Barista

Barista

Friends in Common

(Coffee Shop Inside BAM Labs)

Who We Are

Friends In Common is built around excellent coffee, thoughtful food, warm service, and the pleasure of spending time together. As we prepare to open in New York City, we are looking for part-time Baristas who take pride in the details, make every guest feel welcome, and take ownership of the café’s daily performance.

The coffee shop will sit alongside BAM Labs in New York City. The Friends In Common team will work closely with the BAM Labs team so the two experiences feel connected, while building a café with its own identity and community.

Who You Are

You care deeply about coffee quality and hospitality, and enjoy making excellent coffee and giving natural, attentive service. You are dependable, curious, calm under pressure, and ready to help wherever needed. You care about clean work, consistent recipes, and making a place people want to return to.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Coffee Preparation & Quality 

• At opening, dial in espresso with the approved recipe; taste shots, adjust grind and dose with the shift lead as needed, and record or communicate recipe changes. 

• During service, watch shot timing and appearance, milk texture, beverage temperature, and presentation. remake drinks that miss standard and tell the shift lead when a problem repeats.

• Prepare espresso drinks, pour-over and drip coffee, tea, and other menu beverages exactly to the café’s recipes, sizes, temperatures, and presentation standards.  

• Steam milk to order, use the correct milk and pitcher, avoid cross-contact, and keep espresso, grinders, brewers, and tools clean and ready. 

• Learn the coffees and menu well enough to answer questions accurately and recommend options without guessing. 

Guest Service & Order Accuracy

• Follow the opening, ongoing-shift, and closing checklists. Mark each item only after it is completed; tell the shift lead about anything unfinished or unavailable. Do not leave before the shift lead confirms handoff and release. If work may extend beyond the scheduled shift, notify the manager and follow their direction; record all time worked. 

•⁠ ⁠Ensure the café is clean, stocked, and ready to open each morning, and properly closed and secured each night.

• Ensure all retail shelves, products, signage are fully stocked and presentable. 

• Acknowledge guests promptly, listen carefully, enter orders and modifiers correctly, confirm unclear requests, and hand off the right items to the right guest. 

• Use the POS and handle cash or payment steps accurately; follow the procedure for voids, discounts, refunds, and register questions. 

• Keep service warm and efficient during rushes. Communicate delays, sold-out items, remakes, and guest concerns clearly to the team. 

• Anticipate and respond to customer needs by constantly evaluating the environment and customers for indicators, and coach team members to do the same.

• Handle complaints calmly, apologize when appropriate, and bring a manager or shift lead into decisions outside your authority. 

•⁠ ⁠Make sure every guest receives attentive, natural service and that the café feels welcoming throughout the day.

•⁠ ⁠Build relationships with regulars and the surrounding neighborhood, helping Friends in Common become a place people choose to return to.

Health and Safety

• Wash hands at required times and after handling waste, cleaning chemicals, money, or other tasks that require it. 

* Use clean tools and follow food-safety, allergen, sanitation, and chemical-label procedures. 

• Keep counters, tables, condiment areas, pickup point, and bar surfaces clean as you work; wipe spills promptly and keep walkways clear. 

• Date, label, cover, store, and rotate products using the café’s procedures. Check freshness and tell the shift lead about low, damaged, expired, or questionable items. 

• Restock cups, lids, sleeves, napkins, milks, beans, syrups, tea, and other assigned supplies before they run out. Do not overfill or leave backstock disorganized. 

• Complete assigned temperature, waste, cleaning, or product logs accurately and at the time the task is done. Ask if a log or standard is unclear.

• Do not leave before the shift lead confirms handoff and release. If work may extend beyond the scheduled shift, notify the manager and follow their direction; record all time worked. 

•⁠ ⁠Maintain food safety, cleanliness, equipment, and workplace standards at all times.

•⁠ ⁠Perform daily DOH walkthroughs to ensure areas are DOH inspection ready.

•⁠ ⁠Maintain chemical storage and MSDS to OSHA standards.

•⁠ ⁠⁠Immediately inform senior management in the event of a DOH or Fire inspection.

Financials

•⁠ Perform end of day cash handling and reconciliation.

•⁠ ⁠Share daily updates with the manager regarding performance, staffing, guest feedback, maintenance issues, supply needs, etc.

REQUIREMENTS

• Previous café, restaurant, or customer-service experience; specialty coffee experience is a plus. 

•⁠ ⁠Strong technical coffee knowledge and the ability to dial in espresso, maintain drink standards, and train baristas.

•⁠ ⁠A hands-on approach: you notice what needs attention and are willing to step in.

•⁠ ⁠Clear communication, sound judgment under pressure, and a genuine commitment to hospitality.

• Ability to stand and move through a shift and lift typical café supplies, with or without reasonable accommodation. 

• Availability and reliability for a consistent part-time schedule, including some mornings and weekends.

• Industry standards and guidelines for Food and Beverage, Hospitality, Service, and Coffee. 

• NYC Food Safety Handlers Card. 

Employment: 

• Part Time, up to 25 hrs per wk
• Hourly, Non-Exempt
• Schedule based on business needs

Compensation:

• $19-22 per hour (based on experience)
• Plus Tips

Benefits

• Sick Leave
• Attend BAM classes free of charge (conditions apply)

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

BAM Labs provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.