This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Des Moines, IA. The person in this position prepares nutritious, high quality meals for service to the Veterans.

Duties

Duties include but not limited to: Prepares and cooks meals that require little or no processing, such as hot cereals, concentrated or dehydrated soups, sauces, and gravies. Follows menus, production sheets, and recipes to proper items in the quantity needed. Grills eggs, meat patties, pancakes, French toast; broils meats; makes cold sandwich fillings and assembles a variety of sandwiches Prepares fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables; bakes frozen potatoes, pre-made cookie dough, and muffin batters. Prepares and heats convenience items such as frozen hash browns, fish fillets, and chicken nuggets; Prepares purred foods and adjusts consistency with thickeners. Washes, peels, and cuts fruits and vegetables; assembles and mixes salad ingredients and dessert items, including gelatin molds and fruit crisps. Weighs, measures, and assembles ingredients for regular and modified diets. Operates a variety of kitchen equipment and follows appropriate safety procedures. Follows sanitary food handling procedures. Disassembles and reassembles equipment for cleaning. Cleans and sanitizes work areas and performs deep cleaning tasks when needed. Operates dish machine. Performs other related duties. Work Schedule: 5:15 am -1:45 pm, 10:30 am -7:00 pm, 5 Days/Week, Rotating Additional Weekend Premium: Cooks who perform service on a tour of duty, any part of which is between midnight Friday and midnight Sunday, will receive premium pay in the amount of 25% of the employees' basic hourly rate for each hour of service on such tour. Position Description Title/PD#: Cook/PD99819S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/16/2023. 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 SafetyInterpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)MaterialsTechnical PracticesUse and Maintain Tools and EquipmentWithout more than normal supervisionWork 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. Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: Physical Requirements: Is subject to continuous walking, frequent bending, reaching, pushing and pulling. lifts or moves objects weighing up to 40lbs unassisted and occasionally lifts or moves objects weighing more than 40lbs 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. Working Conditions: Performs work in areas of extremes of temperature. Work is carried out of kitchens/dish room areas that are often hot, uncomfortable and noisy. Environment includes exposure to extreme cold while working in walk-in refrigerators and freezers for extended periods of time to complete duties. Works with other cooks, food service workers and supervisors. Is exposed to steam, cooking odors, and noise from equipment and conversations.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Contacts

• Address VA Central Iowa Health Care System 3600 30th St Des Moines, IA 50310 US
• Name: Terry Brassard
• Phone: (970) 263-5097
• Email: [email protected]