Summary This position is in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at the VA New Jersey Health Care System.

The Health Technician (Dietetic) provides administrative and customer service support for the hospital food service program.

Responsibilities Major duties and responsibilities will include : 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. DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION : 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Work Schedule : varied tours, rotating weekends and holidays Telework : Not available Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Position Description / PD# : Health Tech (Dietetic) / PD99855A Financial Disclosure Report : Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.

S. Citizen to apply for this job 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 Service Registration is required for males born after 12 / 31 / 1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background / security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications 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.

• 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position : Food Service - Knowledge of preparing and serving food for consumption Patient Care - Knowledge of direct patient care techniques, including activities of daily living (ADLs), ambulating patients, infection control, and emergency response;

uses appropriate safety precautions Customer Service - Works and communicates with clients and customers e.g., any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit provides, including individuals who work in your agency or in other agencies or organizations outside the Government, to satisfy their expectations.

Committed to quality services Computer Skills - Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work Preferred Experience : Experience working in health care food service and with direct interaction with customers.

Physical Demands and Work Environment : The work requires walking, standing, bending, lifting, and carrying of light items, such as food trays, instruction materials, books, and manuals.

Requires 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; may be subject to periods of continuous standing, sitting, walking and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending.

Work is performed in a hospital and involves some exposure to contagious diseases. Standard precautions may necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in situations of potential exposure.

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 : 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 : Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.

e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date.

The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

Last updated : 2024-03-24