Health Technician (Dietetic)

Veterans Health Administration • Johnson City, TN

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center in Johnson City, Tennessee. The Health Technician serves as a Nutrition Communication Center Associate, providing administrative and customer service support for the hospital food service program. The position is part of a multi-grade career ladder: duties at GS-3 and GS-4 are more limited in scope and independence, with progression toward the full performance level at GS-5. Promotion depends on satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and available funding, and may occur without further competition when applicable requirements are met.

The role supports patient meal service by receiving and processing meal orders and preferences, helping patients select foods consistent with their diets, providing information about therapeutic diets, retrieving information for meal and nourishment delivery, and performing related clerical and administrative work. The position works with Veterans, dietitians, nursing staff, and other medical center employees.

The work schedule falls within a tour of duty with an earliest start time of 5:00 a.m. and latest end time of 8:00 p.m.; weekends and holidays are included. This is not a virtual position. The work is performed in a hospital and office environment, with some exposure to contagious diseases and use of personal protective equipment when necessary. The role requires operation of a government-owned vehicle and a valid state-issued driver's license.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Demonstrate proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Complete the required application steps, questionnaire, and online assessment.
• Undergo urinalysis screening for illegal drug use if tentatively selected for a testing-designated position.
• Meet applicable Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Undergo a pre-employment physical and background/security investigation.
• Complete the online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Hold a valid state-issued driver's license and operate a government-owned vehicle.
• Serve a one-year probationary period.
• GS-3 qualification: meet one of the stated alternatives—at least six months of qualifying general experience; one year of qualifying post-high-school study in medical, health, or related fields; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• GS-4 qualification: meet one of the stated alternatives—six months of specialized experience and six months of general experience; two years of study including at least 12 semester hours directly related to the position; a bachelor's degree or four years of post-high-school education with a major or at least 24 semester hours in directly related subjects; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• GS-5 qualification: meet one of the stated alternatives—at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4; a bachelor's degree or four years of post-high-school education with a major or at least 24 semester hours in directly related subjects; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Submit transcripts if education is used to meet qualification requirements; qualifying education must be from an appropriately accredited institution.

Responsibilities

• Route modified diets, combinations of diet modifications, and commercial off-the-shelf dietetics software workflows.
• Handle patient meal service orders in person or by phone.
• Interact with Veterans, dietitians, nursing staff, and other medical center employees.
• Receive patient meal orders and preferences, and meal and nourishment requests from nursing, clinical staff, and other members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Take appropriate actions within 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 patients, guests, and nursing staff with education and information about local facility therapeutic diets.
• Assist patients in selecting 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 federal benefits package.
• VA may grant approved credit for job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual rate.

What This Job Offers

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