Cook

This Cook position prepares and cooks nutritious, high-quality meals for Veteran patients in as part of the Nutrition and Food Service program. The incumbent independently prepares regular and therapeutic diets, requires advanced culinary knowledge, sound judgment, and strict adherence to sanitation and safety standards. They also coordinate and direct lower-grade cooks in production kitchen operations to ensure efficient quantity food preparation. Major duties include: Independently prepare, cook, season, portion, and present a variety of foods for regular and modified diets, ensuring quality, appearance, and proper serving temperatures. Follow menus, production sheets, and standardized recipes to prepare meals in required quantities, including complex and specialty recipes. Coordinate and prioritize multiple food preparation activities, ensuring timely completion of meals and efficient kitchen operations. Operate and maintain commercial food service equipment while adhering to safety procedures. Lead and coordinate the work of lower-graded cooks and provide guidance on food preparation, plating, quality control, and meal service. Calculate serving portions, minimize food waste, and assist with recipe development, product testing, menu planning, and food cost analysis. Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and infection control standards, including proper food handling, storage, labeling, cleaning, and temperature monitoring. Clean and sanitize kitchen equipment, utensils, work areas, and storage areas; perform routine and deep-cleaning duties. Receive, inspect, rotate, store, and inventory food supplies in accordance with food safety and security requirements. Assist with food ordering, inventory management, and maintaining accurate production and storage records. Monitor food storage conditions, identify potential safety concerns, and support overall food service operations. Perform other related duties as assigned in support of Nutrition and Food Service operations. Work Schedule: 5:00 a.m. • 8:00 p.m. Rotating shifts to include weekends and holidays Position Description Title/PD#: Cook/PD99817S Physical Requirements: Requires continuous standing and walking, frequent bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling; ability to lift and move items up to 40 pounds independently and heavier items with assistance; capability to handle bulky equipment and materials; manual dexterity to safely operate kitchen equipment and sharp tools; and strong hand-eye coordination, concentration, and quick reaction skills to perform food preparation and service duties efficiently and safely. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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 Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision Work 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. 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.