Food Service Worker

Summary These positions located in the Nutrition and Food section of the Allied Health service at the Tomah VA Medical Center and perform a variety of duties that are primarily concerned with food service or food preparation. Responsibilities 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 Selects and places correct items on patient trays Decides what food items to serve for the most common diets Identifies obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu Sets up dining room tables for service, place food and beverages on tables, and replenish items as necessary 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, such as weigh, measure and assemble ingredients according to standardized recipes Prepares fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts Reads and interprets regular or modified menus, individual diet cards, tray tickets or patient selections Performs heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areas Performing other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 6:30am-9:30am or 4:00pm-7:00pm; Every third weekend off and some holidays Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99920S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Pre-employment physical required Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/04/2023. Ability to perform reliably and dependably as a Food Service Worker. This is described as experience or an ability to perform such tasks as scouring and scrubbing kitchen items, cleaning food preparation surfaces, making hot and cold food, setting up cafeteria lines, sweeping and mopping floors, and emptying trashcans. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. 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. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal Supervision Dexterity and Safety Follow Directions Special Aptitude - Food Service Work 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; religions; 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. Note: 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires light to moderate physical effort with repetitive motion to include continuous standing and walking, frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. Frequently lifts or moves objects weighting up to 40 pounds unassisted when pushing carts, unloading trucks, cleaning, or other related heavy work. May be required to perform heavy work such as scouring and scrubbing large-size cooking utensils and pushing heavy carts and trucks in unloading, storing, and delivering supplies. May also be required to work on ladders and use powered cleaning equipment. Incumbent may lift objects weighing 50 to 100 pounds or more when covering in the Ingredient Control Room or Warehouse and push/pull carts weighing up to 300 pounds. Sweeps, vacuums and spot mops floors as required. Must be alert and cautious to avoid falls on wet floors and burns or scalds from hot food, equipment and chemicals and cuts from knives. Working Conditions: The work is performed in kitchen areas where the steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often causes uncomfortable high temperatures and humidity. The work area is well lit but is usually noisy from food service activities, and there is danger of slipping on floors where food or beverages have been dropped. The worker is regularly exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot working surfaces and extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigeration or freezing units. The employee is required to wear protective shoes and gloves or other items required by food handling guides. Must be clean and neat at all times and in proper uniform. Education Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.