Fresh Listing

Posted: January 8, 2026 (6 days ago)

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Food Service Worker

Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Fresh

Salary

$21.38 - $24.93

per hour

Closes

January 20, 2026

Job Description

Summary

This job involves working in a hospital kitchen to prepare, serve, and clean up food for veterans, including setting up meal trays, delivering them to patients, and maintaining a safe and sanitary environment.

It's a hands-on role in food service at a VA hospital in Reno, Nevada, where you'll handle tasks like portioning food, washing dishes, and assisting with simple recipes.

A good fit would be someone reliable with basic kitchen experience, attention to detail, and a desire to support healthcare through nutrition services—no advanced training needed, just practical skills from any work or volunteer background.

Key Requirements

  • Demonstrated ability to perform food service tasks like preparing and serving meals, with evidence from resume descriptions
  • Knowledge of safety, sanitation, and proper food handling practices
  • Basic computer proficiency for service operations
  • Dexterity and ability to use kitchen tools and equipment without close supervision
  • Experience interpreting instructions and following recipes or specifications
  • Familiarity with modified diets, portioning food, and checking tray completeness
  • Ability to work in a team, including assisting cooks and verifying lower-grade workers' tasks

Full Job Description

The WG-4 Food Service worker serves in the Nutrition and Food service line at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System.

They require a broad knowledge of service operations, such as food and beverage preparation, modified diets, computer proficiency, dishwashing, dry and refrigerated storage, and safety and sanitation.

Wage grade 4 workers can do all the duties of a lower grade worker, but also may help with making patient selections, thickening items and checking trays.

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 include, but are not limited to: Set up assigned station on the tray line with the correct supplies and food items Serve food cafeteria style by placing uniform portions of food on customers'/patients'/residents' plates Break down and clean the station when assigned Set up dining room tables for service, place food and beverages on tables, and replenish items as necessary Return soiled trays and dishes to the dish room Deliver meal trays to the patients' bedsides and report the patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitian Prepare beverages according to the number of servings required Prepare fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts in specified quantities Sort, wash, peel and cut cold foods using knives or other equipment Provide assistance to cooks in the food preparation area, such as weigh, measure and assemble ingredients according to standardized recipes Prepare uncooked food items, such as sandwich spread and salad dressings Operate and break down and clean all equipment assigned to food service and related areas Portion other food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishware Make final check of diet trays assembled by lower grade workers for completeness, correct food temperatures Verify that food items on the tray are appropriate for the prescribed diet Work Schedule: Various tours with exact schedule to be discussed during interview.

Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99836S Physical Requirements: Work requires light to moderate physical effort.

They 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.

They are subject to continuous standing and walking, and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending.

They frequently lift or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds unassisted and occasionally lift or move objects weighing more than 40 pounds with the assistance of others.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 1/8/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/9/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: CBSW-12859887-26-KW