This Food Service Worker position is located within the Nutrition & Food Service at the Central Western Massachusetts VA Medical Center.
Major duties and responsibilities 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 Prepare boxed/to go meals 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 Identify obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menu Decide what food items to serve for the most common diets when the diet card or tray ticket identifies only the kind of diet called for Distributes menus and surveys to patients Provide patients with basic information about modified diets and the nutrition services that are available Prepare individual and bulk nourishments and supplemental foods and beverages for patients Follow directions in assembling, measuring, weighing, or mixing ingredients for basic formulas and supplemental feedings following standardized recipes and using sanitary techniques Determine the quantities of ingredients needed to prepare required yield Make conversions between the metric system to the standard system Take nourishment inventories, stocking using first in-first out procedures, replacing expired items Label and distribute individual nourishments Sterilize equipment and sanitize work areas Work in one or more functional areas of the kitchen such as food preparation, dish and pot washing, dry and refrigerated storage and receiving, and the serving line Perform heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areas Separate food waste and trash from dishes, glasses and silverware in the dish washing area Unload food/tray delivery carts Store sanitized dishes, glasses and silverware Scrape, soak, scour, and scrub cookware and utensils Move garbage cans when collecting and transferring trash from the work area to the disposal area Provide assistance to cooks in the food preparation area including assembling, labeling and arranging completed recipe items in preparation for use by cooks.
Use a computer terminal to record and retrieve recipe, menu and inventory data and to produce reports Other duties as assigned to meet the needs of the Medial Center Work Schedule: Multiples shifts. Based on service needs. Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99836S Physical Requirements: Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: Food Service Workers perform work requiring 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.
The work is performed in kitchen areas where the steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often cause uncomfortably high temperatures and humidity. The work area is well-lighted but usually noisy from food service activities, and there is danger of slipping on floors where food or beverages have been dropped.
Food service workers are regularly exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot working surfaces, and extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigeration or freezing units. Notifications: This position is in the Competitive Service. This position is not in a Bargaining Union. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.
Qualified Veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Marays.Soto@va.gov · (774) 826-4811
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $23.2 – $27.08/hr.
Applications close on 2026-11-09.
This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-10-26 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov
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