This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service of the Wilkes Barre VA Medical Center. Nutrition and Food Service is responsible for providing meals and nutritional care to Veteran patients. The primary purpose of the Cook (WG-6) is to prepare nutritious, high quality meals for service to the Veterans. This position has a sequence of steps that require attention to work operations, sanitation and safety; work assignments may require knowledge and judgment.

Duties

Position Description Title / PD#: Cook / PD99818S Work Schedule: 10:00 AM-6:30 PM, 5 Days a week- includes weekends and holidays . Most duties include but not limited too: 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. 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. 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. Washes, peels, chops, grinds, pares, cuts, slices, dices, purees, dredges, flours, breads items. Covers, dates, and stores leftovers according to established local policies/procedures. Receives, rotates and stores perishable and non-perishable items according to service policies. Removes outdated or damaged goods from stock. Weighs, measures, and assembles ingredients accurately and according to standardized recipes or requisitions. Maintain accurate food inventories. 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.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement (08/22/2023). 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.

Contacts

• Address Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center 1111 East End Boulevard Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 US
• Name: Stephanie Langer
• Phone: 814-860-2282
• Email: [email protected]