Food Service Worker

Food Service Worker

This position is located in Memphis, Tennessee at the Memphis VA Medical Center in Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) department. Incumbent will work under the supervision of the Supervisor. WG-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.

Responsibilities include:

• Receive and input patient orders into Computrition Software.
• Set up dining room tables for service, place food and beverages on tables, and replenish items as necessary.
• Return soiled trays and dishes to the dish room.
• Deliver meal trays to the patients' bedsides and report the patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitian.
• Prepare beverages according to the number of servings required.
• Prepare fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts in specified quantities.
• Sort, wash, peel and cut cold foods using knives or other equipment.
• Provide assistance to cooks in the food preparation area, such as weigh, measure and assemble ingredients according to standardized recipes.
• Prepare uncooked food items, such as sandwich spread and salad dressings.
• Operate and break down and clean all equipment assigned to food service and related areas.
• Portion other food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishware.
• Prepare boxed/to go meals.
• Make final check of diet trays assembled by lower grade workers for completeness, correct food temperatures.
• Verify that food items on the tray are appropriate for the prescribed diet.
• Identify obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu.
• Distributes menus and surveys to patients.
• Provide patients with basic information about modified diets and the nutrition services that are available.
• Prepare individual and bulk nourishments and supplemental foods and beverages for patients.

Work Schedule: Rotating TOD (6:00am-2:30pm; 6:15am-2:45pm; 8:00am-4:30pm; and 11:00am-7:30pm). Tour of duty is based on the needs of the service that will include working weekends and holidays based on rotating off days per quarterly schedule.

Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD50292A

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to lift and/or move heavy objects weighing up to 45 pounds. Work requires continuous standing, walking and bending as well as frequent stooping, reaching, pushing and pulling.

Requirements Conditions of Employment:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
• May serve a probationary period.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.

Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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.

Working Conditions: Must be alert to safety rule as employee is subject to cuts, burns and strains from working with hands and/or operating powered equipment. Exposed to falls due to wet, slippery floors and exposed to above normal noise levels. Exposed to the usual hazards and disagreeable conditions which exist in a kitchen such as exposure to abnormal and fluctuating temperatures. Working areas are often uncomfortably warm, humid, cold and noisy.

Education: There is no substitution of education or education requirement for this position.

Additional Information:

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.