Santa Cruz-based Winter Break Student Associate Opening | Hiring

Santa Cruz Role Highlights

Key Information

• Impactful work with supportive local leadership.
• Company: ALDI
• Benefits: Eligible team members receive standard benefits.
• Position: Winter Break Student Associate (Based in Santa Cruz)
• Compensation: $18-$22/Hour (approx. $42.1k/Year)
• Apply your your professional skills skills at our Santa Cruz location.
• Worksite: Santa Cruz, CA
• This Santa Cruz-based role is an excellent opportunity for professionals skilled in relevant skills.
• Our ALDI team in Santa Cruz, CA is growing.
• Benefit from working in Santa Cruz, a key hub for the Retail And Grocery industry.

Company Overview

ALDI is one of America's premier grocery retailers, operating thousands of locations with a simple, efficient store model focused on providing fresh, high-quality groceries at unbeatable prices. ALDI is widely recognized as an employer of choice, offering competitive compensation, strong health benefits, flexible seasonal employment, and a culture built on teamwork and operational excellence.

Role Description

The ALDI Winter Break Student Associate position offers college students a short-term, high-earning employment opportunity during winter university holiday breaks (December through January). Winter break associates help store teams manage elevated holiday shopping traffic, holiday product restocking, front-end cashiering, and seasonal store cleanup. This position allows students returning home for winter break to earn high hourly wages during campus closures without long-term semester commitments. This position is 100% physical and strictly requires full on-site presence inside the store (zero remote availability).

Key Responsibilities

• Operate POS cash registers quickly and accurately during high-volume holiday shopping rushes.
• Restock seasonal merchandise, holiday food displays, fresh produce, and frozen goods rapidly.
• Condition sales aisles, front-facing products, clearing packaging, and maintaining clean displays.
• Assist holiday shoppers politely, locating items and resolving customer inquiries.
• Perform store sweeps, clear spill hazards, and manage parking lot shopping cart corrals.
• Support store leads with winter holiday store cleanup and stockroom organization.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
• Currently enrolled as a student in a college or university returning for the spring semester (or High School Diploma/GED).
• Availability to work flexible hours during winter holiday break weeks (December through January).
• Physical capability to perform retail labor (lifting up to 45 lbs, standing, bending, reaching).
• Strong work ethic, reliability, and positive service attitude.

Job Type & Schedule

• Job Type: Seasonal / Temporary Student Position (100% On-Site).
• Schedule: Flexible part-time or full-time winter break hours including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holiday peak days.

Benefits & Perks

• Top-tier hourly base pay plus holiday shift differential pay premiums.
• Substantial earning opportunity during short winter academic break windows.
• 401(k) retirement plan eligibility with company match for eligible hours.
• Opportunity to secure returning summer break employment status.
• Valuable resume-building customer service experience.