Job Description

Irving Farm Coffee Roasters was founded in 1996 when David Elwell and Steve Levin opened a much-needed neighborhood café in Gramercy Park, hoping to provide a space where people could gather and drink great coffee. At a time before “handcrafted,” “organic,” and “fair-trade” had yet to enter the coffee drinker’s lexicon, the two trailblazing college friends distinguished their Gramercy shop from other java huts in New York by stocking it with specialty blends and single-origins. Shortly thereafter, they decided to convert a carriage house in bucolic Dutchess County into a roastery, determined to learn the craft of coffee roasting themselves. This proved to be more of a challenge than they’d anticipated: before the movement known as the Third Wave of Coffee revolutionized the industry in the late ‘90s, there weren’t as many resources available to novice roasters. But with help from friends and roasting mentors, as well as feedback from customers, they learned by doing and became pioneers in the exploding coffee scene in New York City. Fast-forward twenty years, and now Irving Farm is one of New York’s most beloved hometown roasters with seven cafés, a bustling wholesale business, the only SCAA-certified Training & Education Loft in NYC, a brand new Roastery & Tasting Room, and a green coffee buying program led by Dan Streetman that focuses on direct relationships with farmers, sustainable practices, and a philosophy of quality over quantity.

Irving Farm Coffee Roasters is currently seeking applications for lead barista positions at their Upper East Side and Gramercy locations.

Lead Barista Job Description

The lead barista is expected to be a leader, role model, and standard-bearer for cafe employees not only for their store but for the company at large. This position is intended to be a stepping stone for a career within the coffee industry, especially in education.

In addition to being an exemplary barista, the ideal candidate for this position is someone who is organized, responsible, punctual, self-motivated, and has excellent interpersonal and leadership skills. They should be able to relate to people of all backgrounds and abilities, and have a demonstrable interest and passion for coffee and the coffee industry.

Prerequisites:

• At least 12 months experience as barista, preferably at a high volume cafe
• Outstanding customer service skills
• Preference will be given to those NYS Food Handler’s license; obtaining a license within 30 days of hire will be a requirement of the position

General Responsibilities:

• Report directly to the Store Manager and Director of Education
• Work 3 – 4 shifts in the store per week, with 1 – 2 additional days for professional development, teaching classes, and/or giving 1-on-1 support to baristas at the store
• Work closely with the retail staff to improve coffee quality and knowledge, including observing and reviewing bar-certified staff and documenting feedback to share with managers and the education team
• Help maintain up-to-date logs and tracking of staff training progress
• Assist store managers with scheduling staff for training opportunities, including classes at the lab and individual sessions with staff members who are preparing for tests
• Assist in quality control at the store, including maintaining a log of weekly tasting/dial-in of batch brew, pour overs, and espresso
• Enforce proper cleaning and preventative maintenance protocol for espresso and brewing equipment
• Be knowledgeable of new coffee offerings and hold tastings for staff of new coffees
• Lead at least one regularly scheduled class or cupping each week
• Perform service duties of cleaning grinders, changing water filters, pump pressure, screens and gaskets, and report any broken or malfunctioning equipment to the service department and the Store Manager
• Assist with teaching classes and assessing barista certifications at the lab, including assisting with SCAA classes and exams

Benefits

• Salaried position, also eligible for tips and profit share for any shifts worked
• Opportunities to participate in company health insurance and 401K plans in accordance with company policy
• Paid time off: 5 sick days and 5 personal days each year
• Opportunity to take SCAA classes and earn SCAA barista certification either through our training lab or by attending barista camp, as well as assisting with teaching SCAA classes
• Other professional development opportunities including and not limited to: MANE, SCAA Expo, Barista and/or Brewer’s Cup competition(s), etc.

How to Apply

Job Categories: Barista. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: barista, Education, Educator, and lead barista. Salaries: 20,000 - 40,000.

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