DSPS Aide (SC/ATEP - Culinary Arts)

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

DSPS Aides assigned to the Culinary Arts program provide direct support to students with disabilities to ensure equitable access to hands-on culinary instruction, kitchen labs, and related classroom activities. This includes assisting with academic and lab-based accommodations; supporting communication, note-taking, and scribing during demonstrations; and providing mobility or task assistance within commercial kitchen and food production environments. Aides help students safely participate in Culinary Arts coursework while adhering to all program, campus, and food-safety protocols.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

Provide in-lab and in-class support such as note-taking during culinary demonstrations, reading recipes or instructions aloud, scribing during timed activities, or assisting with accessible adaptations of culinary tasks as permitted.

Support students with mobility, dexterity, or sensory limitations in navigating culinary lab spaces, including commercial kitchens, storage areas, and demonstration classrooms.

Assist students in safely accessing lab equipment, ingredients, tools, and workstations while reinforcing Culinary Arts safety, sanitation, and health-code standards.

Collaborate regularly with DSPS staff and Culinary Arts faculty to coordinate accommodations, monitor student needs, and ensure that supports align with program safety requirements.

Maintain confidentiality of student records and accommodation details in compliance with FERPA and Section 504/ADA.

Document services provided, student interactions, and accommodation activities in required DSPS systems.

Participate in required training related to disability awareness, accessibility in lab-based instructional environments, food-safety protocols, and college policies.

Provide other support in DSPS including proctoring of exams, and reading/scribing for students

Perform related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

Principles of accessibility, equity, and inclusion for students with disabilities in hands-on, lab-based instructional environments.

Appropriate methods for assisting students with physical, sensory, learning, and cognitive disabilities within culinary labs and commercial kitchen settings.

Basic academic and lab-based support strategies (e.g., note-taking, reading instructions, scribing, supporting task sequencing).

Effective communication techniques for interacting with individuals with diverse needs and abilities in a fast-paced learning environment.

Culinary Arts classroom and kitchen layouts to assist with mobility and safe navigation.

College and DSPS confidentiality requirements, including FERPA, ADA, and Section 504.

Ability to:

Interact professionally, respectfully, and supportively with students with various disabilities in a dynamic kitchen environment.

Follow faculty and staff direction and work independently within established DSPS and Culinary Arts procedures.

Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment at all times.

Apply and reinforce safety, sanitation, and ADA/504 guidelines within culinary labs.

Communicate clearly and accurately, both orally and in writing, including relaying recipe steps or instructor demonstrations.

Learn and use relevant technologies, including assistive software, kitchen safety equipment, or digital instructional tools.

Report to work on a regular and consistent basis, as scheduled, to assigned job

Attend and participate in mandatory meetings, lab safety trainings, and DSPS workshops.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

Familiarity with assistive or adaptive tools used in culinary settings, such as modified utensils, grip aids, or visual/print accessibility tools preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein 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 job functions.

Work occurs primarily in Culinary Arts kitchen labs, food preparation areas, classrooms, and storage spaces, which may involve heat, noise, sharp tools, and slippery surfaces. Requires adherence to culinary lab dress codes (e.g., closed-toe shoes, long pants, hair restraints) and strict food-safety protocols. May involve standing for extended periods or moving frequently between kitchen stations and classrooms. Must be able to perform physical tasks such as guiding students with mobility limitations through kitchen and lab spaces, assisting with the retrieval of lightweight kitchen tools or materials, or supporting students in transitioning between stations. May involve occasional lifting of light materials (e.g., small equipment, containers of ingredients). Must have sufficient vision and hearing to observe demonstrations, kitchen safety cues, and verbal instructions, with or without correction. May require a flexible schedule, including evening or weekend culinary labs, based on program needs.

Work Schedule: TBD - Schedule and shift vary and are subject to change in accordance with the department's needs.

Hours per Week: Up to 25

Employment Conditions and Information:

This is a short-term, temporary, hourly Non-Bargaining Unit (NBU) assignment, not to exceed 160 days and 960 hours per fiscal year (July 1 st through June 30 th ). Short-term, temporary NBU positions may only be used on an intermittent, seasonal, or project basis. Education Code Section 88003 states "Short-term employee means any person who is employed to perform a service for the district, upon the completion of which, the service required or similar services will not be extended or needed on a continuing basis.”

After successful completion of the onboarding requirements, an individual may be employed by the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD) as a short-term, temporary NBU employee. Employment will be on an “if and as needed” basis, as determined by the SOCCCD. The assignment may be shortened or extended at any time, due to departmental needs, with little to no notice. NBU employment is at-will, and either party may terminate this working relationship at any time. Neither party shall be required to provide any reason for the separation. NBU employees shall not have reemployment rights or recourse to petition to be reinstated.

NBU employees are limited to working in a single position for a single department and site (assignments are onsite only).

NBU employees are paid on a monthly basis. The payroll reporting period is from the 1 st of the month to the last day of the month. NBU employees are paid on the 10th of the following month.

Example : For the following reporting period: January 1 st through January 31 st , the NBU employee will be paid on February 10 th .

NBU employees who work more than 1000 hours per fiscal year are required to contribute to the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), through payroll deduction. The SOCCCD does not intend to employ NBU employees for more than 960 hours during any fiscal year.

Closing Date/Time: Fri, 09 Jan 2026

• 

• South Orange County Community College District

• 949.582.4850

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