Health Technician (Dietetic)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in San Diego, CA, seeks an Administrative Support Specialist for the hospital food service program. The role requires exceptional customer service, strong computer skills, and proficiency with modified diets and COTS Dietetics software.

Applicants must meet the IOR and GS-05 level requirements, including specialized experience or education. The position supports clinical and dietary staff and requires organization and time management under deadlines.

Qualifications

• Specialized GS-5 level experience using COTS Dietetics software and related programs.
• Effective oral and written communication with diverse populations to maintain high customer service.
• Computer operations and ability to use computer equipment, phone systems and printers.
• Knowledge of tray assembly procedures for set up, distribution, and pick-up; nourishment distribution.
• Organize work, analyze data, and perform under time constraints.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and customer service support for the hospital food service program.
• Communicate effectively with a wide variety of people by phone and in person to maintain public relations.
• Utilize Dietetics software and complete routine clerical tasks.

Skills

Effective communication

Computer operations

Tray assembly procedures

Time management

Education

60+ semester hours education beyond 2nd year credit toward experience

One academic year (30 semester hours) beyond 2nd year equals 6 months experience

Job description

The primary purpose of the position is to provide administrative and customer service support for the VA hospital food service program. The incumbent performs routine duties that require exceptional customer service, computer skills, proper phone etiquette, proficiency in special food service and therapeutic diet procedures, a broad knowledge of routine modified diets, combinations of diet modifications and knowledge of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Dietetics software and required functions. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/09/2026.

This position has an Individual Occupation Requirement IOR, you must meet the following:

• Possess technician experience that requires application of knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. (This position is part of the series that range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists.

In addition to meeting the IOR above, you must meet the experience/education as described below:

GS-05 grade level:

One (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties to perform the duties of the position to be filled. Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

1. Computerized medical record and Nutrition and Food Services COTS Dietetics Software programs.
2. Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in person and via telephone with people from a wide variety of backgrounds while maintaining good public relations and high level of customer service.
3. Computer operations and ability to use computer equipment, phone system and printers.
4. Knowledge of tray assembly area procedures for set up, assembly, tray distribution and pick-up; and nourishment and tube feeding distribution.
5. Organize work, analyze data, and work under time constraints.

OR

Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level.

OR

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. To calculate, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.