Food Service Worker

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Fargo (ND); On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Fargo, ND is seeking a Wage Grade 3 Food Service Worker to join the Nutrition and Food Service team. You will set up stations, portion meals, assist cooks, and deliver meals to patients, following procedures and safety rules in a busy kitchen environment.

Schedule includes early morning shifts, weekends and holidays as needed. Physical requirements include standing, lifting up to 40 pounds with assistance, and working in hot kitchen conditions.

Qualifications

• Light to moderate physical effort required.
• Ability to lift up to 20 pounds unassisted; up to 40 pounds with assistance.
• Ability to stand for long periods and work in a hot, humid kitchen environment.

Responsibilities

• Sets up and breaks down assigned station with supplies and food items.
• Portions food items into standard serving sizes and prepares patient trays.
• Delivers meal trays to patients' bedsides and ensures correct diet items are provided.
• Reports patient comments and concerns to supervisor or dietitian.
• Assists cooks by weighing, measuring and assembling ingredients per recipes.
• Performs routine cleaning tasks in food service and related areas.

Skills

Dexterity

Safety

Job description

Summary

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service - Fargo VA Health Care System - Located in Fargo - ND. Wage Grade 3 Food Service Workers perform tasks with several steps or a sequence of tasks that requires attention to work operations. They follow set procedures in accomplishing repetitive assignments and follow an established sequence of work.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Opening Date: October 26 - 2026 Closing Date: December 31 - 2026 First Cut-Off Date: November 2 - 2026 NOTE: This is an Open Continuous Announcement. Qualified candidates will be referred as vacancies occur. Eligible applications received after November 2 - 2026 - will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. Final application disposition will be completed at the end of the open period stated in the announcement. In addition - due to the potential of a high volume of applicants - not all applicants may receive consideration. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required - but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge - skills - and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. For this position - the job element method is used to match what you - the applicant - can do - based on experience listed in your resume - against what the work calls for. Your knowledge - skills - and abilities will be compared to the knowledge - skills - and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element - which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions - Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision Work Practices 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: Wage Grade 3 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. May be required to work on ladders and use powered cleaning equipment. 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. Working 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.

Duties

• Major duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to): Sets up and breaks down assigned station with the correct supplies and food items
• Portions food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishware Selects and places correct items on patient trays Decides what food items to serve for the most common diets Identifies obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu Sets up dining room tables for service - place food and beverages on tables - and replenish items as necessary
• Delivers meal trays to the patients' bedsides
• reporting the patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitian
• Provides assistance to cooks in the food preparation area - such as weigh - measure and assemble ingredients according to standardized recipes
• Prepares fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts
• Reads and interprets regular or modified menus - individual diet cards - tray tickets or patient selections Performs heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areas
• Performing other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Varies - Sunday through Saturday - to include rotating holidays and weekends
• Schedule determined upon hire - typical hours of 6:00am to 2:30pm OR 6:30am to 3:00pm - OR 6:45am to 3:15pm or as needed per scheduling
• Schedule determined upon hire
• Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99920S Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers
• This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest
• As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care - you will operate in a model with three core elements - seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran
• This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community
• This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.