Chef Instructor 

Position Overview 

Are you passionate about cooking and nutrition? Do you enjoy working with children and families?

We are seeking a dynamic teacher-who-can-cook or cook-who-can-teach to work as a part-time Chef Instructor in the Austin, TX area. A Common Threads Chef Instructor is the face of the organization, teaching hands-on cooking classes and nutrition education to K-8th grade students, parents, and teachers in school kitchens and community spaces and establishing relationships with schools, students, families, and volunteers. 

Chef Instructors will teach in both virtual and in-person settings. Travel to partner schools and organizations within the Austin-Travis county and surrounding areas is required. All lessons emphasize using fresh, quality ingredients and adopting healthy cooking and eating habits. 

This is a part-time variable hour position that will generally work 5-10 hours a week when classes are in session. Some nights and/or weekends may be required.

Responsibilities: 

• Work with students in Kindergarten-8th grades and their parents, and manage a classroom of up to 25 participants and 4 volunteers
• Teach kids and parents cooking skills and nutrition; give students the tools to make healthy choices
• Communicate with school and partner organization staff and administration as well as with Common Threads staff
• Instructors will be trained on the curriculum, policies and procedures, and administrative responsibilities
• Instructors are required to follow the approved course curriculum, complete all grocery shopping, and submit required documentation
• Administer pre- and post-surveys to students and families and manage paperwork

The above statements are intended to describe the essential job functions of this role and are not an exhaustive list of all duties performed by personnel occupying this position. 

Qualifications: 

• Basic knowledge of nutrition
• Culinary school and/or food industry experience 
• Reliable and dependable -- able to commit to programs, arrive on time, and proactively communicate any needs or issues
• Ability to be flexible with scheduling and possess a go-with-the-flow attitude
• Must hold current food service sanitation certifications or obtain one
• Must have access to a car and a valid driver’s license
• Instructors may be asked to teach virtual classes via Zoom or Teams and should be comfortable teaching in a virtual setting, and must possess adequate technology for teaching a class, including high speed Internet, a laptop/computer/digital tablet, camera, headphones/mic, etc.
• Experience working with culturally diverse audiences
• Experience and/or high comfort level working virtually with internal and external team members
• A commitment to the mission and values of Common Threads

Preferred:

• Experience teaching or working with children 
• Fluency in Spanish and English, and comfort teaching in both languages as needed 

Compensation & Benefits:

This position is grant-funded.

Compensation rates 

• For teaching classes range from $75 to $150 per lesson
• For administrative duties (i.e., training, attending meetings, documentation) is $20/hour
• Travel costs are reimbursed.

Chef Instructors are employees of Common Threads who are eligible for paid sick time, professional development opportunities, and access to resources within our Employee Assistance Program.

Additional information: 

• Common Threads job applicants are subject to a background check prior to employment and additional fingerprinting in accordance with grant or program partner requirements
• Instructors are required to arrive at the class location one hour prior to class start time to prepare for in-person programming.
• This is a part-time position with varied daily/weekly hours as needed. Some nights and/or weekends may be required.
• Candidates should reside in the Austin, TX area
• Position reports to the Austin, TX Program Manager

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands/fingers to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

About Common Threads:

Common Threads is a national leader in enhancing community health through the power of nutrition and food. For over two decades, the nonprofit has been addressing the often-neglected connection between nutrition and overall well-being by providing nutrition education, cooking skills training, and food access.

 Operating in-person and digitally, Common Threads has partnerships with over 2,200 schools, provided more than five million meals, and has positively impacted the long-term nutritional health of over one million individuals. From the nation’s largest public school districts in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago, to various community organizations and medical institutions, its efforts are widespread. For additional information, please visit commonthreads.org.

Common Threads’ EEO Statement: 

Common Threads provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Common Threads complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Common Threads expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Common Threads’ employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including