Food Technology Technician

Location: Barking & Dagenham

Ofsted Rating: Outstanding

School Type: Secondary School & Sixth Form (Co-educational)

Contract: Full-Time, Term-Time Only + 1 Week (36 hours per week)

Start Date: January Start

An Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ secondary school and Sixth Form in the East London Borough of Barking & Dagenham is seeking an organized, practical, and culinary-minded Food Technology Technician to join their dynamic Design & Technology (D&T) and Hospitality faculty starting in January. This is a fantastic opportunity for a practical individual, whether an experienced school food technician, a hospitality/catering professional, or a food science graduate, to play an essential role behind the scenes in delivering safe, vibrant, and hands-on culinary education.

About the Role

As the Food Technology Technician, you will be the operational backbone of the food preparation rooms and practical kitchen classrooms. Joining the department for the spring term, you will work alongside teaching staff to ensure all practical culinary lessons across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 (GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition / Hospitality & Catering), and Key Stage 5 run seamlessly, safely, and efficiently.

• Start Date: January

• Environment: A flagship East London secondary school celebrated for academic ambition, excellent student progress, and modern, fully equipped food technology suites

• Culture: A supportive, safety-conscious, and creative workplace where nutrition, culinary craft, and practical life skills are enthusiastically championed

Key Responsibilities

• Classroom & Practical Preparation: Measure, portion, and organize food ingredients, kitchen tools, and cooking apparatus for daily practical sessions and examination assessments.

• Health, Safety & Hygiene Compliance: Uphold rigorous food safety and hygiene standards (HACCP, COSHH, and CLEAPSS guidelines), ensuring proper chemical handling, temperature monitoring, and routine cleaning regimes.

• Stock Control & Purchasing: Manage food store inventories, monitor expiration dates, order fresh ingredients from local suppliers, and maintain budget records for culinary consumables.

• Kitchen Maintenance & Equipment Care: Regularly clean, inspect, and service commercial and domestic kitchen appliances, cookware, and safety equipment, arranging repairs or replacements as required.

• In-Class Live Support: Assist teaching staff during practical cooking demonstrations and provide live guidance to students on food hygiene, knife skills, and safe equipment usage.

Requirements

• Relevant qualification in Food Safety/Hygiene (e.g., Level 2 or Level 3 Award in Food Safety in Catering) or a background in Catering, Hospitality, Food Technology, or Home Economics.

• Practical experience working in a commercial kitchen, food preparation environment, or educational setting.

• In-depth understanding of food hygiene regulations, cross-contamination prevention, allergen awareness, and COSHH/CLEAPSS standards.

• Excellent organizational skills, practical dexterity, and high attention to detail when managing stock, portioning ingredients, and maintaining kitchen hygiene.

• Strong team-working abilities, initiative, and a patient, encouraging manner when supporting students during practical cooking lessons.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Outer London Support Staff Scale (commensurate with technical experience, pro-rata for term-time plus 1 week).

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), generous holiday pro-rata allowance, funded food safety and CLEAPSS training certifications, structured January onboarding, and access to employee health and wellbeing programs.

How to Apply

If you are a detail-oriented, culinary-focused professional eager to support high-standard practical food education at an Outstanding secondary school in Barking & Dagenham starting this January, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application as soon as possible for consideration.