The University of Northern Iowa Dining team is known for serving the best college food in Iowa, creating a welcoming and well-maintained environment that enhances student life. From preparing meals to supporting daily operations, this dedicated group plays a vital role in campus culture—fostering connection, comfort, and community through every plate served.

Primary Function: Oversees culinary operations, ensuring high-quality food production, and maintaining compliance with established standards; develops and tests recipes; assists with menu planning; manages kitchen production; requisitions food and supplies; maintains inventory and controls meal costs; provides leadership to production and student staff through training and coaching; and ensures proper sanitation practices, labeling, and record-keeping, while also maintaining kitchen equipment and recommending capital purchases to support operational needs.

Service Schedule: 11 Month; The service schedule for this position includes 208 scheduled work days per fiscal year. A typical work week is Sunday-Thursday, 1:00 pm - 9:30 pm.

Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree plus at least one year of experience as a Sous Chef or related experience in food service operations required. An associate’s degree plus at least four years of experience as a Sous Chef or related experience in food service operations may be substituted.

Preferred Qualifications: Supervisory experience of culinary staff; experience working in a university or large volume hotel or convention center; experience with recipe creation and specification writing; large volume (300+) catering experience; experience making presentations and teaching cooking classes to students and campus community; fine dining experience; recipe testing experience; and experience using local, organic and sustainable products preferred.

Application Instructions: All application materials received by February 17, 2026, will be given full consideration. To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. The following materials must be attached when applying:
1) Resume
2) Cover Letter

You will be presented with the opportunity to attach multiple documents when completing the application. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL required materials listed above have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes. If you have questions regarding this application process, please email careers-support@uni.edu or call 319-273-2422.

UNI is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The University encourages applications from persons of color, women, individuals living with disabilities, and protected veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or on any other basis protected by federal and/or state law.

The University offers an excellent benefits package including a vacation plan, employer sponsored retirement plans, health and dental insurance, and life and disability insurance. Benefits package details can be viewed at https://careers.uni.edu/benefits. Application materials received by 02/17/2026 will be given first consideration. For more information or to apply, visit https://careers.uni.edu/. Criminal and other relevant background checks are required. UNI is a tobacco free campus.