Food Service Worker

Veterans Health Administration • Marion, IN

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This full-time Food Service Worker position is located in Nutrition & Food Service at the Northern Indiana Health Care System in Marion, Indiana. The worker prepares and portions food and beverages, assembles and checks patient meal trays, delivers meals to patients, and prepares nourishments and supplemental feedings. The role also involves maintaining inventory, following standardized recipes and sanitary procedures, recording and retrieving information using a computer terminal, and helping lower-grade employees with technical work. Work is scheduled Friday through Sunday, 5:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Monday and Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The position requires light to moderate physical effort, with some heavier tasks such as scrubbing large cooking utensils and pushing heavy carts. Employees stand and walk continuously and frequently stoop, reach, push, pull, and bend. They frequently lift or move up to 20 pounds without assistance and occasionally move more than 40 pounds with assistance.

Applicants must meet federal employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship unless qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy, suitability for federal employment, and applicable Selective Service registration. Selected applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to pre-appointment urinalysis. Annual seasonal influenza vaccination or an approved exemption is required for VA health care personnel.

Requirements

• Demonstrated training or experience of sufficient scope and quality to show the ability to perform the work; no specific length of training or experience is required.
• Ability to perform the work without more than normal supervision, including performing routine work independently using written guides and established policy, exercising judgment, and planning and organizing duties.
• Ability to provide support and guidance to lower-grade employees, including assistance and training on technical work matters.
• Applicants must receive at least two points on the screen-out element to be eligible for consideration.
• Knowledge or ability in dexterity and safety, interpreting instructions and specifications, materials, technical practices, use and maintenance of tools and equipment, and work practices.
• Ability to perform the stated physical demands, including prolonged standing and walking, frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending, and lifting or moving objects as described.
• U.S. citizenship is required unless qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Must be suitable for federal employment as determined by a background investigation.
• Applicants selected for testing-designated positions must submit to urinalysis for illegal drug use before appointment; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• VA health care personnel must receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain a medical or religious exemption; personnel with an exemption must wear a face mask.

Responsibilities

• Set up the assigned tray-line station with the correct supplies and food items.
• Deliver meal trays to patients and report patient comments and complaints to a supervisor or dietitian.
• Prepare beverages according to required serving quantities.
• Prepare fresh fruit, cold salads, dressings, sandwich fillings, cold sandwiches, and simple cold desserts in specified quantities.
• Assist cooks with food preparation by weighing, measuring, and assembling ingredients according to standardized recipes.
• Portion food into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and dishware.
• Check diet trays assembled by lower-grade workers for completeness, correct food temperatures, and consistency with prescribed diets.
• Identify discrepancies between prescribed diets and menu-designated food items.
• Provide patients with basic information about modified diets and available nutrition services.
• Prepare individual and bulk nourishments and supplemental foods and beverages for patients.
• Assemble, measure, weigh, or mix ingredients for basic formulas and supplemental feedings using standardized recipes and sanitary techniques.
• Calculate ingredient quantities for required yields and convert between metric and standard measurements.
• Take nourishment inventories, restock using first-in, first-out procedures, and replace expired items.
• Label and distribute individual nourishments.
• Sterilize equipment and sanitize work areas.
• Use a computer terminal to record and retrieve recipe, menu, and inventory data and produce reports.
• Provide support and guidance, including assistance and training on technical work matters, to lower-grade employees.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the medical center.

Benefits

• Federal employees receive access to a comprehensive benefits package for themselves and their families; specific benefits depend on position eligibility.
• VA may grant credit for job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual, if requested and approved before appointment; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed