South Dakota Staffing
Job Opportunity: Food Service Worker
This position is located at the Hot Springs VA Medical Center within the Nutrition & Food Service. 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. Responsibilities major duties and responsibilities include: 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; Makes cold sandwiches using prepared ingredients; Performing other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Part-time - 16 hours: Shifts may include 6:00am-9:00 and 6:00am-10:00am or 4:00pm-7:00pm and 3:00pm-7:00pm. Includes weekends and holidays. Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99921S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence ("I CARE"). As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Opening Date: August 08, 2025 Closing Date: September 30, 2025 First Cut-Off Date: August 22, 2025 NOTE: This is an Open Continuous Announcement. Qualified candidates will be referred as vacancies occur. Eligible applications received after August 22, 2025 will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. Final application disposition will be completed at the end of the open period stated in the announcement. In addition, due to the potential of a high volume of applicants, not all applicants may receive consideration. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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. Physical Requirements and Work Environment: 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. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Education Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Direct Hire Authority: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
This position is located at the Hot Springs VA Medical Center within the Nutrition & Food Service. 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. Responsibilities major duties and responsibilities include: 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; Makes cold sandwiches using prepared ingredients; Performing other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Part-time - 16 hours: Shifts may include 6:00am-9:00 and 6:00am-10:00am or 4:00pm-7:00pm and 3:00pm-7:00pm. Includes weekends and holidays. Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99921S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence ("I CARE"). As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Opening Date: August 08, 2025 Closing Date: September 30, 2025 First Cut-Off Date: August 22, 2025 NOTE: This is an Open Continuous Announcement. Qualified candidates will be referred as vacancies occur. Eligible applications received after August 22, 2025 will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. Final application disposition will be completed at the end of the open period stated in the announcement. In addition, due to the potential of a high volume of applicants, not all applicants may receive consideration. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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. Physical Requirements and Work Environment: 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. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Education Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Direct Hire Authority: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.