Fresh Listing

Posted: February 24, 2026 (0 days ago)

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

Food Service Worker

Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Fresh

Salary

$18.42 - $21.50

per hour

Closes

March 6, 2026More VA jobs →

Job Description

Summary

This job involves preparing and serving meals in a hospital kitchen, cleaning equipment and areas, and delivering food trays directly to patients in a VA medical center.

It's a hands-on role focused on following routines to ensure safe and hygienic food service for veterans.

A good fit would be someone reliable and detail-oriented who doesn't mind physical work in a warm, busy environment and has basic experience in food handling or cleaning.

Key Requirements

  • Ability to follow set procedures and sequences for repetitive tasks like portioning food and operating dishwashers
  • Knowledge of safe sanitation techniques for cleaning kitchen equipment and surfaces
  • Dexterity and safety awareness to handle food preparation and equipment maintenance
  • Physical capability for light to moderate effort, including lifting weights, pushing carts, and working in hot, humid conditions
  • Reliability and dependability in performing duties consistently
  • Basic aptitude for food service work, such as assembling meals and identifying dietary discrepancies
  • Evidence of relevant training or experience (paid, unpaid, or volunteer) demonstrating these skills

Full Job Description

Wage Grade 2 Food Service Workers perform tasks with several steps or a sequence of tasks that requires attention to work operations.

They follow set procedures in accomplishing repetitive assignments and follow an established sequence of work such as working in the dish room, passing trays, portioning cold foods and dipping hot foods.

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 Follow Directions Handle Weights and Loads Reliability And Dependability Special Aptitude - Food Service Work 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:

This Food Service Worker position is located within the Nutrition & Food Service at the VA Medical Center at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Johnson City, TN.

Major Duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to): Cleans serving areas by sweeping and mopping floors, cleaning/sanitizing work surfaces, and other food service equipment, such as refrigerators, toaster, and coffee machines; Cleans production equipment including steam jacketed kettles, tilt skillets, etc.

using appropriate and safe sanitation techniques; Loads and operates dishwashers and cart washing station; Performs necessary preventative maintenance on equipment; Transports tray carts to wards and individually delivers trays directly to the patient's bedside or assists patients with transport of their meal trays; Sets-up serving areas with hot and cold foods, keeping foods appropriately stocked during meal service; Identifies discrepancies between the prescribed diet and/or listed food allergies and the food items listed on the tray ticket; Assembles a variety of items while working in cold food preparation and nourishment area; Make cold sandwiches using prepared ingredients; Performing other duties as assigned.

Physical Effort and Work Conditions: 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.

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications.

For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for.

Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success.

Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, Reliability and Dependability.

Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration.

The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements.

While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume Work Schedule: Part-time schedule; 15 hours a week; Earliest to clock in 5:30am; latest to clock out 8:00pm weekends and holidays included-Part-Time.

Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99921A 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.

Check your resume before applying to catch common mistakes

Browse Similar Jobs

Posted on USAJOBS: 2/24/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 2/25/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: CBTG-12894640-26-MAM