Food Service Worker

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is hiring a Food Service Worker at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD. This role involves meal preparation, serving food to patients, and maintaining kitchen cleanliness.

Applicants must demonstrate relevant training or experience. The position requires carrying out tasks in a high-temperature, noisy environment while ensuring food safety and sanitation standards are met.

Qualifications

• Evidence of training or experience demonstrating the necessary knowledge and skills.
• Experience may include paid, unpaid, or volunteer work.
• Ability to work in a kitchen environment with high temperatures and noise.

Responsibilities

• Set up and break down assigned station with supplies.
• Portion food items into specified serving sizes.
• Deliver meal trays to patients' bedsides.
• Perform heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service areas.

Skills

Food and beverage preparation

Sanitation

Computer proficiency

Ability to follow directions

Job description

Job Summary

The Food Service Worker position is located within the Nutrition & Food Service at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD. This position independently performs duties that require proficiency in special procedures and broad knowledge of service operations, such as food and beverage preparation, modified diets, computer proficiency, dishwashing, dry and refrigerated storage, and safety and sanitation.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement. The position requires evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the duties. Experience may include paid, unpaid, or volunteer work. Candidates will be evaluated using the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards and the job element method. Candidates will be screened against prescribed screen‑out elements before further rating.

Physical Requirements

Perform work requiring light to moderate physical effort. May be required to perform heavy work such as scouring and scrubbing large cooking utensils and pushing heavy carts and trucks in unloading, storing, and delivering supplies. Frequently stand, walk, stoop, reach, push, pull, and bend. Frequently lift or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds unassisted and occasionally lift more than 40 pounds with assistance.

Work Environment

Work is performed in kitchen areas where the steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often cause high temperatures and humidity. The area is well-lit but usually noisy. There is danger of slipping on floors where food or beverages have been dropped. Food service workers are exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot surfaces, and extreme temperature changes when entering walk‑in refrigeration or freezing units.

Duties

• Set up and break down assigned station with the correct supplies and food items
• Portion food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishware
• Decide which food items to serve for the most common diets when the diet card or tray ticket identifies only the kind of diet called for
• Provide patients with basic information about modified diets and available nutrition services
• Identify obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu
• Follow directions for assembling, measuring, weighing, or mixing ingredients for basic formulas and supplemental feedings according to standardized diet recipes and using sanitary techniques
• Deliver meal trays to patients' bedsides
• Report patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitian
• Assist cooks in the food preparation area by assembling, labeling, and arranging completed recipe items for use by cooks
• Prepare fresh fruit, cold salads, dressings, sandwich fillings, cold sandwiches, simple cold desserts, individual, and bulk nourishment and supplement foods and beverages for patients
• Make final checks of diet trays assembled by lower grade workers for completeness and correct food temperatures
• Work in one or more functional areas of the kitchen such as food preparation, dish and pot washing, dry and refrigerated storage, receiving, and the serving line
• Perform heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areas
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Compressed Tour to include weekends and holidays