Food Service - Associate

Birmingham Zoo, 2630 Cahaba Road, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America

Posted Friday, January 23, 2026 at 6:00 AM

Food Service Associate

Who are we:
For more than 50 years, SSA has partnered with cultural attractions to design the hospitality experience journey, freeing our partners to remain mission-focused. We bring together admissions, culinary, and retail with innovation and human connection to shape a seamless guest journey. Our focus is on people, innovation, and operational intelligence as a means to create special moments with lasting impact.

We call it 452 Hospitality, the foundation of how we serve our partners and their communities.

Position Title: Food Service Associate

Reports to: Food Service Supervisor (if applicable) and/or Food Service Operations Manager(s)

• Live out 452 Hospitality by delivering warm, welcoming, and memorable experiences for every guest and client.
• Support restaurant prep (FOH and line) for daily operation.
• Meet daily quick service, food service, safety and quality, availability, merchandising and guest service standards.
• Participate in safety logs including food temperatures, rotation and waste as necessary.
• Ensure proper uniform, hygiene, hand-washing and glove use with self.
• Maintain a SSAfe work environment by abiding to all SSAFETY rules.
• Follow through daily prep and items lists, as assigned.
• Actively help to support operation in assigned role, supporting holes as necessary.
• Actively and efficiently respond to guest and client feedback, with report to the supervisor to ensure that any potential complaints are mitigated against further occurrence.
• Communicate up to the Restaurant Supervisor and/or Food Operations Manager in regard to any issues seen with daily service or quality.
• Remain knowledgeable of all menu items, prices and specials for sharing with guests.
• Perform other tasks as deemed necessary.
• Maintain a clean, safe and organized work environment.
• Uphold and demonstrate a complete understanding of company policies and procedures.
• Present a clean and welcome experience for guests by upholding sanitation requirements.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Exceptional problem solving/decision making skills combined with the ability to be organized.
• Ability to remain flexible in a fast-paced environment.
• Ideal candidate is a team player, personable, professional, upbeat and energetic, and takes initiative.
• Physical ability to stand for extended periods and to move and handle boxes (10-35lbs) as necessary to operation, which entails lifting, and perform all functions as set forth above.
• Ability to work varied hours/days, including nights, weekends and holidays, as needed.

• Promote an inclusive and supportive approach within the Brand team, with networking continuing at all units.
• Focus on removing barriers and empowering growth and opportunity for team members at all levels.
• Lead by example through Sustainability/Conservation efforts; display knowledge of efforts in business application as well as giving adequate opportunity for teaching to unit staff as necessary.
• Engage with SSA/Unit in driving community effort through engagement activities and focus on opportunities of giving back.

None Required

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with this job description. SSA Group reserves the right to revise the job description or to require that other or different tasks are performed when circumstances change (i.e. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs or technological developments)

SSA Group, LLC. is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and equal opportunity through our commitment to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

• Eligible for overtime pay.
• On-Demand Pay Program:
  Get access to a portion of earned wages before payday.
• Meal Plan & Employee Discounts at applicable locations.
• Participation in a 401(k) program with a 15% company match (must be 21 years or older, eligible after one year of employment with 1,000 hours worked, available to enroll during Open Enrollment Periods).
• Tuition Discount through Partnership College.
• Up to 8 hours of Bereavement Leave
• Holiday pay of 1.5× the regular rate is provided for hours worked on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day.
• Paid sick leave is provided in accordance with applicable state and local laws. Accrual rates, caps, and usage rules vary by location.

Locations include:
Arizona, California, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C., Colorado:
Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year, under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA). Maryland:
Employees…