Sheriff's Jail Cook

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office has immediate openings for experienced cooks. Jail Cook is responsible for actual preparation of food and may direct inmate help. The position reports to the Assistant Food Services Supervisor and has no supervisory responsibility of subordinate staff.  Work will involve contact and direction of jail inmates in the preparation and serving of food. The ideal candidate will have experience cooking in a large scale eatery preparing a variety of meals in large quantities. Must be willing and able to work rotating 12-hour shifts, weekends, and holidays. Applicants who fail to indicate on their application their ability to work rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays will not be invited to the exam. Starting salary is $17.55 (previous $16.86) plus 5% above salary for Shift Differential Premium Pay for a total of $18.42 (previous $17.70) per hour. An educational Incentive may apply base on completion of an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree that is not required by the classification.  Some positions may be eligible for bilingual incentive depending on the applicable memorandum of agreement and the needs of the department.  In order to qualify for this incentive, incumbents in eligible positions must take and pass the applicable bilingual fluency examination with a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher.

Under direction, performs large quantity cooking in a Sheriff's correctional institution (jail) and performs related work as required.

PAYROLL TITLE: Jail Cook

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term), Intermittent, and Extra-help vacancies.

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Prepares and cooks in accordance with the State of California requirements for prisoner and inmate caloric intake;
• Assists in the serving of food at correctional facility(ies);
• Maintains cleanliness of work area and equipment;
• Directs and trains inmate help in the preparation and serving of food; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE: A minimum of two (2) years experience as a cook in a kitchen preparing a variety of meals in large quantities.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Must possess or obtain and maintain a valid California driver license. It cannot be restricted, suspended, or revoked.

DESIRED: Experience as a cook in a correctional facility, military, hospital, university or other large scale eatery.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES:

Working knowledge of: methods of preparing food in quantity and considerable variety, kitchen sanitation, and food storage.

Working ability to: plan and direct the work of others; write simple English sentences; understand and follow written and oral instructions and recipes; prepare tasty food, serve it attractively, and prepare large quantities of food required with a minimum of waste.

FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California.

To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/hr. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible.  If interested, please click here for additional information.

Note to Applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE – qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this exam AT THE TIME OF FILING. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the exam process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying:  All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

WRITTEN EXAMINATION - 100%: A job-related written examination will be administered to test the candidates' knowledge of cooking, measurement, nutrition, and safety and first aid. Candidates must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: PRIOR TO ACTUAL APPOINTMENT FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST, THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL BE REQUIRED TO PASS A THOROUGH BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE SHERIFF'S HUMAN RESOURCES WHICH MAY ALSO INCLUDE A POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION FINDINGS MAY BE A BASIS FOR REMOVAL FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST. TO SPEAK TO A SHERIFF'S OFFICE REPRESENTATIVE CONCERNING THE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION PROCESS, CALL (805) 654-2375.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Gerald Chambers by email at gerald.chambers@ventura.org or phone (805) 477-1921.