Food Service Worker

Veterans Health Administration • Saint Cloud, MN

11d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is with the Nutrition and Food Service at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The Food Service Worker performs multi-step tasks requiring attention to work operations, follows established procedures for repetitive assignments, and completes work in a set sequence. The role supports meal preparation and service for patients, including selecting food items for common diets and identifying obvious discrepancies between prescribed diets and menu items.

The position operates within the VA Midwest Health Care Network’s Whole Health System of care, which seeks to empower Veterans to manage their health and well-being through personalized health plans, healing relationships, healing environments, and connection to the Veteran’s community.

The work schedule is 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with rotating weekends. The job requires light to moderate physical effort and may include heavy tasks. Work is performed in kitchen areas with heat, steam, humidity, noise, slippery floors, hot liquids, sharp blades, hot surfaces, and temperature changes in refrigeration or freezing units.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship; non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Must be suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must complete the online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period.
• No specific length of training or experience is required; applicants must demonstrate sufficient training or experience to perform the work, supported by detailed resume descriptions.
• Must demonstrate applicable job elements, including dexterity and safety; interpreting instructions and specifications; materials; technical practices; use and maintenance of tools and equipment; working without more than normal supervision; and work practices.
• Must participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation.
• Must receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons; employees with an exemption must wear a face mask.
• Must be able to perform light to moderate physical effort and potentially heavy work, including cleaning large cooking utensils and pushing heavy carts or trucks.
• Must be able to stand and walk continuously and frequently stoop, reach, push, pull, and bend.
• Must frequently lift or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds unassisted and occasionally lift or move objects weighing more than 40 pounds with assistance.

Responsibilities

• Set up and break down the assigned station with the correct supplies and food items.
• Portion food into standard serving sizes using proper utensils and specified dishware.
• Select and place the correct items on patient trays.
• Determine appropriate food items for the most common diets and identify obvious discrepancies between prescribed diets and menu items.
• Set up dining room tables, place food and beverages on tables, and replenish items as needed.
• Deliver meal trays to patients’ bedsides and report patients’ comments and complaints to a supervisor or dietitian.
• Assist cooks with food preparation by weighing, measuring, and assembling ingredients according to standardized recipes.
• Prepare fresh fruit, cold salads and dressings, sandwich fillings, cold sandwiches, and simple cold desserts.
• Read and interpret regular or modified menus, individual diet cards, tray tickets, and patient selections.
• Perform heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout food service and related areas.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• VA may offer newly appointed Federal employees credit for job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual; approval is required and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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