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 Dining is dedicated to serving our community with nutritious and satisfying food in a welcoming environment every day. Our mission is to offer a diverse menu that features high-quality ingredients, emphasizing locally grown and sustainably produced products whenever possible. We are committed to inclusive dining by ensuring vegetarian, vegan, and accommodations for dietary restrictions are always available. As a self-operated dining program encompassing Residential Dining, we pride ourselves on providing a work-life balance that is often difficult to find in the restaurant industry. Join us at Swarthmore Dining to be a part of a vibrant community committed to quality, sustainability, and exceptional service in a state-of-the-art kitchen setting.

The opportunity:

As a member of the Dining Services department, the Food & Service Associate will work in any of the following stations depending on the schedule or need of the department: Barista, Beverages, Pizza, Salad Bar, Runner, or Server. 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.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide energetic, efficient, professional and friendly service to customers.
• Provides prompt, efficient, and friendly service to a diverse clientele.
• Prepare hot and cold beverages and sandwiches to customer’s specifications
• sell retail products offered by the operation.
• Prepares and sells and serves  all products by following recipes, methods and preparation techniques for all handcrafted products. All measurements should be according to standard procedures
• Memorizes and understands all menu items and prepares these items according to recipes and item specifications.
• Must be aware of all daily specials.
• Inventory all products and order as necessary to maintain correct inventory levels
• Accept cash, credit cards, department charges and OneCard. Completes cashier reports according to operating procedures
• Maintain a clean and sanitized work area in accordance with the operations cleanliness standards. Assists in cleaning all areas and equipment of the operation.
• Keeps equipment operating correctly according to procedures/instructions; troubleshooting breakdowns, performing preventative maintenance and reporting necessary repairs to workbox or vendor.
• Set up food stations. Collaborate with a Supervisor or Lead Associate to make sure that we have appropriate amounts of back up ingredients as stated by using established par levels.
• Prepare ingredients if required. Label tops of containers that contain fresh ingredients with name and date.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• 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.
• Customer service experience
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment
• Willingness to be open to learning and growing
• Ability to prioritize and complete multiple concurrent tasks.
• Ability to operate or learn to operate kitchen equipment

Preferred Qualifications

• 1-2 years of experience in high volume food establishment
• Serv-safe certified

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 $20.00 per hour, which represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting.

PA Criminal Clearance Required

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.

2025 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.