Health Technician (Dietetic) at Veterans Health Administration

About the role

This position, based in Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) at the Montana VA in Fort Harrison, serves as a Nutrition Communication Center (NCC) Ambassador. It provides administrative and customer service support for the hospital's food service program and requires strong customer service skills; computer proficiency; professional communication; and knowledge of therapeutic diet procedures, modified diets, and dietetics software used for patient menu selections, tray assembly, and nourishments. ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties include: Exercises a broad knowledge of routine and modified diets, diet combinations, and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) dietetics software. Handles patient meal service orders, and enters meal orders into Dietetics Software system. Provides professional and courteous customer service via telephone, e-mail, 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 entered by members of the interdisciplinary team. 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 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 meals trays contain food items adhering to patient requests, preferences, and current therapeutic diet order. Communicates patient concerns with the 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. Work Schedule: 12-hour shifts (6:00a - 6:30p) and a single 8-hour shift (6:00a - 2:30p) per pay period for a total of 80 hours. This schedule includes weekends and holidays. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. 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. To qualify for this position at the GS-4 grade level, you must meet one of the following: Experience: At least six (6) months of general experience and six (6) months of specialized experience. General Experience: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position (nutrition/dietetics), or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation (nutrition/dietetics). Specialized Experience: Experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled (nutrition/dietetics). Qualifying specialized experience includes documenting dietary/nutrition information; updating patient records; utilizing knowledge of tray assembly procedures; using dietetics software programs; using computer equipment, phone system, and printers; communicating verbally and in writing; and providing customer service. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment in their resume. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of two (2) years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in subjects directly related to this position A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to 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 business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted by the closing date. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required by the closing date. To qualify for this position at the GS-5 grade level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) in the Federal Service. Specialized Experience: Experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled (nutrition/dietetics). Qualifying specialized experience includes performing food service duties in a hospital environment utilizing knowledge of tray assembly area procedures and familiarity with regular and modified diets; using dietetics software programs; assisting with food selections; using computer equipment, phone system, and printers; communicating verbally and in writing; and providing customer service. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment in their resume. ~OR~ Education: A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to 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 business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted by the closing date. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required by the closing date. 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/. 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 of continuous standing, sitting, walking and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. Frequently lifts or moves objects weighing up to 20 pounds and pushing loaded carts of trays and/or nourishments. You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. 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. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation 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 identification 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details. 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.