Food Service Worker

Veterans Health Administration; Omaha (NE); On-site; USD 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration at the Omaha VA Medical Center in Nebraska is seeking a Food Service Worker to prepare nutritious meals for Veterans in the Nutrition and Food Service unit.

The role covers setting up and breaking down stations, portioning foods to standard serving sizes, and assisting cooks. It involves serving meals to patients, exact diet adherence, and heavy cleaning in a rotating shift environment.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• 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, places food and beverages on tables, and replenishes 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.
• 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.
• Working schedule: Rotating shifts Sunday - Saturday, 6:30am-3:00pm or 11:00am-7:30pm.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job description

• Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The person in this position prepares nutritious, high qualify meals for service to the Veterans.

Key Responsibilities

Major duties include, but 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 - Saturday, 6:30am-3:00pm or 11:00am-7:30pm, rotating shifts.

Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/ PD99920S. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Bargaining Unit: Yes. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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 Environment/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. The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department.

The five Core Values define \"who we are,\" our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence (\"I CARE\").As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips.

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.

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 $19.71 – $22.99/hr.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-09-24.

Who is eligible to apply?

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