Food Service Worker

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Jefferson Barracks (MO); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, MO is seeking Wage Grade 2 Food Service Workers. The role involves carrying out multi-step tasks in a kitchen setting, including dishroom duties, tray passing, and portioning foods.

Shifts run 11:30 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Friday with rotating weekends and holidays. Applicants should meet the standard federal qualifications; training or experience should demonstrate ability to perform duties with attention to sanitation,

Qualifications

• Ability to concentrate on work assignments despite interruptions and distractions
• Knowledge of sanitation standards and cleaning procedures
• Ability to read and understand schedules, safety data sheets and written instructions
• Understanding of menus, recipes and basic work instructions
• Basic arithmetic to count tables/meals and determine servings
• Knowledge of chemical sanitizers and proper water temperatures for dishwashing
• Interpersonal skills to interact with Veterans, visitors and staff

Responsibilities

• Receive assignments from supervisor and follow specific instructions
• Maintain sanitation, safety and service standards during daily operations
• Operate and care for equipment such as mechanical dishwashers, pot washers, tray conveyors and coffee urns
• Work in a kitchen environment with heat, steam and moving equipment
• Assist with unloading, storing and delivering supplies as needed

Skills

Attention to detail

Food handling

Sanitation standards

Reading comprehension

Menus and recipes

Basic arithmetic

Chemical sanitizers

Interpersonal skills

Job description

Wage Grade 2 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 such as working in the dish room, passing trays, portioning cold foods and dipping hot foods. This position supports Jefferson Barracks in St Louis, MO, 1130-8p Monday-Friday, Rotating weekends and holidays.

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

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.

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 eligibilities are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements.

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.

FACTOR I: SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE

Wage Grade 2 Food Service Workers have an understanding of basic food handling techniques to perform tasks involving several procedures.

• Ability to concentrate on work assignments despite interruptions and distractions
• 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
• Knowledge of basic arithmetic in order to count the number of tables and meal trays required or determine the number of servings a container will yield
• Knowledge of the need to use a chemical sanitizer or maintain proper water temperature when cleaning dishes
• Interpersonal skills to be able to interact appropriately with Veterans, visitors, coworkers, supervisors, and other medical center personnel

FACTOR II: RESPONSIBILITY

Wage Grade 2 Food Service Workers receive assignments from their immediate supervisor who provides specific instructions when changes in the work routine or new assignments are made. They are expected to work as scheduled, knowing what steps or sequence of tasks are needed to complete the work. Some judgment is used in maintaining established standards of sanitation, safety, and service. They are responsible for the correct operation and care of equipment such as mechanical dishwashers, pot washers, tray conveyors, and coffee urns. The supervisor is available to resolve problems and answer questions. The work is periodically checked to verify that it is being accomplished on time and according to instructions.

FACTOR III: PHYSICAL EFFORT

Wage Grade 2 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.

FACTOR IV: 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.