Career Center

The primary purpose of the position is to provide administrative and customer service support for the VA hospital food service program. The incumbent performs routine duties that require exceptional customer service, computer skills, proper phone etiquette, proficiency in special food service and therapeutic diet procedures, a broad knowledge of routine modified diets, combinations of diet modifications and knowledge of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Dietetics software and required functions. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Individual Occupational Requirements: (IOR) Specialized Experience: Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. or Education and Training For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) GS-05 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experiences include: handling patient meal service orders, answers patient calls using phone system, collaborates with Dietitians regarding Food/Drug Interactions, notifying clinical staff of potential issues with meal service and delivery and taking direction regarding management, triages calls from inpatient units or outpatient clinics and procedure areas relating to patient meal trays or nourishments, prints lists, reports, labels, and tray tickets following the established local facility procedures, Prints lists, reports, labels, and tray tickets following the established local facility procedures, has thorough knowledge of basic and routine modified diets and is able to provide basic-level education and information on local facility therapeutic diets to patients, guests, and nursing staff. OR EDUCATION: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level: possess 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. 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. ["This is an open continuous announcement and will remain open until December 29, 2023. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be March 29, 2023, Period of Eligibility: For open continuous announcements, the period of eligibility of your application will be 90 days. After that time, you must update your application through your USA Jobs account if you would like to be made active again Duties to include but not limited to the following: Customer Service Practices excellent customer service skills in all forms of communication, either via telephone, e-mail or in-person. Communicates effectively via telephone and in-person and uses strong listening and speaking skills. Properly operates telephone equipment in order to transfer or place calls on hold. The incumbent will consider both verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication. Maintains the vital connection between Nutrition Communication Center (NCC) Associates, Registered Dietitian, higher graded dietetic technicians, food service staff, Nursing, patients and guests. Triages calls from inpatient units or outpatient clinics and procedure areas relating to patient meal trays or nourishments at the lowest level and will refer issues that cannot be resolved to Food Service Supervisor or other as determined by local policy. Retrieves computerized information/printouts 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. Has thorough knowledge of basic and routine modified diets and is able to provide basic-level education and information on local facility therapeutic diets to patients, guests, and nursing staff. Makes referrals to dietetic technician and/or dietitian as needed for more thorough diet education. Complete quality monitors to ensure food items and menu selections for regular and therapeutic diets are prepared and served appropriately (i.e. accuracy, timeliness, appearance, and temperature, dysphagia food testing). Administrative: Responsible for the independent and accurate transfer of information received via COTS Dietetics software. Diet activity and patient information must be interpreted correctly to ensure meals trays contain food items adhering to patient requests and preferences, and current therapeutic diet order. Generate the appropriate paper ticket for each meal service and complete all tickets for all modified diet combinations as part of the facility's contingency plan. Transfers patient menu preferences accordingly and keeps NCC stocked with all supplies needed and files menus. Exceptional ability in utilizing a computer to enter and retrieve basic information and utilizes COTS Dietetics Software programs to retrieve diet orders, recipes, and menu and inventory data. Handles routine telephone inquiries from nursing units/nursing personnel regarding patient meal orders and may maintain a log of telephonic client inquiries/concerns received directly from the client or unit personnel based on local policy. Initiates corrective action and/or notifies appropriate dietitian/dietetic technician for follow up. Communicates patient concerns with registered dietitian or dietetic Technician as appropriate and communicates with supervisor to complete all task assigned such as production/menu changes, menu specials, or menu shortages. Verifies physician orders for unusual diets, conflicting modifications, tube feeding orders and nutritional supplements. Support Prints lists, reports, labels, and tray tickets following the established local facility procedures. Runs nourishment labels, reports, prints back-up copies of reports and labels for contingency plans, and checks telephone messages. Adjusts menu selections, nourishments as needed for diet changes and NPO orders, as determined by local policies and procedure. Uses a computer terminal to record, retrieve and print recipes, menus, and inventory reports; to disseminate this information to various work units in the kitchen. Prints and assembles tray ticket packets in accordance with local facility policies and procedures and verifies correctness of the information and adherence to prescribed diet Work Schedule: varies; to be discussed by the supervisor Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician (Dietetic)/ 99796S 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."]

Return to Search Results