Food Service Worker

About the role

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has adopted the Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) Workforce Modernization Plan — one of the largest workforce innovation efforts undertaken by VHA to articulate future states of NFS operations across the enterprise. The plan identifies key priorities for NFS to modernize the workforce, recognize unique positions within VHA to support Veterans' NFS, and establish consistency of functions while streamlining the hiring process.

Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99836S

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality to demonstrate your ability to do the work. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.

Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen-out element (usually question 1 in the online questionnaire). Those who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and eliminated. Potential eligibles are then rated against the following Job Elements:

• Dexterity and Safety
• Interpret Instructions
• Specifications (other than blueprint reading)
• Materials
• Technical Practices
• Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
• Without more than normal supervision
• Work Practices

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. A full year of work is considered to be 35–40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Responsibilities

This position independently performs duties that require proficiency in special procedures and broad knowledge of service operations — such as food and beverage preparation, modified diets, computer proficiency, dishwashing, dry and refrigerated storage, and safety and sanitation. Major duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Sets up and breaks down assigned station with the correct supplies and food items
• Portions food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishware
• Decides what food items to serve for the most common diets when the diet card or tray ticket identifies only the kind of diet called for
• Provides patients with basic information about modified diets and the nutrition services that are available
• Identifies obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu
• Follows directions in assembling, measuring, weighing, or mixing ingredients for basic formulas and supplemental feedings following standardized recipes and using sanitary techniques
• Delivers meal trays to the patients' bedsides, reporting the patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitian
• Provides assistance to cooks in the food preparation area including assembling, labeling and arranging completed recipe items in preparation for use by cooks
• Prepares fresh fruit, cold salads, dressings, sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches, and simple cold desserts along with individual and bulk nourishments and supplement foods and beverages for patients
• Makes final check of diet trays assembled by lower grade workers for completeness and correct food temperatures
• Works in one or more functional areas of the kitchen such as food preparation, dish and pot washing, dry and refrigerated storage and receiving, and the serving line
• Performs heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areas
• Performs other duties as assigned

Schedule

Work Schedule: 5:00 am–1:30 pm / 8:00 am–4:30 pm / 11:00 am–7:30 pm. Days off and tour rotate every 28 days.

Physical requirements

• Work is performed in kitchen areas where steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often cause uncomfortably high temperatures and humidity
• Regularly exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot working surfaces, and extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigeration units
• Performs work requiring light to moderate physical effort; may be required to perform heavy work such as scouring and scrubbing large cooking utensils and pushing heavy carts and trucks in unloading, storing, and delivering supplies
• Subject to continuous standing and walking, and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending
• Frequently lifts or moves objects weighing up to 20 pounds unassisted and occasionally lifts or moves objects weighing more than 40 pounds with the assistance of others