Cook

Summary

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service of a Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Nutrition and Food Services is responsible for providing meals and nutritional care to Veteran patients at the Medical Center. The primary purpose of the Cook, WG 6, is to prepare nutritious, high quality meals for service to the Veterans.

The position has a sequence of steps that require attention to work operations, sanitation and safety; work assignments may require knowledge and judgment.

Duties

• Major Duties: Works independently to prepare and cook a variety of items including regular and therapeutic diet (diabetic, low sodium, low protein, gluten free, etc.) entrees and dessert items.
• Follows menus, production sheets and recipes to prepare items in the quantity needed.
• Cooks hot cereals, concentrated or dehydrated soups, sauces, gravies.
• Grills eggs, hamburgers, meat patties, pancakes, French toast; makes cold sandwich fillings and assembles a variety of sandwiches.
• Uses a variety of methods to prepare meats, fish, and poultry including broiling, roasting, baking, frying, boiling, steaming, stewing, braising, and grilling Slices meat items by hand confirming to specific size requirements or weight specifications.
• Prepares fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables; bakes frozen potatoes, pre-made cookie dough, muffin batters.
• Prepares and heats convenience items; prepares pureed foods and adjusts consistency with thickeners.
• Washes, peels and cuts fruits and vegetables by hand or machine.
• Assembles and mixes salad ingredients and dessert items including gelatin molds and fruit crisps.
• Plans cooking processes to produce complete meals on time and at the proper temperature which may require coordination of cooking several items with different cooking times.
• Attractively presents and garnishes food.
• Makes a variety of desserts such as cobblers, brownies, cookies and pastries.
• Washes, peels, chops, grinds, pares, cuts, slices, dices, purees, dredges, flours, breads items.
• Weighs, measures, assembles ingredients for regular and modified diets.
• Combines ingredients according to recipes to produce quality food items, minimizing preparation time and food waste.?
• Pans foods for bulk rethermalization according to recipe guidelines and production guidelines.
• Covers, dates, and stores leftovers according to established local policies/procedures.
• Operates a variety of kitchen equipment: oven, combi oven/steamer, grill, slicer, mixer, steam kettles, blender, food processor, scale; follows safety procedures regarding the operation of equipment.
• Work Schedule: 5:30am – 2:00pm, 7:30am-4:00pm, and 10:30am -7:00pm, Nights/Weekends/Holidays, 2 consecutive off days Position Description Title/PD#: Cook/PD99818S Physical Requirements: Is subject to continuous standing, walking, frequent bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling.
• Lifts or moves objects weighing up to 40 lbs. unassisted and occasionally lifts or moves objects weighing more than 40 lbs. with assistance of a lifting device or other workers.
• Manipulates cumbersome, heavy objects, such as washing stainless steel mixing bowls, pushing heavy carts on casters or operating heavy equipment.
• Possesses manual dexterity to operate equipment and to handle sharp knives and blades safely.
• Utilizes eye-hand coordination and the ability to concentrate and react quickly to serve food and operate equipment.
• This is a Bargaining Unit position.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation All 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.
• Selective Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

Required Documents

Documents Required: Resume Documents Accepted:

• Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Other (1) Performance Appraisal Professional Certification
• Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.
• Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
• You will not be contacted for additional information.
• Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
• Veterans’ Preference: 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.
• Applications are accepted online.
• Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.