Summary This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Services within the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Administration. The primary purpose of this position is to perform, lead and train employees in food service operations including food handling, preparation, storage, and delivery. Responsibilities Lead/training duties and responsibilities include: Leads the activities of the production and service areas; Provides on-the-job, formal and informal training to lower graded food service works and documents training; Reviews daily work assignments and makes adjustments accordingly; Communicates instructions and information to employees concerning work to be accomplished; Relays any problems and/or events to supervisors and managers; Trains food service staff in safe food handling practices; Utilizes approved training programs and various training media; Completes safety and sanitation inspection checks; Ensures food production and service areas are properly set up; Performs final check of trays for proper temperature and accuracy as indicated on tray ticket; Observes work performance of employees and provides feedback to supervisors; Participates in performance improvement programs and documents quality improvement data; Performs other related duties as assigned. Food service duties and responsibilities include: Sets up tray line station with correct supplies and food items; Serves food, cafeteria style; Breaks down and cleans assigned station; Sets up dining room tables for service; Prepares individual and bulk nourishments and supplemental foods/beverages; Determines the quantities of ingredients needed; Makes conversions between the metric system to standard system; Performs heavy duty cleaning tasks throughout food service areas; Provides assistance to cooks in the food preparation areas; Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Compressed Tour to include rotating weekends and holidays. Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker Leader/PD99918S Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the @context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Pre-employment physical required Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/01/2026. 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. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills, and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills, and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, "Ability to Lead," which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Lead or Supervise Materials Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Work Practices While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume. 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. Physical Requirements: 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. Subject to continuous standing and walking and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. May be required to work on ladders and news powered cleaning equipment. Frequently lift or move objects waiting weighing up to 18 kilograms (40 pounds) and occasionally lift or move objects weighing more than 60 pounds. Working Conditions: Work is performed in the kitchen areas. Steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often causes uncomfortably high temperatures and high humidity. Work area is well lighted and noise levels exist from food service activities. Danger of slipping on floors where food or beverages have been dropped. Regularly exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot working surfaces and extreme temperature changes when entering into walking refrigeration or freezing units. Education Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
