Summary

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service (N&FS) of the VA White River Junction Healthcare System - VT in serving as a Nutrition Communication Center (NCC) Ambassador - providing administrative and customer service support for the VA hospital food service program.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists - speech pathologists - medical officers - and optometrists
• Therefore - technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge - methods - and techniques of the position to be filled
• English Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English
• You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• To qualify for this position at the GS-4 grade level - you must meet one of the following: Experience: At least six (6) months of specialize experience and six (6) months of general experience that has given you the particular knowledge - skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Health Technician (Dietetic) position
• Specialized experience includes documenting dietary/nutrition information and updating patient records
• knowledge of tray assembly area procedures
• using dietetics software programs
• following verbal and written instructions
• and using computer equipment - phone system - and printers
• This position requires effective communication skills both verbally and in writing and good customer service
• General Experience is any type of work that demonstrates the ability to perform the work of the position or which provides a familiarity with the nutrition environment
• NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment
• ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of two (2) years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in subjects directly related to this position A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to 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 business or technical school - junior college - college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite
• NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials
• Education cannot be credited without documentation
• ~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level
• This education must have been obtained at an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college or university
• NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required
• To qualify for this position at the GS-5 grade level - you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge - skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Health Technician (Dietetic) position
• Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists - speech pathologists - medical officers - and optometrists
• Therefore - technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge - methods - and techniques of the position to be filled
• Specialized experience includes performing duties in food service in a hospital environment
• knowledge of tray assembly area procedures
• using dietetics software programs
• familiarity with regular and modified diets
• assisting with food selections
• following verbal and written instructions
• and using computer equipment - phone system - and printers
• This position requires effective communication skills both verbally and in writing and good customer service
• NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment
• ~OR~ Education: A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to 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 business or technical school - junior college - college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite
• NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials
• Education cannot be credited without documentation
• ~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level
• This education must have been obtained at an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college or university
• NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required
• 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/.

Duties

• The primary purpose of the position is to provide administrative and customer service support for the VA hospital food service program
• 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).The duties include but are not limited to: Has a broad knowledge of routing modified diets - combinations of diet modifications and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) dietetics software
• Handles patient meal service orders in person or by phone
• Interacts with Veterans - dietitians - nursing staff - and other medical center employees
• Receives patient meal orders and preferences - meal and nourishment requests from nursing - clinical staff - and other members of the interdisciplinary team
• Takes whatever action necessary - within authority - to maximize patient satisfaction with meal service
• Completes select and non-select menus as required
• Retrieves computerized information to assist with tray and/or nourishment assembly such as standing orders - nourishment labels - tabulated recipe lists - and other simple information to assist in meal delivery
• Provides education and information on local facility therapeutic diets to patients - guests - and nursing staff
• Assists patients in selection of the proper foods according to their individual diet
• Performs clerical and administrative duties in support of the service
• Performs other related duties as assigned
• Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
• Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
• Work Schedule: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm - 5 days a week - working every other weekend
• Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized
• Telework: Not Authorized
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Dietetic)/PD99855S and PD99601S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
• PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
• Notifications: This position is in the Competitive Service Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position tittle - 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 covered by locality-based comparability pay
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's
• This is an AFGE Bargaining Unit position