Higher Grounds is looking for an experienced barista to join our awesome team! The perfect candidate will have a minimum 2 years of barista experience making coffee in a high-volume environment. Any FOH experience is a plus as well.
This might be the perfect opportunity for you! We are a busy cafe located in the Kearny Mesa area (right off the 52 freeway) with a reputation for excellent food and drinks. We are open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday from 7am to 3pm. Higher Grounds has 2 locations and corporate catering services. Our fast-paced model allows us to be ready for a busy lunch, with all items being made to order within 5 minutes. Our food is fresh with a chef-driven seasonal menu that changes frequently. We also run a daily house-made soup, lunch specials, and rotating coffee and beverage specials. Doing this keeps our menu exciting for the customers and staff, always seeing and learning new things every day.
Qualifications
Minimum 2 years of barista experience required.
Outstanding customer service and communication skills.
Creative mindset with the ability to develop new seasonal and specialty drink ideas.
Basic social media experience, including creating Instagram/Facebook reels, posting daily specials, and engaging with our community.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment while maintaining quality and attention to detail.
What You’ll Do
Our café operates with three primary stations, and every team member is expected to become proficient in each:
Register: Greet guests, take orders accurately, and provide a welcoming first impression.
Expedite: Coordinate orders, maintain workflow, and ensure food and drinks are delivered quickly and accurately.
Barista Bar: Prepare high-quality espresso beverages, specialty drinks, and other menu items with consistency and efficiency.
What We’re Looking For
Many of our guests have limited break times, so speed and efficiency are just as important as quality. We’re looking for someone who can multitask, stay organized under pressure, and consistently deliver:
Exceptional customer service
Outstanding beverage quality
Fast, accurate service
A positive attitude and strong teamwork
If you’re passionate about coffee, enjoy connecting with people, and want to be part of a growing café that values creativity, quality, and hospitality, we’d love to hear from you.
Compensation:
We are a pooled house, so that means that all of the hourly employees share the tips evenly based on the hours worked. All of the gratuity from the daily customers, along with catering, will go into the tip pool and will be divided and added to the paychecks. This typically adds $4-$8 per hour to your paycheck. We can deliver a consistent schedule and consistent weekly hours; we see this as very important, so our staff can plan accordingly.
Amenities:
-Full gym and locker room access, along with a basketball court on the property.
-Staff meal when available, and 50% off any food items that you would like to order.
-Free coffee drinks while on your shift and 50% off for after-hours or days off.
-Closed all Saturdays and Sundays, along with all major holidays such as the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day, along with a handful of others.
-Access to a state-sponsored retirement contribution plan.
-Pickleball court (coming soon)
-Family-friendly place that believes in quality time with family and a balance of life.
Schedule & Growth Opportunities
This position starts as part-time, typically 3 shifts per week. As you demonstrate strong performance, reliability, and the ability to learn additional responsibilities, there will be opportunities to pick up more shifts and increase your hours.
At Higher Grounds, hours are performance-based. Team members who consistently deliver exceptional customer service, work efficiently, take initiative, and master multiple stations will have the greatest opportunities for increased hours and career growth.
If this sounds like something you would love and you have the right experience, email us your resume!
