Summary
This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service of a Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Nutrition and Food Services is responsible for providing meals and nutritional care to Veteran patients at the Medical Center. The primary purpose of the Cook, WG-6, is to prepare nutritious, high quality meals for service to the Veterans.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
ALL US CITIZENS
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.
Duties
Major Duties as Assigned, but not limited to: Food Preparation
- Works independently to prepare and cook a variety of items including regular and therapeutic diet (diabetic, low sodium, low protein, gluten free, etc.) entrees and dessert items.
- Follows menus, production sheets and recipes to prepare items in the quantity needed.
- Cooks hot cereals, concentrated or dehydrated soups, sauces, gravies.
- Grills eggs, hamburgers, meat patties, pancakes, French toast; makes cold sandwich fillings and assembles a variety of sandwiches.
- Uses a variety of methods to prepare meats, fish, and poultry including broiling, roasting, baking, frying, boiling, steaming, stewing, braising, and grilling
- Slices meat items by hand confirming to specific size requirements or weight specifications.
- Prepares fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables; bakes frozen potatoes, pre-made cookie dough, muffin batters.
- Prepares and heats convenience items; prepares pureed foods and adjusts consistency with thickeners.
- Washes, peels and cuts fruits and vegetables by hand or machine. Assembles and mixes salad ingredients and dessert items including gelatin molds and fruit crisps.
- Plans cooking processes to produce complete meals on time and at the proper temperature which may require coordination of cooking several items with different cooking times.
- Attractively presents and garnishes food.
- Makes a variety of desserts such as cobblers, brownies, cookies and pastries.
- Washes, peels, chops, grinds, pares, cuts, slices, dices, purees, dredges, flours, breads items.
- Weighs, measures, assembles ingredients for regular and modified diets.
- Combines ingredients according to recipes to produce quality food items, minimizing preparation time and food waste.
- Pans foods for bulk rethermalization according to recipe guidelines and production guidelines.
- Covers, dates, and stores leftovers according to established local policies/procedures.
- Operates a variety of kitchen equipment: oven, combi oven/steamer, grill, slicer, mixer, steam kettles, blender, food processor, scale; follows safety procedures regarding the operation of equipment.
- Gathers test data to assist management in making purchasing and menu pricing decisions.
Food Safety/Sanitation
- Follows sanitary food handling procedures; covers, labels and dates food items; utilize or discard ingredients by expiration date.
- Disassembles and assembles component parts and accessories for cleaning.
- Cleans, stores and maintains all kitchen utensils, equipment and work areas practicing a "clean as you go" concept.
- Cleans and sanitizes assigned work areas: worktables, sinks, blast chillers, racks, carts.
- Achieves certification in food safety such as ServSafe and is able to apply knowledge of food safety, food temperatures, etc.
- Operates dish machine; checks detergent level and water temperature before washing and sanitizing cook's equipment. Checks equipment to make sure it is free of food residue and soap.
- Cleans ovens, combi oven/steamer, slicer, mixer, steam kettles, grill daily.
- Collects trash, sorts and prepares items for recycling.
- Cleans floors, walls, shelves as assigned.
- Performs deep cleaning tasks such as cleaning walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
- May operate powered floor cleaning or steam equipment for deep cleaning.
- Prepares food production worksheets from computerized recipe files.
Food Storage
- Receives, rotates and stores perishable and non-perishable items according to service policies. Removes outdated or damaged goods from stock.
- Labels all food items with contents and dates per labeling guidelines.
- Weighs, measures, and assembles ingredients accurately and according to standardized recipes or requisitions.
- Monitor and maintain proper spacing of food products from floor, ceiling and shelving to ensure adequate air flow and spacing of products for optimal food safety.
- Monitor for signs of pest notifying the appropriate individual as determined by your local policy.
- Maintain accurate food inventories.
- Provides assistance to supervisor or higher grade worker in ordering food in accordance with daily and weekly menu requirements.
- Maintains strict security of all areas.
Work Schedule: 04:00AM-12:30PM, 10:00AM-6:30PM, days off and weekends rotate every 28 days
Position Description Title/PD#: Cook/PD99818S
Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Straight pulling (1 hour); Pushing (2 hours); Both hands required; Walking (3 hours); Standing (3 hours); Repeated bending (1 hours); Both legs required; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted)
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
- Subject to a background/suitability investigation
- Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
- May serve a probationary period
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
- A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
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:
- 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; 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.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
Required Documents
Documents Accepted:
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- Other (1)
- PCS Orders
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Documents Required:
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/25/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12540598.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
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