Food Service Worker

Veterans Health Administration; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System in Cleveland, OH, seeks a Food Service Worker to support Nutrition & Food Service operations. The role involves planning and organizing workflow, maintaining sanitation, and assisting with patient tray assembly per prescribed diets.

Applicants will work in a team environment with exposure to climate-controlled areas and standard kitchen equipment, requiring attention to detail, accurate measurements, and basic computer use for diet orders and inventory.

Qualifications

• Ability to read and understand written material such as time and duty schedules, safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals.
• Understanding of menus, recipes and basic work instructions.
• Knowledge of diet cards and specialized diets for patient trays.

Responsibilities

• Plan and organize work to complete assignments.
• Maintain sanitation standards and proper cleaning procedures.
• Prepare and assemble meals and trays per diet orders.
• Operate computer systems to enter and retrieve diet orders, recipes, menu and inventory data.

Skills

Food service operations

Sanitation knowledge

Dietary modification knowledge

Basic math and measurement

Job description

• Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

This Food Service Worker position is located within the Nutrition & Food Service at the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System in Cleveland, OH.

Key Responsibilities

Duties include, but are not limited to: Ability to apply skill and knowledge in planning and organizing work to complete assignments Working knowledge of procedures to prevent contamination, such as the need to clean equipment previously used for raw food Working knowledge of sanitation standards, such as the need to keep wiping cloths in sanitizing solution Ability to read and understand written material such as time and duty schedules, safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals Understanding of menus, recipes and basic work instructions Skill in arithmetical computations using decimals, fractions, and percentages to determine the quantities of ingredients needed to prepare the required yields Knowledge of special procedures and sanitation principles necessary in the preparation of tube feedings to prevent bacterial contamination Knowledge of the need to use a chemical sanitizer or maintain proper water temperature when cleaning dishes Knowledge of the temperature range where the potential of bacterial growth in food is greatest and the requirement to keep hot food in heated holding equipment or immediately refrigerate it Ability to read and understand diet cards when working on the tray assembly line Knowledge of color codes that signify regular or modified diets and special diet card notations Ability to apply a thorough knowledge of basic modified diets when providing the final check on patient trays to verify that the food items are correct for the prescribed diet Working knowledge of some diet principles, such as carbohydrate counting and fluid restriction for meal planning Skill in making precise measurements and accurately weighing recipe ingredients for special feedings Knowledge of proper techniques for measuring the volume of dry, liquid, and fat ingredients and in the use of portion control scales Skill in measuring and weighing ingredients to adjust recipe yields according to standard procedures Ability to use a computer to enter and retrieve basic information, such as diet orders or recipe, menu and inventory data Skill to use correct measuring utensils or a portion control scale regularly Understanding of the routine methods and procedures used in all functional areas of the food service operation Ability to carry out the function of a small work unit Skill to train lower grade workers in methods and procedures Interpersonal skills to be able to interact appropriately with Veterans, visitors, coworkers, supervisors, and other medical center personnel Work Schedule: Full Time; 5 days working including weekends, 2 days off.

Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99836S Physical Requirements: Work requires light to moderate physical effort. They may be required to perform heavy work, such as scouring and scrubbing large size cooking utensils and pushing heavy carts and trucks in unloading, storing, and delivering supplies. They are subject to continuous standing and walking, and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending.

They frequently lift or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds unassisted and occasionally lift or move objects weighing more than 40 pounds with the assistance of others.

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 $24.21 – $28.22/hr.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-11-10.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.