Fresh Listing

Posted: March 2, 2026 (0 days ago)

This job was posted recently. Fresh listings typically have less competition.

Cook

Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Fresh

Location

Washington, District of Columbia

Salary

$22.25 - $25.92

per hour

Closes

March 7, 2026More VA jobs →

Job Description

Summary

This job involves preparing and serving nutritious meals to patients at a Veterans Affairs medical center in Washington, DC, including setting up trays, delivering food to bedsides, and maintaining the kitchen area.

It requires hands-on cooking and cleaning in a busy hospital kitchen environment.

A good fit would be someone with practical experience in food preparation who is reliable, detail-oriented, and comfortable working early shifts including weekends and holidays.

Key Requirements

  • Evidence of training or experience in cooking and food preparation sufficient to perform the job duties
  • Ability to portion food into standard serving sizes and select items for common diets
  • Skill in reading and interpreting menus, diet cards, and tray tickets
  • Dexterity and safety in handling kitchen tools and equipment
  • Capability to perform heavy-duty cleaning tasks in hot, humid kitchen conditions
  • Light to moderate physical effort, including standing, lifting, and delivering trays
  • Availability for shifts from 5:30 am - 2 pm or 9:30 am - 6 pm, including weekends and holidays

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington DC.

Nutrition and Food Services is responsible for providing meals and nutritional care to Veteran patients at the Medical Center.

The primary purpose of the Cook, WG 4, is to prepare 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.

Major Duties:

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 Selects and places correct items on patient trays Decides what food items to serve for the most common diets Identifies obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu Sets up dining room tables for service, place food and beverages on tables, and replenish items as necessary; 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, such as weigh, measure and assemble ingredients according to standardized recipes; Prepares fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts; Reads and interprets regular or modified menus, individual diet cards, tray tickets or patient selections Performs heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areas; Work Schedule: 5:30 am - 2 pm; 9:30 am - 6 pm; weekends and holidays Position Description Title/PD#: Cook/PD99819S 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.

Performs work requiring light to moderate physical.

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.

Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest.

The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing.

As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care.

Check your resume before applying to catch common mistakes

Browse Similar Jobs

Posted on USAJOBS: 3/2/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 3/3/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: CBTF-12899972-26-AW