Food Service Worker

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Wage Grade 4 Food Service Worker in Portland. Responsibilities include preparing food, serving meals, and maintaining sanitary conditions in kitchen environments. Applicants must demonstrate relevant experience in food service operations, particularly in health care settings, to ensure proper food preparation and handling.

Qualifications

• Experience in food service within health care or similar environments.
• Knowledge of food safety and handling procedures.
• Ability to demonstrate various skills such as food preparation and service.

Responsibilities

• Perform food and beverage preparation.
• Serve meals ensuring correct portion sizes.
• Maintain cleanliness and sanitation in the kitchen.

Skills

Food preparation

Knowledge of modified diets

Computer proficiency

Safety and sanitation

Job description

Wage Grade 4 Food Service Workers independently perform duties that require proficiency in special procedures. They require a broad knowledge of service operations, such as food and beverage preparation, modified diets, computer proficiency, dishwashing, dry and refrigerated storage, and safety and sanitation. Wage grade 4 workers can do all the duties of a lower grade worker, but also may help with making patient selections, thickening items and checking trays.

Duties

Major Duties include but not limited to:

Requirements

Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.06/24/2025

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. Specialized experience include the following but not limited to: Related experience in a healthcare facility, nursing home or assisted living, or similar quantity food service institution dealing with special/modified and/or prescribed diets includes performing food preparation; serving correct portion sizes; setting up stations on a tray line; delivering and collecting trays; cleaning and sanitizing kitchen equipment required in quantity food preparation and service; knowledge of regular and modified diets; reading and understanding diet cards, understanding food terminology, measurements and serving information in standardized recipes for all menus. Your experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, GS level (if a federal position), duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week.

Preferred Experience: Applicant has performed the work of a food service worker in a health care facility or other type of environment such as college cafeterias, military bases or other quantity food service institutions that has provided knowledge of food safety and handling, experience with computer based food service software systems used to assist patients with meal selections, basic knowledge of modified diets, basic knowledge of food preparation such as preparing cold foods or measuring and weighing foods.

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.

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.

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.