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Career Opportunity

Cook (2654) - Department of Public Health - (Exempt)

Recruitment: REF60120A

Published: February 21, 2026

Contact:

Juan Pablo Gonzalez Sandoval - juanpablo.gonzalezsa@sfdph.org

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

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Department: Public Health
Job class: 2654-Cook
Pay range: $38.25/hr - $46.475/hr
Role type: Temporary Exempt What does this mean?
Hours: Part-time
 

About:

Company Description 

The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the importance of diversity in its workforce. All employees at the Department of Public Health work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status. 

Becoming a City employee means being a part of a team that cares about making a difference. Your work will shape both the present and future of San Francisco. When you work for the City, you’re choosing a job with purpose. 

The Mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. SFDPH strives to achieve its mission through the work of multiple divisions - the San Francisco Health Network, Population Health, Behavioral Health Services, and Administration. The San Francisco Health Network is the City’s only complete system of care and has locations throughout the City, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and over 15 primary care health centers. The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. Behavioral Health Services operates in conjunction with SFHN and provides a range of mental health and substance use treatment services.  

The applicant pool resulting from this recruitment may be utilized to fill future and current vacancies in this class at other locations within the DPH. 

Role description

Under general supervision, the 2654 Cook performs skilled culinary tasks in preparing and cooking large quantities of a variety of foods, ensuring adherence to nutritional guidelines and dietary needs. The role includes overseeing kitchen operations, maintaining food safety standards, and supervising staff to ensure efficient service.


Requires the ability to lift and carry 50 lbs. of food and supplies. Some physical strength is required in lifting and carrying food, cooking supplies and equipment; also requires ability to stand for long periods of time; manual dexterity in the use and operation of kitchen appliances and equipment; work weekends and evenings.

Essential Duties: 

  • Follow prescribed menus and recipes to meet nutritional guidelines and accommodate special dietary requirements.
  • Prepare and cook large quantities of a variety of food, including specialized diet items commonly served in institutional settings.
  • Order and maintain inventory of food and kitchen supplies.
  • Ensure compliance with food safety standards and practices.
  • Forecast food and supply needs, communicating requirements to management and chefs.
  • Oversee and assist in cleaning and maintaining kitchen equipment and utensils.
  • Collaborate with Nutrition Professionals to develop standardized recipes.
  • Execute tasks in line with established methods and procedures.
  • Maintain accurate records and reports related to kitchen operations.
  • Plan and implement kitchen procedures to optimize productivity.
  • Supervise and direct food service staff in their daily responsibilities.
  • The 2654 Cook may perform other duties as assigned/required.

 Please note that incumbents in this classification may be required to perform duties as listed in the class specification, which can be found on DHR’s website: https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/

How to qualify

1.Education:

  • Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent. (e.g., GED or High School Proficiency Examination); AND

2.Experience:

  • At least three (3) years of professional experience in cooking large quantities of food in institutional or high-volume settings, such as hospitals, correctional facilities, the military, hotels, restaurants, or equivalent food service establishments.

Note: Experience in coffee shops, small grab-and-go kiosks, or sandwich shops does not qualify as the required cooking experience.

Substitution:

One (1) year of the required experience may be substituted with any of the following:

  • Completion of a one-year culinary arts certificate program.
  • Completion of an apprenticeship program certified by a nationally recognized culinary arts organization.
  • Possession of an Associate’s degree in culinary arts.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

One-year full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week). 

VERIFICATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: 

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications.  

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education or experience verification is required, information on how to verify education and experience requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/. 

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. 

What else should I know?

Additional information regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco: 

Where to Apply  

All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ to begin your application process.  

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment. Please consider using a personal email address that you check regularly rather than a work or school account. 

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110. 

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues. 

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@smartrecruiters.com that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received. 

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst, Juan Pablo Gonzalez at juanpablo.gonzalezsa@sfdph.org or (628) 271-7243.

We may use text messaging to communicate with you on the phone number provided in your application. The first message will ask you to opt in to text messaging. 

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.