 50 pounds with or without mechanical assistance.
• Manual dexterity and sensory abilities required to safely operate kitchen equipment, perform fine knife work, monitor food quality/temperature, and evaluate student visual and culinary performance.
Compensation and Employment Details
• Pay Range: $25.50-30.00 Per Hour commensurate with experience
• Full-time, School Year Calendar: 183 days per year (plus additional paid hours as scheduled for catering activities)
• Employee Group: Non-Union Hourly
• Benefits: Full benefits package, including health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance. MPSERS provided retirement plan.
Notices Job Description Changes: Job descriptions may be subject to change based on the OAISD's needs. This is meant to describe a basic overview of qualifications, role, and duties. It is not an exhaustive or fully comprehensive list, as other duties may be assigned. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District (OAISD) to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or candidate with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship for the OAISD. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Human Resources department. The Ottawa Area Intermediate School District (OAISD) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, height, weight, marital or family status, military status, genetic information, or any other legally protected category (collectively “Protected Classes”), in its programs and activities, including employment. Civil Rights Coordinators are located at OAISD, 13663 Port Sheldon St., Holland, MI 49424, to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and grievance procedures. Telephone (616) 738-8940 Ext: 4091.