Lead Barista

Rice University is a prestigious private research university located on a sprawling 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas. Consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report, Rice is renowned for its student-centered approach and distinguished academic excellence. With a low undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6-to-1, Rice fosters a personalized learning environment that nurtures intellectual growth and innovative inquiry across diverse disciplines. The university's residential college system forms the cornerstone of its community-oriented campus culture, providing support for students through social events, intramural sports, theatrical productions, lecture series, and student government. This cohesive environment promotes a vibrant and supportive atmosphere, recognized nationally for its outstanding quality of life and value among private universities.

Joining Rice University means becoming part of a distinctive community guided by the core values represented by RICE: Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence. These principles are integral to the university’s ethos and are reflected in the respectful and inclusive way faculty, staff, and students interact. Rice University is committed to fostering a workplace where diverse perspectives are valued and collaboration thrives, making it an exceptional place to build a career.

The Lead Barista position within Rice Retail Dining plays a critical role in upholding these traditions by delivering an elevated hospitality experience across multiple coffee shop locations on campus. This full-time, hourly role—with a hiring wage range of $20.64 to $23.00 per hour, eligible for overtime—requires a dynamic individual who leads by example in beverage preparation, guest engagement, and team development. The Lead Barista ensures that all beverages meet the highest quality and presentation standards through adherence to standardized recipes and consistent execution. In addition to operational oversight, this role is responsible for coaching and training student workers and barista teams alongside dining management, with a focus on supporting brand standards, promoting beverage sales, and maintaining rigorous food safety, sanitation, and cash handling protocols.

Operating in a fast-paced café environment with exposure to coffee machinery and kitchen equipment, the Lead Barista must excel in multitasking and maintaining a clean, organized, and welcoming café space during high-volume service periods. The position demands flexibility in scheduling—including early mornings, evenings, and weekends—to meet the needs of the campus community. Physical stamina is also essential, as the role involves standing for extended time periods, lifting moderately heavy items, and performing repetitive tasks required for drink preparation and stocking.

Ideal candidates possess a minimum of three years of barista experience in coffee shop or café settings and demonstrated leadership or supervisory experience. Expertise in beverage preparation, food safety, POS and cash handling systems, and valid Food Handler Certification (such as ServSafe) are required competencies. Preferably, candidates will have experience in high-volume or campus dining environments, knowledge of specialty coffee and espresso calibration, and familiarity with inventory and waste control systems. The successful Lead Barista will embody hospitality excellence, blending operational proficiency with strong interpersonal skills to foster an engaging and inclusive environment for Rice’s community members.

As an essential on-campus role, the Lead Barista must be present on-site during emergencies or crises to sustain vital university operations. This commitment underscores the importance of reliability and responsiveness in maintaining a seamless food and beverage service campus-wide. Moreover, the individual in this position actively contributes to additional functions such as catering support, merchandising, promotional initiatives, and special event beverage service, extending their impact beyond daily café operations.

Overall, the Lead Barista at Rice University is much more than a beverage specialist; this role is pivotal to enriching campus life through exceptional service, leadership, and adherence to the highest standards of hospitality and operational excellence. Prospective applicants are encouraged to submit their resumes, ideally in PDF format, to ensure completeness and formatting integrity. Working at Rice University means joining a community dedicated to excellence and shared values, making it an outstanding place to develop a rewarding career in hospitality within an esteemed academic environment.