Health Technician (Dietetic)

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service (N&FS) of the VA Healthcare Center White River Junction, VT in serving as a Nutrition Communication Center (NCC) Ambassador, providing administrative and customer service support for the VA hospital food service program.

Basic Requirements: English Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.

You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

To qualify for this position at the GS-3 grade level, you must meet one of the following: Experience: At least six (6) months of general experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the work of the position or that provided a familiarity with the nutrition/dietary subject matter and/or processes of this Health Technician (Dietetic) position.

Experience may have included documenting dietary information; able to use computer equipment, phone systems, printers, etc.; following verbal and written instructions.

This position requires effective communication skills both verbally and in writing and good customer service.

NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

~OR~ Education: Successful completion of one (1) year of study that included study in medical, health or other related fields.

This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite.

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education and experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level.

This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required.

To qualify for this position at the GS-4 grade level, you must meet one of the following: Experience: At least six (6) months of specialize experience and six (6) months of general experience that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Health Technician (Dietetic) position.

Specialized experience includes documenting dietary/nutrition information and updating patient records; knowledge of tray assembly area procedures; using dietetics software programs; following verbal and written instructions; and using computer equipment, phone system, and printers.

This position requires effective communication skills both verbally and in writing and good customer service.

General Experience is any type of work that demonstrates the ability to perform the work of the position or which provides a familiarity with the nutrition environment.

NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

~OR~ Education: Successful completion of two (2) years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in subjects directly related to this position A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position (i.e.

nutrition, dietary therapy, food and nutrition science, food service systems management, etc.).

This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite.

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level.

This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required.

To qualify for this position at the GS-5 grade level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Health Technician (Dietetic) position.

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.

Specialized experience includes performing duties in food service in a hospital environment; knowledge of tray assembly area procedures; using dietetics software programs; familiarity with regular and modified diets; assisting with food selections; following verbal and written instructions; and using computer equipment, phone system, and printers.

This position requires effective communication skills both verbally and in writing and good customer service.

NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

~OR~ Education: A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position (i.e.

nutrition, dietary therapy, food and nutrition science, food service systems management, etc.).

This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite.

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level.

This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required. Major Duties:

Major duties and responsibilities will include: Has a broad knowledge of routing modified diets, combinations of diet modifications and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) dietetics software Handles patient meal service orders in person or by phone Interacts with Veterans, dietitians, nursing staff, and other medical center employees Receives patient meal orders and preferences, meal and nourishment requests from nursing, clinical staff, and other members of the interdisciplinary team Takes whatever action necessary, within authority, to maximize patient satisfaction with meal service Completes select and non-select menus as required Retrieves computerized information 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 Provides education and information on local facility therapeutic diets to patients, guests, and nursing staff Assists patients in selection of the proper foods according to their individual diet Performs clerical and administrative duties in support of the service Performs other related duties as assigned.

Designated Drug-Testing Position: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.

Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: 10:00 am - 5:30 pm, Monday - Friday, 5 days a week, working every other weekend depending on the needs of the service.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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) 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) Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description #: 99855-S Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Notifications: This position is in the Competitive Service Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action).

The SF-50 must identify the position tittle, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.

The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.