Overview

Jail CookThe County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package. Aside from our base salary range, an employee within this position will also be eligible for the following:Educational Incentive - An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate degree, 3.5% for completion of a bachelor's degree, OR 5% for completion of a graduate degree.Bilingual Incentive - Some positions may be eligible for bilingual incentive depending on the applicable memorandum of agreement and the needs of the department. To qualify for this incentive, incumbents in eligible positions must take and pass the applicable bilingual fluency examination.Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions.Health Plans - You are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans.Flexible Spending Accounts - Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses.Pension Plan - Participation in the County's defined benefit pension plan. If eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems such as CalPERS.Holidays - 13 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.The Ventura County Sheriff's Office has immediate openings for experienced cooks. Under direction, performs large quantity cooking in a sheriff's correctional institution (jail). Work will involve contact and direction of jail inmates in the preparation and serving of food. The ideal candidate will have experience cooking in a large-scale eatery preparing a variety of meals in large quantities. Must be willing and able to work rotating 12-hour shifts, weekends, and holidays. Applicants who fail to indicate on their application their ability to work rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays will not continue in the process. Dependent upon qualifications/experience, incumbents may receive a salary anywhere within the salary range. In addition, incumbents receive a shift differential calculated at the rate of five percent (5%) of the base pay.PAYROLL TITLE: Jail CookAGENCY/DEPARTMENT : Sheriff's OfficeJail Cook is represented by Service Employees' International Union (SEIU) and is eligible for overtime compensation. The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term), Intermittent, and Extra-help vacancies. There are currently four (4) vacancies.TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OPENING DATE: Thursday, January 1, 2026CLOSING DATE: Continuous and may close at any time; therefore, the schedule for the remainder of the process will depend upon when we receive a sufficient number of qualified applicants to meet business needs.Examples Of DutiesDuties may include but are not limited to the following:Prepares and cooks food in accordance with the State of California requirements for prisoner and inmate caloric intake;Assists in serving of food at correctional facility(ies);Maintains cleanliness of working area and equipment;Directs and trains inmate workers in the preparation and serving of food; andPerforms related duties as required.Typical QualificationsThese are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE: A minimum of two (2) years of experience as a cook in a kitchen preparing a variety of meals in large quantities.NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:Must possess or obtain and maintain a valid California driver license.Must be willing and able to work rotating 12-hour shifts, weekends and holidays.DESIRED: Experience as a cook in a correctional facility, military setting, hospital, university or other large-scale eatery.KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES: Working knowledge of: methods of preparing food in quantity and