The primary purpose of the position is to provide administrative and customer service support for the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital Nutrition Food Service Program, located in Leeds Massachusetts. This is a full-time position at 40 hours per week.

Duties

The incumbent performs routine duties that require exceptional customer service, computer skills, proper phone etiquette, proficiency in special food service and therapeutic diet procedures, a broad knowledge of routine modified diets, combinations of diet modifications and knowledge of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Dietetics software and required functions. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Utilizes a computer to enter and retrieve basic information. Utilizes dietetic software programs to retrieve diet orders, recipes, and menu and inventory data. Prints and assembles packets. Properly operates telephone equipment to transfer or place calls on hold. Provides professional and courteous customer service. Triages telephone calls from customers and/or patients. Provides basic-level education and information on therapeutic diets to patients, guests, and nursing staff. Resolves customer and/or patient complaints. Utilizes knowledge of basic and routine modified diets to identify problems in diet order information and take appropriate corrective action. Correctly interprets diet activity and patient information, to ensure appropriate food items on meals trays. Verifies physician orders for unusual diets, conflicting modifications, tube feeding orders and nutritional supplements. Assist with food selections, ensuring appropriateness of menu selections for complex diets. Answers the telephone using proper business etiquette. Communicates with customers in a pleasant, friendly, personable, and professional manner. Communicates effectively via telephone and in-person. Attends to both verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication. Work Schedule: 40 hours a week, 9:00am-5:30pm,w/every other weekend off. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Dietetic)/PD99855S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required NOTE: This is a Bargaining Unit Position. Current employees must submit copies of their most recent SF50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (competitive or excepted). In some cases, more than one Sf-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is in the Competitive Service. 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. Time-in-Grade Restriction: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also met time-in-grade requirements. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. Interchange Agreements with Other Merit Systems: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104(1) and (3) must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/09/2024. You must qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience where you applied knowledge of quantity food service operations, proper nutrition, food items and appropriate quantities. Working with clients, patients, and/or, customers to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations. Use computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successfully completed a full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with a major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to this position (i.e. nutrition, dietary therapy, food and nutrition science, food service systems management, etc.). This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as listed above. The education portion must include courses directly related to the work of the position (i.e. nutrition, dietary therapy, food and nutrition science, food service systems management, etc.). This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required. Physical Requirements: The work requires walking, standing, bending, lifting and carrying of light items, such as food trays, instruction materials, books, and manuals. NCC Associate functions require long periods of sitting and moving about in an office environment, including repetitive motion activities of the hands and fingers for extensive keyboard and computer mouse use, and office tasks such as answering and holding a telephone phone, and writing. The work may require walking indoors, outdoors or to and from other areas of the medical center. It may be necessary to lift and/or push equipment. Incumbent is subject to periods continuous standing, sitting, walking and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. Frequently lifts or moves objects weighing up to 20 pounds and pushing loaded carts of trays and/or nourishments. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Northampton VA Medical Center 421 North Main Street Leeds, MA 01053 US
• Name: Emily Wayne-Lane
• Phone: 781-687-2000 (6764)
• Email: [email protected]