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Posted: March 30, 2026 (0 days ago)

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Cook

Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Fresh

Salary

$31.23 - $36.45

per hour

Closes

April 10, 2026More VA jobs →

Job Description

Summary

This job involves preparing and cooking nutritious meals for veterans in a hospital setting, including special diets for health needs like diabetes or low-sodium requirements.

The role requires working independently in a busy kitchen to follow recipes, handle food safely, and serve high-quality dishes.

It's a good fit for someone with cooking experience who can handle physical demands and stay focused in a fast-paced, sometimes uncomfortable environment.

Key Requirements

  • Demonstrated cooking experience or training sufficient to prepare a variety of meals, including therapeutic diets
  • Ability to follow menus, recipes, and production sheets accurately
  • Dexterity and safety skills for handling knives, equipment, and heavy objects up to 40 lbs
  • Knowledge of technical practices in food preparation, such as grilling, baking, and making sauces
  • Ability to interpret instructions and work independently with minimal supervision
  • Physical capability for continuous standing, bending, and exposure to heat, cold, and kitchen hazards
  • Experience in using and maintaining kitchen tools and equipment

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

The person in this position prepares nutritious, high quality meals for service to the Veterans.

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.

Physical Effort: Subject to continuous standing, walking, frequent bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling. Lifts or moves objects weighing up to 40 lbs. unassisted.

Manipulates cumbersome and heavy objects, such as washing stainless steel mixing bowls, pushing heavy carts on caster, or operating heavy equipment.

Manual dexterity needed to safely operate equipment and to handle sharp knives and blades. Hand-eye coordination and ability to concentrate and react quickly to serve food and operate equipment.

Working Conditions: Performs work in areas of temperature extremes. Work is carried out in kitchen/dish room areas that are often hot, uncomfortable, and noisy.

Environment includes exposure to extreme cold while working in walk-in refrigerators and freezers for extended periods of time to complete duties.

Works with other cooks, food service workers, and supervisors. Exposed to stems, cooking odors, and noise from equipment and conversation.

Subject to hazards of cuts, bruises, strains, burns and falls in kitchen equipment. Major Duties:

Major duties and responsibilities included, but are not limited to: Works independently to prepare and cook a variety of items including regular and therapeutic diet (diabetic, low sodium, low protein, gluten free, etc.) entrees and dessert items.

Follows menus, production sheets and recipes to prepare items in the quantity needed. Cooks hot cereals, concentrated or dehydrated soups, sauces, gravies.

Grills eggs, hamburgers, meat patties, pancakes, French toast; makes cold sandwich fillings and assembles a variety of sandwiches.

Uses a variety of methods to prepare meats, fish, and poultry including broiling, roasting, baking, frying, boiling, steaming, stewing, braising, and grilling Slices meat items by hand confirming to specific size requirements or weight specifications.

Prepares fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables; bakes frozen potatoes, pre-made cookie dough, muffin batters.

Prepares and heats convenience items; prepares pureed foods and adjusts consistency with thickeners. Washes, peels and cuts fruits and vegetables by hand or machine.

Assembles and mixes salad ingredients and dessert items including gelatin molds and fruit crisps.

Plans cooking processes to produce complete meals on time and at the proper temperature which may require coordination of cooking several items with different cooking times.

Attractively presents and garnishes food. Makes a variety of desserts such as cobblers, brownies, cookies and pastries.

Washes, peels, chops, grinds, pares, cuts, slices, dices, purees, dredges, flours, breads items. Weighs, measures, assembles ingredients for regular and modified diets.

Combines ingredients according to recipes to produce quality food items, minimizing preparation time and food waste.

Pans foods for bulk rethermalization according to recipe guidelines and production guidelines. Covers, dates, and stores leftovers according to established local policies/procedures.

Operates a variety of kitchen equipment: oven, combi oven/steamer, grill, slicer, mixer, steam kettles, blender, food processor, scale; follows safety procedures regarding the operation of equipment.

Gathers test data to assist management in making purchasing and menu pricing decisions. Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full Time; 9:00 am to 5:30 pm Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Authorized Position Description Title/PD-PD99818S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Telework/Virtual/Remote Work: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Posted on USAJOBS: 3/30/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 3/30/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: CBSW-12924005-26-MKH