Food Service Worker

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 25,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Food Service Worker in Columbia, SC. The role involves preparing and serving meals in a cafeteria setting, maintaining clean work areas, and delivering trays to patients’ bedsides.

Shifts run 5:30am-2:00pm or 10:30am-7:00pm with Sundays-Saturdays including holidays. The job supports multiple kitchen functional areas and requires adherence to safety and sanitation standards in a hospital environment.

Responsibilities

• Set up cafeteria lines, steam tables, dining room tables and side service stands with hot and cold food items.
• Serve food cafeteria style by placing uniform portions on customers'/patients' plates.
• Break down and clean assigned area when the meal is finished and return food to the kitchen.
• Deliver meal trays to the patients' bedsides.
• Assemble and toss fresh fruit or green salads in quantity using prepared dressings and portions into standard serving sizes.

Job description

• Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Food Service Workers perform tasks with several steps or a sequence of tasks that require attention to work operations. They follow set procedures in accomplishing repetitive assignments and follow an established sequence of work such as working in the dish room, passing trays, portioning cold foods and dipping hot foods.

Key Responsibilities

Major Duties: Set up cafeteria lines, steam tables, dining room tables, and side service stands with hot and cold food items Serve food cafeteria style by placing uniform portions of food on customers'/patients' plates Break down and clean assigned area when the meal is finished and return food to the kitchen 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 after meals Deliver meal trays to the patients' bedsides Brew coffee according to the number of servings required Assemble and toss fresh fruit or green salads in quantity using prepared dressings and portions into standard serving sizes Apportion other food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and containers Make cold sandwiches using prepared ingredients and pack box lunches Work in one or more functional areas of the kitchen such as food preparation, dish and pot washing, dry and refrigerated storage and receiving, and the serving line Sort, wash, peel and cut fresh fruits and vegetables Operate and break down equipment Perform heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areas Separate food waste and trash from dishes, glasses and silverware in the dish washing area Remove inspection doors, strainer pans, screens and spray arms for preventive maintenance of the dish machine Unload delivery trucks Store sanitized dishes, glasses and silverware Scrape, soak, scour, and scrub the heavier cooking utensils Move heavy garbage cans when collecting and transferring trash from the work area to the disposal area Performs other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: 5:30am-2:00pm OR 10:30am -7:00pm.

Sunday-Saturday with holidays and weekends. Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99921S Physical Requirements: Food Service Workers perform work requiring 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. Work Conditions: The work is performed in kitchen areas where the steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often cause uncomfortably high temperatures and humidity.

The work area is well-lighted but usually noisy from food service activities, and there is danger of slipping on floors where food or beverages have been dropped. Food service workers are regularly exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot working surfaces, and extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigeration or freezing units.

Requirements & Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

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 $18.23 – $21.27/hr.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-11-02.

Who is eligible to apply?

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

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Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-10-19 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov