This position is in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL. 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. The work of this position is involved in the preparation of regular or special diet foods and meals.

Duties

Duties: Food Preparation - 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 prethermalization 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. - Gathers test data to assist management in making purchasing and menu pricing decisions. Food Safety/Sanitation - Follows sanitary food handling procedures; covers, labels and dates food items; utilize or discard ingredients by expiration date. - Disassembles and assembles component parts and accessories for cleaning. - Cleans, stores and maintains all kitchen utensils, equipment and work areas practicing a "clean as you go" concept. - Cleans and sanitizes assigned work areas: worktables, sinks, blast chillers, racks, carts. - Achieves certification in food safety such as SERV Safe and is able to apply knowledge of food safety, food temperatures, etc. - Operates dish machine; checks detergent level and water temperature before washing and sanitizing cook's equipment. Checks equipment to make sure it is free of food residue and soap. - Cleans ovens, combi oven/steamer, slicer, mixer, steam kettles, grill daily. - Collects trash, sorts, and prepares items for recycling. - Cleans floors, walls, shelves as assigned. - Performs deep cleaning tasks such as cleaning walk-in refrigerators and freezers. May operate powered floor cleaning or steam equipment for deep cleaning. - Prepares food production worksheets from computerized recipe files. Food Storage - Receives, rotates, and stores perishable and non-perishable items according to service policies. Removes outdated or damaged goods from stock. - Labels all food items with contents and dates per labeling guidelines. - Weighs, measures, and assembles ingredients accurately and according to standardized recipes or requisitions. - Monitor and maintain proper spacing of food products from floor, ceiling and shelving to ensure adequate air flow and spacing of products for optimal food safety. - Monitor for signs of pest notifying the appropriate individual as determined by your local policy. - Maintain accurate food inventories. - Provides assistance to supervisor or higher-grade worker in ordering food in accordance with daily and weekly menu requirements. - Maintains strict security of all areas. Work Schedule: To Be Determined Position Description Title/PD#: PD# 99818S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

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. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/25/2024. 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: Error! Filename not specified. 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: Work requires continual standing and walking, and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. Frequently lifts or moves objects weighing up to 40 pounds unassisted, and occasionally lifts or moves objects weighing up to 60 pounds with the assistance of lifting devices or other workers. Exposed to below normal temperature and freezing temperatures in walk-in refrigerators and freezers. Must have availability to use a standard keyboard and view a PC continuously for two hours. Working Conditions: The work is performed in kitchen areas where the steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often cause uncomfortable 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. Incumbent is regularly exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot working surfaces and extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigeration or freezing units. The work performed in the kitchen may expose the employee to various communicable diseases typically seen in hospital and hospitality areas

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Edward Hines Junior Hospital 5000 South 5th Avenue Hines, IL 60141 US
• Name: Latasha Hill
• Phone: 708-539-6901
• Email: [email protected]