Student Opportunities in Dining Services

Student Employment

Grinnell Dining Services hires students to do meal setup, food preparation and service, and cleanup at the Marketplace, The Spencer Grill, and in catering. A position in dining offers flexible scheduling and the highest student compensation rates at Grinnell College. If you are interested in a position in dining, visit with a supervisor or contact a supervisor.

We would love to have you join our team!

We offer:

  • flexible schedule
  • training
  • excellent wages
  • holidays and breaks off
  • on-campus locations
  • experience not required
  • a fun environment

Note: You must be at least 16 years old to work in Dining Services.

Culinary Intern Program

Participation in our intern program will give you hands-on experience in the artistic, business, and management sides of college and university food service, a profession that is experiencing tremendous growth and exciting change. You’ll have the opportunity to work in dining operations, retail operations, catering, and much more.

How to Apply

Send your cover letter, resume, and a letter of reference to:
Grinnell College Dining Services
Culinary Intern Program
1115 Eighth Avenue
Grinnell, IA 50112

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us directly at 641-269-3661

Grinnell College’s Dining Services program features:

  • 11 ACF-certified chefs, plus 5 production chefs and 8 presentation chefs
  • high profile catering department
  • purchasing in excess of $2.3 million
  • dietary accommodations
  • full service bakery operation with a sugar specialist, bread specialist, and chocolate specialist
  • retail operations
  • Heart of the House (HOH) production kitchen
  • HOH pantry
  • 90% scratch preparation
  • 10 display cooking stations
    • grill
    • pizza parlor
    • saute
    • plat du jour
    • stir fry
    • eggs to order
    • deli
    • vegan
    • gluten-free
    • halal

Our culinary interns will

  • Act in a professional manner at all times. You are a representative of your culinary school, Grinnell College, and the culinary profession.
  • Be prepared to continue your learning experience and provide positive contributions to the culinary program.
  • Complete all assignments successfully and submit all reports in a timely manner as outlined in the program syllabus. Continue to progress through station assignments as skills improve.
  • Accept responsibility in a manner that reflects positively on the goals and objectives of the culinary program.
  • Be positive in thought, word, and deed.
  • Report to your work station on time in clean chef attire, ready to begin your assignment.
  • Be respectful at all times of chefs, supervisors, and colleagues.
  • Provide your personal tool kit for your designated assignments.
  • Comply with the policies of Grinnell College and the laws of the State of Iowa.
  • Complete orientation program that outlines specific work policies and employment forms.
  • Practice food safety as a top priority.
  • Commit to a schedule of and average of 30+ hours per week, with a maximum of 55 hours per week.
  • Treat the internship as an opportunity to grow and mature in the culinary profession, and as a rewarding experience.

Besides the culinary experience, Grinnell Dining provides each culinary intern with

  • lodging in a College-owned house, with laundry facilities, basic cable TV, and wireless internet
  • board — up to 20 meals per week in the Marketplace Dining Center
  • uniform chef attire — Grinnell Dining chef coat and toque (we launder)
  • stipend of $500 for the 12-week program to cover incidental expenses
  • Bear Center membership — state-of-the-art recreation and fitness center

We use cookies to enable essential services and functionality on our site, enhance your user experience, provide better service through personalized content, collect data on how visitors interact with our site, and enable advertising services.

To accept the use of cookies and continue on to the site, click "I Agree." For more information about our use of cookies and how to opt out, please refer to our website privacy policy.