Cook at Veterans Health Administration

About the role

Prepares and cooks nutritious meals for Veterans using standardized recipes, menus, and production sheets. Performs food preparation, portioning, modified diet preparation, equipment operation, food storage, sanitation, and cleaning. Maintains food safety standards, proper temperatures, inventories, and work areas while providing safe, timely, and high-quality meal service. Major duties and responsibilities include: Weighs, measures, and assembles ingredients for regular and modified diets. Cleans and sanitizes work areas and performs deep-cleaning tasks when needed. Makes precise measurements and weights when preparing recipes and portioning food. Prepares and heats convenience items such as frozen hash browns, fish fillets, and chicken nuggets. Uses simple arithmetic, such as multiplying and dividing ingredients in a recipe, to prepare the correct serving amount. Performs a full range of simple cooking by preparing and cooking items that require little or no processing. Prepares fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables. Follows menus, production sheets, and recipes to prepare items in the quantity needed. Covers, dates, and stores food leftovers according to established local policies and procedures. Weighs, measures, and assembles ingredients for regular and modified diets. Operates a variety of kitchen equipment. Disassembles and reassembles equipment for cleaning. Operates an industrial dishwashing machine. Monitors and maintains proper spacing of food products from floors, ceilings, and shelving to ensure adequate airflow and proper food safety. Prepares pureed foods and adjusts consistency with thickeners. Washes, peels, and cuts fruits and vegetables. Follows appropriate safety procedures when operating a variety of kitchen equipment. Follows sanitary food-handling procedures. Applies knowledge of sanitation principles to safeguard food against spoilage and waste. Work Schedule: Multiple shifts with required weekends & holidays Position Description Title/PD#: Cook / 99819-S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision Work Practices 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. U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation All 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. Pre-Employment/Post-Employment Physical Examination: May be required, depending on the needs of the organization. Selective Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.