Cook

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Chelsea (ME); On-site; USD 37,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Augusta, ME is seeking a Cook in the Nutrition and Food Service at the VA Maine Healthcare System. This is a full-time role, with a 40-hour work week.

Responsibilities include preparing, cooking, seasoning, and portioning foods, following menus and recipes, and ensuring food safety through proper handling and equipment use. The position may involve coordinating multiple items and supervising others in the kitchen.

Qualifications

• There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Prepares, cooks, seasons, and portions food for all meals so that the completed food products are ready at the appropriate temperature and time and are visually appealing to customers.
• Calculates serving portions from quantities of food issued and coordinates cooking of several items with different times and characteristics.
• Operates kitchen equipment and follows sanitary food handling procedures to ensure food safety.

Job description

• Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

This Cook position is in the Nutrition and Food Service at the VA Maine Healthcare System located in Augusta, ME. This is full-time at 40 hours per week.

Key Responsibilities

Duties include but are not limited to; Prepares, cooks, seasons, and portions food for all meals so that the completed food products are ready at the appropriate temperature and time and are visually appealing to customers. Prepares menu items using special or difficult recipes that require numerous interrelated steps, many ingredients, and lengthy preparation time. Follows menus, production sheets and recipes to prepare items in the quantity needed.

Calculate and determine serving portions from quantities of food issued. Prepare or coordinate the preparation of entire meals and prepare, season, and determine serving portion food for all meals by following standardized, special, or difficult recipes. Coordinates cooking of several items with different cooking times and characteristics. Coordinates the cooking of items prepared by other cooks at one or more work centers. Attractively presents and garnishes food.

Broils, roasts, bakes, fries, boils, steam, and braises, meats, fish and poultry. Slices meat items by hand confirming to specific size requirements or weight specifications. Prepares pureed foods and adjusts consistency with thickeners. Combines ingredients according to recipes to produce quality food items, minimizing preparation time and food waste. Covers, dates, and stores leftovers according to established local policies/procedures.

Operates a variety of kitchen equipment: oven, combi oven/steamer, grill, slicer, mixer, steam kettles, blender, food processor, scale; Test and evaluate new food products and develop and modify standardized recipes including detailed equipment lists. May serve as person in charge of oversight of food safety activities. Follows sanitary food handling procedures; covers, labels and dates food items; utilize or discard ingredients by expiration date.

Disassembles and assembles component parts and accessories for cleaning. Cleans, stores and maintains all kitchen utensils, equipment and work areas practicing a \"clean as you go\" concept. Cleans and sanitizes assigned work areas: worktables, sinks, blast chillers, racks, carts, floors, walls, shelves, etc. Operates dish machine; checks detergent level and water temperature before washing and sanitizing cook's equipment.

Prepares food production worksheets from computerized recipe files. Receives, rotates and stores perishable and non‑perishable items according to service policies. Labels all food items with contents and dates per labeling guidelines. Monitor for signs of pest notifying the appropriate individual as determined by your local policy. Maintain accurate food inventories. Work Schedule: Thursday - Monday, 10:30am - 7:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): Not authorized. Position Description Title/PD#: Cook/PD99817‑S Telework/Virtual/Remote Work: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement). Working Conditions: Performs work in areas of temperature extremes. Work is carried out in kitchen/dish room areas that are often hot, uncomfortable, and noisy. Environment includes exposure to extreme cold while working in walk‑in refrigerators and freezers for extended periods of time to complete duties.

Works with other cooks, food service workers, and supervisors. Exposed to stems, cooking odors, and noise from equipment and conversation. Subject to hazards of cuts, bruises, strains, burns and falls in kitchen equipment. Strong cleaning and sanitizing solutions may be skin and respiratory irritants. Performs work in patient care settings where there may be exposure to contagious disease.

May have contact with patients who demonstrate verbally and/or physically aggressive behavior. Required to wear proper hair covering and clean uniform. Wear disposable gloves when handling food for service, and proper protective equipment when completing cleaning activities.

Requirements & Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $26.68 – $31.1/hr.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-10-29.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Transition' hiring path.

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Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-10-23 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov