Child & Youth Program Food Service Worker

Summary

The purpose of the Child and Youth Program (CYP) Food Service Worker position is to perform a variety of food preparation and food service tasks for the CYP. This position is located at Naval Support Activity Portsmouth New Gosport Youth Center in Portsmouth, VA.

Responsibilities

• Food Preparation and Service
  • Assist in food preparation with tasks such as peeling potatoes; cutting, sorting and washing vegetables and fruits; assembling sandwiches; and measuring and weighing ingredients.
  • Stock food service carts with appropriate utensils, plates, bowls, food and beverages for family‑style dining in classrooms or activity areas.
  • Wrap, arrange, and/or package items for serving to children and youth.
  • Transport food from kitchen area to classrooms or activity areas.
  • Return carts, dishes, and leftover food to the kitchen and dispose of all food waste and trash.
• Kitchen Maintenance
  • Pre‑rinse and wash pots, pans, dishes, glasses and silverware in a mechanical dishwasher or manually according to sanitation regulations.
  • Clean serving carts, food preparation areas, cupboards, drawers, and dishwashing areas.
  • Set up and operate a mechanical dishwasher; remove inspection doors, strainer pans, screens, and spray arms for preventative maintenance and cleaning.
  • Scrape, soak, scour, and scrub larger cooking utensils such as mixing bowls and pots.
  • Perform heavy‑duty cleaning tasks, including cleaning ceilings, exhaust hoods, spaces under and behind kitchen equipment (moving equipment as needed), washing floors and walls with powered equipment, cleaning walk‑in refrigerators and freezers, and sanitizing the garbage room.
  • Maintain work area in a clean and orderly manner, adhering to NAVMED P5010 and all local policies and procedures.
  • Operate, break down and clean all electrical equipment assigned to the area for food preparation.
  • Store sanitized dishes and silverware.
• Food Storage
  • Label and date all items in refrigerators and freezers; store leftovers in accordance with sanitation and health standards.
  • Store canned, boxed, and/or frozen items in the designated food storage area.
  • Unload food and supplies from delivery trucks.
  • Move heavy garbage cans when collecting and transferring trash from the work area to the disposal area.
• Additional Responsibilities
  • Comply with security, fire and sanitation rules, policies, procedures, and regulations.
  • Ensure compliance with U.S. Agriculture (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) standards, policies, and regulations.
  • Serve as a mandatory reporter to Family Advocacy and Child Protective Services for suspected child abuse or neglect.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Must satisfactorily complete all background checks for child‑care positions, including fingerprint checks, a Tier 1 with Child Care check, and a State Criminal History Repository (SCHR) check.
• Must successfully pass the E‑Verify employment verification check; any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of employment.
• Effective May 7 2025, non‑affiliated individuals requesting access must present a REAL ID‑compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of identification to access CNRMA installations.
• Employee is required to obtain appropriate immunizations against communicable diseases in accordance with ACIP recommendations, including the influenza vaccine.
• Must obtain and maintain a valid food‑handler’s card.
• Must pass a pre‑employment physical, provide evidence of immunization, and be free from communicable disease.
• Satisfactorily complete all background checks in accordance with PL 101‑647, including a National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NACI).
• Minimum age: 18 years.
• High School Diploma or equivalent.

Qualifications

• Knowledge and understanding of food handling techniques, personal hygiene standards, and safe work procedures.
• Knowledge of techniques for measuring ingredients and basic understanding of recipe construction.
• Basic arithmetic skills to determine the number of serving bowls required for a given number of servings.
• Working knowledge of diet principles.
• Working knowledge of sanitation standards and procedures to prevent contamination, including proper cleaning of equipment and use of chemical sanitizers or correct water temperatures.
• Skill to perform tasks involving several procedures and to overcome practical production problems.
• Ability to evaluate final food products and initiate corrective action when quality standards are not met.
• Skill to develop standardized recipes for quantity cooking and to modify recipes based on equipment capacity and serving requirements.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing, with strong interpersonal communication skills.

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent is required. A copy of the diploma, GED, or college transcripts (showing degree awarded/conferred) must be submitted when applying.

Pay

Salary is dependent on experience.

Additional Information

• Executive Order 12564 requires a Federal workplace free of illegal drugs; all Federal employees must remain drug‑free throughout employment.
• Commander, Navy Installations Command enforces a drug‑free workplace; use of illegal drugs will result in penalties up to removal from Federal service.
• Non‑U.S. citizens with fewer than three years of recent U.S. residential history may be ineligible for employment.
• Marijuana is a Schedule I drug under federal law; a positive test will result in withdrawal of the tentative job offer and a six‑month ineligibility period for DoD positions.
• All individuals providing child‑care services on a Department of Navy installation must complete the Installation Records Check (IRC), which includes checks of Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP) records, Family Advocacy Program (FAP) records, and an installation security/base check.
• Per DoDI 1402.05, incumbents will be automatically disqualified for convictions related to sexual offenses, child‑victim crimes, felony drug offenses, or negligent civil adjudications concerning death or serious injury of a child or dependent.
• REAL ID compliance: candidates lacking a REAL ID must present an acceptable credential (List A) or a combination of source identity documents (Lists B and C) as defined in the REAL ID Act guidelines.
• Candidates should be committed to improving federal government efficiency, uphold the ideals of the American republic, and support the rule of law and the United States Constitution.