Food Service Worker WG3

Job Summary

The VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION is seeking a skilled Food Service Worker WG3 to join their team. As a Food Service Worker WG3, you will be responsible for providing food service assistance in the Nutrition and Food Services Department. This includes setting up assigned stations with the correct supplies and food items, serving food cafeteria style, breaking down and cleaning the station, and performing other duties as assigned.

Key Responsibilities

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

This position is located at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, WI and is organizationally aligned under Nutrition and Food Services. The work schedule is 11:30am - 8:00pm with rotating weekends and holidays.

Requirements

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/04/2024. 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.

Responsibility

Complete assignments individually or as part of a team under the general supervision of the immediate supervisor. Assignments are made either orally or in writing. Detailed instructions are provided only for special projects. The work involving diet tray assembly is usually performed as a team with the worker being expected to know the commonly used diets in order to place items on a tray. Completed diet trays are checked by a higher-level food service worker. Work involving actual food preparation is accomplished under the guidance of a cook who provides technical instruction and checks work in progress and upon completion for conformance with acceptable food service practices. Food service workers know daily routines and work from guides such as diet cards, tray tickets, menus, portion control charts, standardized recipes, and employee assignment sheets. Questions on unusual or difficult tasks are referred to a higher-grade worker or supervisor for clarification and advice. Work at this level is evaluated in terms of accuracy and timely completion of assignments.

Physical Effort

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.

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.

Customer Service

Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.

Automated Data Processing (ADP) Security

Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy. Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in the computer access agreement that the employee signs.

Education

Education is not required for this position. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

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