Food Service Worker

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is one of the largest integrated healthcare systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the health needs of veterans across the nation. The VHA is committed to providing comprehensive healthcare services to veterans and their families, ensuring they receive high-quality and compassionate care. Central to the VHA's mission is the Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) Workforce Modernization Plan, which represents a significant initiative aimed at transforming food service operations within VHA facilities. This plan is designed to articulate future states of NFS operations enterprise-wide, establish key priorities to modernize the workforce, recognize unique positions within the VHA that support veterans' nutrition and food service needs, and streamline the hiring process for these essential roles.

This position is for a Food Service Worker at the VA Central Texas Health Care System located in Waco, TX. The role is classified under the Wage Grade 4 (WG 4) pay scale, offering a salary range of $19.76 to $23.05 per hour. It is a full-time permanent position without promotion potential, requiring a commitment to rotating shifts that alternate every 28 days, with hours from 5:00 am to 1:30 pm and 11:00 am to 7:30 pm. The Food Service Worker position is critical in supporting the overall mission of the VHA by ensuring the safe and efficient preparation and delivery of food to patients, veterans, and staff within the health care system.

Food Service Workers in this capacity are expected to perform a wide range of duties that demand proficiency in various food service operations including food and beverage preparation, dishwashing, managing dry and refrigerated storage, and maintaining safety and sanitation standards. In addition to manual tasks, workers must have computer proficiency to manage recipe, menu, and inventory data effectively. This role involves both the preparation of hot and cold foods, serving meals cafeteria-style, assembling tray meals, and ensuring that food items meet prescribed dietary requirements. An important aspect of the job is to interact with patients by delivering meals to their bedsides and reporting any feedback or complaints to supervisors or dietitians, showing a direct role in patient care and satisfaction.

Physical demands of the role include moderate to heavy physical effort such as standing and walking continuously, frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, bending, and lifting objects typically up to 20 pounds unassisted and occasionally more with assistance. The position requires workers to operate and clean food service equipment regularly and maintain sanitation of work areas. Food Service Workers often assist cooks by assembling ingredients and following standardized recipes for the preparation of meals and supplemental feedings. Workers are also responsible for inventory management, employing first in-first out procedures, labeling, and distributing food items properly.

Candidates for this position must be U.S. citizens and meet conditions suitable for Federal employment including passing background investigations and drug screenings. This job does not have an educational requirement but expects candidates to demonstrate relevant training or experience in food service tasks. This role is an excellent entry point for individuals interested in healthcare support services and offers the opportunity to work within a respected federal agency that values integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence under the VA Core Values framework. Given the importance of this role within the healthcare system, selected applicants will serve a one-year probationary period during which their performance will be evaluated to ensure alignment with organizational goals and the advancement of the public interest.