Food Service Worker

Clarification from the agency

Internal to an agency - appears on USAJOBS The public

Wage Grade 4 Food Service workers independently perform duties that require proficiency in special procedures. They require a broad knowledge of service operations, such as food and beverage preparation, modified diets, computer proficiency, dishwashing, dry and refrigerated storage, and safety and sanitation.

1. Set up assigned station on the tray line with the correct supplies and food items.
2. Serve food cafeteria style by placing uniform portions of food on customers'/patients'/residents' plates.
3. Break down and clean the station when assigned.
4. Set up dining room tables for service, place food and beverages on tables, and replenish items as necessary.
5. Return soiled trays and dishes to the dish room.
6. Deliver meal trays to the patients' bedsides and report the patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitian.
7. Prepare beverages according to the number of servings required.
8. Prepare fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts in specified quantities.
9. Sort, wash, peel and cut cold foods using knives or other equipment.
10. Provide assistance to cooks in the food preparation area, such as weigh, measure and assemble ingredients according to standardized recipes.
11. Prepare uncooked food items, such as sandwich spread and salad dressings.
12. Operate and break down and clean all equipment assigned to food service and related areas.
13. Portion other food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishware.
14. Prepare boxed/to go meals.
15. Make final check of diet trays assembled by lower grade workers for completeness, correct food temperatures.
16. Verify that food items on the tray are appropriate for the prescribed diet.
17. Identify obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu.
18. Decide 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.
19. Distributes menus and surveys to patients.
20. Provide patients with basic information about modified diets and the nutrition services that are available.
21. Prepare individual and bulk nourishments and supplemental foods and beverages for patients.
22. Follow directions in assembling, measuring, weighing, or mixing ingredients for basic formulas and supplemental feedings following standardized recipes and using sanitary techniques.
23. Determine the quantities of ingredients needed to prepare required yield.
24. Make conversions between the metric system to the standard system.
25. Take nourishment inventories, stocking using first in-first out procedures, replacing expired items.
26. Label and distribute individual nourishments.
27. Sterilize equipment and sanitize work areas.
28. Work 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.

Major duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
Work Schedule: 11am - 7:30pm rotating weekends and holidays
Telework: Not authorized
Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/99836-S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

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.

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, "Ability to perform the work of the position without more than normal supervision." Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration. The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements. While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:

• Resume

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50s (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade

Award 50s do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include:

• Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
• Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
• SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

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