Health Technician (Dietetic)

Veterans Health Administration • Buffalo, NY

8d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the VA Medical Center in Buffalo, New York. The Health Technician (Dietetic) provides administrative and customer service support for the VA hospital food service program. The role involves managing patient meal service orders, supporting meal and nourishment delivery, and helping patients and staff understand local therapeutic diets. The position is not virtual and includes a 10:15 a.m.–6:45 p.m. schedule, including weekends and holidays.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level, such as entering patient food preferences into a computer system; running tally guides, production reports, nourishment labels, and tube-feeding reports; processing new admissions; providing information on meal service and menus; adjusting patient diet patterns and taking corrective action; or verifying physician diet orders.
• Alternatively, successful completion of a full four-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with a major or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position.
• Applicants may qualify through a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the stated minimums.
• Completion of all required application steps, including an online assessment.
• Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing-designated position must undergo urinalysis for illegal drug use; refusing testing results in denial of employment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Completion of a background/security investigation and online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Serve a one-year probationary period.
• Submit a transcript if qualifying based wholly or partly on education; education must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Ability to perform the described physical activities, including periods of standing, sitting, and walking; frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending; lifting or moving objects up to 20 pounds; and pushing loaded carts of trays or nourishments. The posting states that these requirements may be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment.

Responsibilities

• Route modified diets, combinations of diet modifications, and orders using commercial off-the-shelf dietetics software.
• Handle patient meal service orders in person or by phone, interacting with Veterans, dietitians, nursing staff, and other medical center employees.
• Receive patient meal orders and preferences, as well as meal and nourishment requests from nursing, clinical staff, and other interdisciplinary team members.
• Take appropriate actions within the position's authority to maximize patient satisfaction with meal service.
• Complete select and non-select menus as required.
• Retrieve computerized information to assist with tray and nourishment assembly, including standing orders, nourishment labels, tabulated recipe lists, and other information used in meal delivery.
• Provide information on local facility therapeutic diets to patients, guests, and nursing staff, and help patients select foods appropriate to their individual diets.
• Perform clerical and administrative duties in support of the service.
• Perform other related 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.
• Newly appointed federal employees may request credit for job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level