Food Service Worker

Location: Lyons

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has adopted the Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) has adopted the Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) Workforce Modernization Plan, one of the largest workforce innovation efforts undertaken by VHA to articulate future states of NFS operations across enterprise, identifies key priorities for NFS to modernize workforce, recognize unique positions within VHA to support Veterans NFS and established consistency of functions and streamlines hiring process.

This position requires rotation between the East Orange and Lyons Campuses to support operational needs and ensure coverage.

Major duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

* Sets up and breaks down assigned station with the correct supplies and food items;

* Portions food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishware;

* Decides what food items to serve for the most common diets when the diet card or tray ticket identifies only the kind of diet called for;

* Provides patients with basic information about modified diets and the nutrition services that are available;

* Identifies obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu;

* Follows directions in assembling, measuring, weighing, or mixing ingredients for basic formulas and supplemental feedings following standardized recipes and using sanitary techniques;

* Delivers meal trays to the patients' bedsides; reporting the patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitian;

* Provides assistance to cooks in the food preparation area including assembling, labeling and arranging completed recipe items in preparation for use by cooks;

* Prepares fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts along with individual and bulk nourishments and supplement foods and beverages for patients;

* Makes final check of diet trays assembled by lower grade workers for completeness, correct food temperatures;

* Works in one or more functional areas of the kitchen such as food preparation, dish and pot washing, dry and refrigerated storage and receiving, and the serving line;

* Performs heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areas;

* Performing other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule:

Varied hours, alternating weekends and holidays

Position Description Title/PD#:
Food Service Worker/PD999205

Physical Requirements:

Work is performed in kitchen areas where the steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often cause uncomfortably high temperatures and humidity. Food service workers are regularly exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot working surfaces and extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigeration units. Performs work requiring light to moderate physical effort. 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.

Subject to continuous standing and walking, and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. Frequently lifts or moves objects weighing up to 20 pounds unassisted and occasionally lift or move objects weighing more than 40 pounds with the assistance of others.

This is an open continuous announcement until March 16, 2026. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.