Health Technician (Dietetic)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Health Technician (Dietetic) at the Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System in Tucson, AZ. The role provides administrative and customer service support for hospital food service operations.

Key duties include processing patient meal orders, assisting dietitians, and ensuring meals meet therapeutic diets. The position requires knowledge of nutrition, familiarity with diet software, and strong computer and interpersonal skills.

Qualifications

• Experience applying knowledge, methods, and techniques of nutrition and food service.
• Education may substitute for required experience with transcripts.
• Combination of education and experience may qualify; education must be related to the position and documented.

Responsibilities

• Handle patient meal service orders and enter orders into the Dietetics Software system.
• Provide professional and courteous customer service via telephone, email, and in person.
• Collaborate with dietitians regarding food/drug interactions and notify clinical staff of issues.
• Interpret and process diet orders; print, prepare, review meal tickets.
• Triages calls from inpatient units and clinics regarding meals or nourishments.
• Verify physician orders for unusual diets and nutritional supplements.

Skills

Customer service

Computer literacy

Nutrition knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in a related field

Tools

Dietetics Software

Job description

Summary

This position is in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System at Tucson - Arizona. The Health Technician (Dietetic) provides administrative and customer service support for the hospital food service program.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 09/25/2026. This position has Individual Occupation Requirement (IOR). You must meet one of the following: Possess the 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.) OR Successfully completed full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. In addition to meeting the IOR above you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Experience where you applied knowledge of quantity food service operations - proper nutrition - food items and appropriate quantities; working with clients - patients - and/or - customers to assess their needs - provide information or assistance - resolve their problems - or satisfy their expectations; use computers - software applications - databases - and automated systems to accomplish work. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of a full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience - as listed above. The education portion must include courses directly related to the work of the position (i.e. nutrition - dietary therapy - food and nutrition science - food service systems management - etc.). This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. 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/.

Duties

• Include but are not limited to: Handles patient meal service orders - and enter meal orders into Dietetics Software system Provides professional and courteous customer service via telephone - email - and in-person Collaborates with dietitians regarding food/drug interactions - notifying clinical staff of potential issues with meal service and delivery Interprets and processes diet orders Prints - prepares - and reviews meal tickets Triages calls from inpatient units or outpatient clinics and procedure areas relating to patient meal trays or nourishments Retrieves computerized information/printouts to assist with tray and/or nourishment assembly such as standing orders - nourishment labels - tabulated recipe lists - and other simple information to assist in meal delivery Provides basic-level education and information on therapeutic diets Correctly interprets diet activity and patient information to ensure meal trays contain food items adhering to patient requests and preferences - and current therapeutic diet order Communicates patient concerns with registered dietitian or dietetic technician Verifies physician orders for unusual diets - conflicting modifications - tube feeding orders and nutritional supplements Uses a computer to record - retrieve and print recipes - menus - and inventory reports Performs other related duties as assigned
• Designated Drug-Testing Position: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment
• Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA
• Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received
• Work Schedule: Full-time - Schedule varies with rotating days off Sunday- Saturday - operational hours are between the hours of 5am and 8pm
• Compressed/Flexible: No approved
• Telework: This position is not authorized for telework
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Dietetic)/PD99835S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
• Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
• Physical Requirements: The work requires walking - standing - bending - lifting and carrying of light items - such as food trays - instruction materials - books - and manuals
• NCC Associate functions require long periods of sitting and moving about in an office environment - including repetitive motion activities of the hands and fingers for extensive keyboard and computer mouse use - and office tasks such as answering and holding a telephone phone - and writing
• The work may require walking indoors - outdoors or to and from other areas of the medical center
• It may be necessary to lift and/or push equipment
• Incumbent is subject to periods continuous standing - sitting - walking and frequent stooping - reaching - pushing - pulling - and bending
• Frequently lifts or moves objects weighing up to 20 pounds.