Food Service Worker

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Food Service Worker to support meal preparation, service, and cleanup in a VA Medical Center kitchen environment.

The role involves setting up stations, serving meals, and maintaining sanitary conditions while following established procedures and safety standards. The position requires the ability to work rotating shifts, including early mornings and evenings, and to assist cooks with food preparation and tray delivery.

Qualifications

• Evidence of training or experience showing ability to perform duties; training/experience should be described in resume.
• Ability to follow established procedures and safety rules in food service.
• Wage Grade qualification standards may apply; experience in kitchen operations is considered.
• Volunteer work or paid experience in food service translates to eligible qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Set up assigned station with supplies and food items.
• Serve cafeteria-style and portion meals to patients/customers.
• Clean and reset stations during and after service.
• Assist cooks by preparing ingredients and handling utensils.
• Operate and clean food service equipment and maintain sanitary work areas.
• Deliver meals to patient trays and read diet cards or orders.

Skills

Dexterity

Safety awareness

Attention to detail

Follow procedures

Teamwork

Tools

Dishwashing equipment

Food service utensils

Job description

Summary 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 assignments and follow an established sequence of work. They 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 area doing work such as portioning cold food - dipping hot food - working in the dish room and passing trays.

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 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.

Duties

• Duties may include but are not limited to: Set up assigned station with the correct supplies and food items
• Serve food cafeteria style by placing uniform portions of food on customers'/patients'/residents' plates
• Break down and clean the station when assigned
• 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
• Deliver meal trays to the patients' bedsides and report the patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitian
• Prepare beverages according to the number of servings required
• Prepare fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts in specified quantities
• Sort - wash - peel and cut cold foods using knives or other equipment
• Provide assistance to cooks in the food preparation area - such as weigh - measure and assemble ingredients according to standardized recipes
• Prepare uncooked food items - such as sandwich spread and salad dressings
• Operate and break down and clean all equipment assigned to food service and related areas
• Portion food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishware
• Prepare boxed/to go meals
• Select and place correct items on patient trays
• Read and interpret a regular or modified menu - individual diet cards - tray tickets or patient selections
• Identify obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu
• Decide what food items to serve for the most common diets
• Perform heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areas
• Separate food waste - trash/recyclables from dishes - glasses and silverware
• Unload food/tray delivery carts
• Store sanitized dishes - glasses and silverware
• Scrape - soak - scour - and scrub cookware and utensils
• Move garbage cans when collecting and transferring trash from the work area to the disposal area
• Other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the Medical Center
• Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts between 5:00am 8:00pm - to include weekends and holidays Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99920A and PD99920S Physical Requirements: 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
• 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.